R i g h t a r d i a: Huffington Post: GOP fears Obama re-election will result in permanent welfare state

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Huffington Post: GOP fears Obama re-election will result in permanent welfare state

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- At the South Carolina GOP convention, Republican lawmakers warned that a second term for President Obama would kill America's independent spirit and create a permanent big government welfare state.

Sen. Jim DeMint, the Palmetto State’s conservative firebrand, has said for months said the upcoming presidential election “is our last chance to get it right.”

I America a welfare state? Hardly Americans pay the FICA tax for years before they can apply for Social Security at age 62 and Medicare at age 65. There is no national health care plan. The Affordable Health Care Act left the private insurance companies intact.

Is Unemployment and worker compensation welfare? If we did not have unemployment insurance, many people would lose their homes and cars and be evicted from their apartments before they could find a new job. The alternative to workers compensation is more law suits against small business and corporations.

Medicare is another welfare program that provides medical help to people who have no health insurance. Of course, the Affordable health Care Act would get many of these people off of Medicare because of the Individual Mandate that requires everyone purchase health insurance or face an IRS fine.

The GOP has been attacking the iIndivual Mandate in the courts to try to destroy the Affordable Health Care Act. Figure that one out!

The only programs that are really welfare are Food stamps and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). Food Stamps are a program of last result after the unemployment insraunce runs out. TANF has aliftime benefit of five years and replaced Aid to Dependent children which was probably the last comprehensive welfare program in the US.

Republicans probably consider the school lunch program welfare, but this may be the only meal many children in poverty get, Would it suprise you that it many professionals enroll their kids in the school lunch program! This is because the parents lie about their real income and think it "unfair" that the less fortunate would be eligible for a free school lunch. Most Democrats don't think that way.

Are your Pell Grants and student loans welfare? In Europe many countries provide the equivalent of a two or four year degree free to their young people. Unlike the Americans, the European kids don't carry a $20,00 to $30,00 debt with them when they graduate from college.

Is America a welfare state? Rightardia doesn't think so. We think tax cuts and subsidies to billionaires, millionaires and corporations are also a form of welfare, bu the GOP is only concerned with "welfare programs" that entitle US citizens to benefits during hard times.