Name:   MartiniMan - Subject:   Maine reminds that some people don't want to work Date:   2/11/2016 12:34:07 PM (updated 2/11/2016 12:37:06 PM)

Well at the beginning of Obama's term in 2009 there were about 35 million on food stamps.  It rose steadily for the next two years to around 45 million and has stayed fairly steadily ever since.  So the numbers on food stamps actually went up during the so-called recovery which is pretty disappointing.  As for welfare, it costs around $700B-$800B per year on a national basis (of whioch the Feds are around 2/3rds and state/local picks up the rest) although Obama's joke of a budget plans for large increases.  No doubt no one is living large on welfare but when you add up that, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. it is obviously not too awful an existence.  As I said, I am all for helping the truly needy but as we saw with these reforms they seem willing to give it up if they have to do something to keep it.

By the way, typical annual payments are in the $25K-$30K range.  More than I expected and when you add food stamps (which ranges from $2,400 to $12,000 per year depending on the number in the household) and free medical care why would anyone work?