$3.7 trillion spent on welfare for the past 5 years

[dario73]

"We have just concluded the 5th fiscal year since President Obama took office. During those five years, the federal government has spent a total $3.7 trillion on approximately 80 different means-tested poverty and welfare programs. The common feature of means-tested assistance programs is that they are graduated based on a person’s income and, in contrast to programs like Social Security or Medicare, they are a free benefit and not paid into by the recipient," says the minority side of the Senate Budget Committee.

"The enormous sum spent on means-tested assistance is nearly five times greater than the combined amount spent on NASA, education, and all federal transportation projects over that time. ($3.7 trillion is not even the entire amount spent on federal poverty support, as states contribute more than $200 billion each year to this federal nexus—primarily in the form of free low-income health care.)

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/report-us-spent-37-trillion-welfare-over-last-5-years_764582.html

[OzmO]

I wonder how much of that is fraudulent or unneeded?

[Necrosis]

This is part of the issue, the raw numbers give you no insight. What is the etiology of this welfare state? is it inequality, poor pay adjusted for inflation, lack of jobs etc.

The problem is maybe laxity with regards to handouts, but the precipitating issues will remain if this is as in depth as we examine.

[JOHN MATRIX]

Lol I thought that read 'warfare'

[240 is Back]

I wonder how much of that is fraudulent or unneeded?

MOST.   We all know people that get food stamps that buy weed, don't we?  We all know people that have a pack of Marlboro, waiting for their check to arrive as they chill on the front porch, texting on their obamaphone?  Some are in my circle friends/family and it makes my blood boil.

[Soul Crusher]

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/census-bureau-means-tested-govt-benefit-recipients-outnumber-full

[bears]

welfare allows the poor and uneducated a reason to stay poor and uneducated.

[Dos Equis]

welfare allows the poor and uneducated a reason to stay poor and uneducated.

True in way too many instances.  As Lt. Col. Allen West said, it should be a safety net, not a hammock.