As a previous post noted, Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute asserts that in many ways the U.S. already is a social democracy — in other words, we’re already far down the Road to Serfdom. Gulp!
(BTW, he’ll be speaking in Charlotte next week: Wednesday, July 18)
To say we’re like Spain or Greece may seem pessimistic. But, a top econ writer for AEI provides charts to show how far we’ve already gone toward that. Here are just some of the hair-raising facts he notes:
– In the 1960s, there were 18 workers per Medicaid recipient. Today that number is 2.5.
– The number of Americans on disability has risen 19% faster than jobs created during this recovery.
– There are just 1.2 private sector workers per 1 person on welfare or working for government.
– There are now just 1.65 employed persons in private sector per 1 person on welfare assistance.
How bad is it? Well, yet another AEI writer says we’re close to a War of the Makers vs. the Takers: “A country where more Americans go on Social Security disability than get jobs
— as happened last month–can’t stand.”
These are dramatic statements. The nation’s Makers shouldn’t lose heart. But they shouldn’t underestimate what’s at stake this year.
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