Policy Digest: Welfare State Edition
- Michael Tanner: “[M]ore than one out of every three Americans live in households that are now on welfare. Looked at another way, America’s welfare state now has nearly three times the population of the largest actual state. . . . And none of these numbers include the middle-class social-welfare programs like Medicare and Social Security. Counting these programs, more than 153 million Americans, nearly half the population (49.5 percent), are living in households now dependent on government for a significant portion of their income.”
- The Citizens Council for Health Freedom has more on the history of Mutual Aid Societies, including a fascinating look at modern Mutual Aid.
- Maybe you’ve heard recent claims that there is a national hunger crisis. James Bovard sets the record straight. (Unfortunately this is behind The Wall Street Journal’s paywall.)
- Lots of arrests as fast food “workers” take to the streets and demand a $15 an hour “living wage.” (Inexplicably, they do indeed seem to be alive.) Maybe they should take the advice of the owner of the oldest operating McDonald’s, who points out that if you are willing to work hard and learn, a job at McDonald’s can make it possible for you to make far more than minimum wage. “Every one of my managers started as a crew person on french fries, my supervisors, my son, myself. I have four people who worked for me who went on to own their own McDonald’s restaurants. I would say that we’re a company where more people have come up through the ranks and become successful than maybe any other company in maybe the world.”
