The Welfare President — We Spent How Much on Freak’n Handouts Over the Last 4 Years?

Lots of bad and or embarrassing economic numbers out today (bad for Obama’s bid for re-election and bad for American).

From the lovely Jedediah Bila, we get this stunning (or not so stunning, really) figure:

Welfare spending jumps 32% in 4 years: wtim.es/T2JFI4 via @washtimes

— Jedediah Bila (@JedediahBila) October 18, 2012

In fiscal year 2012, federal government spent 44% more than it had available to spend. Result->$1.089 trillion deficit. is.gd/E4coOQ

— Jedediah Bila (@JedediahBila) October 18, 2012

That’s right, folks — we spend more on welfare than we do on Medicaid, Social Security, or Defense. From the Washington Post article:

Welfare spending has grown substantially over the past four years, reaching $746 billion in 2011 — or more than Social Security, basic defense spending or any other single chunk of the federal government — according to a new memo by the Congressional Research Service.

The steady rise in welfare spending, which covers more than 80 programs primarily designed to help low-income Americans, got a big boost from the 2009 stimulus and has grown, albeit somewhat more slowly, in 2010 and 2011. One reason is that more people are qualifying in the weak economy, but the federal government also has broadened eligibility so that more people qualify for programs.

[snip]

Overall, welfare spending as measured by obligations has grown from $563 billion in fiscal 2008 to $746 billion in fiscal 2011, or a jump of 32 percent.

The CRS numbers tell a complex story of American taxpayers’ generosity in supporting a varied social safety net, ranging from food stamps to support for low-income AIDS patients to child-care payments to direct cash going from taxpayers to the poor.

Via ‘taxpayers’ generosity’ — well, that’s certainly an interesting way of putting it. Because we’re not forking over $1 trillion in welfare handouts from the generosity of our hearts…it’s being stolen from us by the Federal government, and being used to buy votes for their failed policies and ideology.

Why has welfare grown so quickly under Obama (especially food stamp usage)? Remember that Obama removed the work requirement for welfare, which is a major reason that welfare handouts have increased.

PICKPOCKET: We spend $1T each year on welfare. More than Social Security, Medicare, or defense 1.usa.gov/PckJP8

— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) October 18, 2012

Obama has proudly worn the title of Food Stamp President, let’s see if he’s as eager to embrace the title of The Welfare President.