Most
Americans Depend on
Feds for Income
he welfare
state appears to be the permanent form of American government.
More than half of all Americans now receive significant
income from government programs, according to an analysis
of statistical data about government beneficiaries.
The study, conducted by economist Gary Shilling of New Jersey
and reported by the Christian Science Monitor last month,
found that 52.6 percent of Americans hold a government job,
or work at a job dependent on government funds, or receive
some form of government benefits. Shilling said 1 in 5 Americans
work at jobs funded by government, and a similar number
receive Social Security benefits or a government pension.
About 19 million others receive food stamps, 2 million get
subsidized housing, and 5 million get education grants.
In his calculations, Shilling included dependents as well
as those who are the direct recipients of government income.
Shilling said the number of Americans receiving government
income is up slightly from the 49.4 percent he found in
2000, and significantly more than the 28.3 percent who received
government income in 1950.
He predicts that the number of people depending on government
for a significant source of income will grow to 60 percent
of the population by 2040.
In compiling his study, Shilling said he took great care
not to count anyone twice. He added the number of federal,
state, and local government employees, plus private sector
workers whose jobs are linked to government money. Then
he added the recipients of direct payment programs such
as pensions and Social Security and the beneficiaries of
welfare programs such as food stamps, and combined that
number with their dependents.
