The WORK ETHIC
that Built the USA
and Made it Great
has Fallen Prey to
The WELFARE STATE
The Cato Institute released an updated 2013 study (original study in 1955) showing that welfare benefits pay more than a minimum wage job in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Even worse, welfare pays more than $15 per hour in 13 states.
According to the study, welfare benefits have increased faster than minimum wage. It's now more profitable to sit at home than it is to earn an honest day's pay.
Hawaii is the biggest offender, where welfare recipients earn $29.13 an hour, or $60,590 a year for doing nothing.
Here is the list of the states where the pre-tax equivalent yearly “salaries” received by welfare recipients pay more than available jobs:
1. Hawaii: $60,590
2. District of Columbia: $50,820
3. Massachusetts: $50,540
4. Connecticut: $44,370
5. New York: $43,700
6. New Jersey: $43,450
7. Rhode Island: $43,330
8. Vermont: $42,350
9. New Hampshire: $39,750
10. Maryland: $38,160
11. California: $37,160
12. Oregon: $34,300
13. Wyoming: $32,620
14. Nevada: $29,820
15. Minnesota: $29,350
16. Delaware: $29,220
17. Washington: $28,840
18. North Dakota: $28,830
19. Pennsylvania: $28,670
20. New Mexico: $27,900
21. Montana: $26,930
22. South Dakota: $26,610
23. Kansas: $26,490
24. Michigan: $26,430
25. Alaska: $26,400
26. Ohio: $26,200
27. North Carolina: $25,760
28. West Virginia: $24,900
29. Alabama: $23,310
30. Indiana: $22,900
31. Missouri: $22,800
32. Oklahoma: $22,480
33. Louisiana: $22,250
34. South Carolina: $21,910
As a point of reference the average Middle Class annual income today is $50,000, down from $54,000 at the beginning of the 2008 Recession.
Hawaii, DC, and Massachusetts pay more in welfare than average workers are able to earn there. Is it any wonder that so many stay home rather than look for a job. Time for a drastic change. America is virtually bankrupt.
Have we gone mad? How could we hope to undo this extravagant stupidity in public policy?
US Presidents:
$400,000 a year while in office
Representatives and Senators:
$174,000
Speaker of the House:
$223,500
Majority or Minority Leader
$193,400
Average income for teachers - $40,065
Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN
AFGHANISTAN $38,000
Think about this:
Nancy Pelosi, already a very rich woman, earned $174,000 a year as a US Representative. She earned $223,500 a year as Speaker. She receives $193,400 a year as Minority Leader. Doubtless at the rate things are going others who follow in her wake will eventually receive more
Nancy Pelosi is just one of many hundreds of senators
and representatives that float in and out every
year.
[NOTE: The retirement income members of congress receive (from is, the taxpayers) is determined by a formula that takes into account the years served and the average pay for the top three years in terms of payment. For example, a member elected before 1984 ... who worked for 22 years and who had a top three-year average salary of $153,900 would be eligible for a pension payment of $84,645 per year. A member elected after 1984 would have been enrolled under the FERS plan, and their pension payment under the same conditions ($153,900 top three-year average salary and 22 years of service [not in citation given]) would be $55,404. [not in citation given].[3] In 2002, the average pension payment ranged from $41,000 to $55,000.[4]]
[NOTE: The average annual retirement income in the USA for a COUPLE is about 50K, but the figure’s meaning is distorted, because it averages in the incomes of the super-rich, which may amount to millions per month and hundreds of millions per year –– or more –– along with that of the burger flippers, lawn care service workers, store clerks, waiter and waitresses, domestic assistants (i.e. house maids), etc. Omitting the top 5% would doubtless bring the average down to less than 20K per year. Exact figures are not readily available.]
Don’t you think paring down the rewards that come through serving in congress would be a good place to start paring down the costs of government?
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