by Ron Paul
The media insists on characterizing statements about dependency on government handouts as controversial, but in truth such statements are absolutely correct. It’s not that nearly half of Americans are dependent on government; it’s actually more than half. If one includes not just people on food stamps and welfare, but also seniors on Medicare, Social Security and people employed by the government directly, the number is more like 165 million out of 308 million, which is 53%.
Some argue that Social Security and Medicare benefits are a right because people pay into these programs their whole lives, or that we need a government safety net in place for people who fall on hard times. However, this all becomes a moot point when the funds people depend on become worthless due to government default or rampant inflation.
This is less an issue of dignity or dependence on government, and more about the deceitfulness of government promises.
The Fed recently announced that it plans to keep interest rates near zero and keep buying near worthless assets from banks indefinitely. This enables Congress to spend without having to take deficits or the debt seriously and there is every indication they intend to spend with impunity until the system collapses. There are no brakes on the runaway train. The federal debt ceiling law does nothing to limit spending. The ceiling will have to be raised yet again perhaps before the year is out. What is happening in Greece with austerity measures and riots in the street will happen here within a decade according to some realistic estimates if we do not find some way to fiscally restrain our government.
There is little point in a debate about being entitled to healthcare or food or shelter from fellow taxpayers if the whole system has collapsed. And, with the way our politicians have taken over and mismanaged vast amounts of resources, collapse seems almost unavoidable. Yet the number of Americans who have significant dependency on government is dangerously high, and I honestly fear for them.
Worse, corporate welfare is also at an all time high with no signs of diminishing. Though it is hard to quantify, Tad Dehaven at Cato has estimated that the government spends nearly twice as much on corporate welfare than on social welfare. Both parties are equally guilty. More and more, the business sector is learning to rely on taxpayer largesse in one form or another. They used to be solely concerned with providing a better product to the consumer at a better price. Now, success on Wall Street depends entirely too much on having the best lobbyists on K Street. If one includes the employees of “private” businesses who depend on government contracts, grants or bailouts, there are even more people dependent on government in some way.
Government does not create resources when it taxes people and prints money; it merely redistributes the wealth, while supporting a massive, wasteful bureaucracy along the way. Government is a giant, blood-sucking parasite on our otherwise healthy economy. For too long we have entrusted too much economic power and influence to irresponsible politicians in Washington. It’s the chaos that ensues after they run the system into the ground that will be so painful for so many people. But realigning our economy with the free market and away from government mandates and handouts must happen in order for it to thrive again.
The answer is not to keep asking government to do more. The answer is to extricate our economy and ourselves from the grasp of Washington DC as much as possible now, before our dependency becomes our downfall.
Processing your request, Please wait....
" -
Texas doesn’t allow write-ins?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
i would do this if i could but i am just someone who is watching these things from outside, by the way i did not knew that he is still a possible option , i thought he sold his votes to romney for the sake of his son , this was how we anticipated it ( some germans , or those who where interested enough )
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
ron paul is mentally retarded and anyone that follows him is even dumber
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Choosing the lesser of two evils is still an act of evil. Write him in.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
sad he’s not staying in the race
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I think his family might have been threatened.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Write him in.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
he may be right but who cares ? he is done for this time and it will be either romney or obama , more likely obama.
the choice between two types of lethal cancer and no hope in plain sight . but money has to be made so keep on calling ron´s number at least he can tell how it should be .
for me personally :
a big disappointment , a very big one
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Listening to him raises my IQ drastically.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Yes…God,Gold,and Guns… we r screwed…
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
dumbest man in the world
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Ron Paul, End The Fed or we will end up dead!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
53% is staggering, end this fed…
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Gary Johnson 2012 ? who is his V.P Obamney?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Fiscally or Fist-ally the GovernMentalist use !!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Vote Gary Johnson 2012 instead he will be on every ballot.Come On America ! show some courage and save our Nation.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I would vote for Gary Johnson in any other election, but Obama is sooooo bad we may not have an economy or country to save in 2016.
While I do not love the guy like I do RP, I have to vote Romney.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Stop the Fascist Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson from winning the general election!
Still Report #38, 39, 40 and 41
Ron Paul 2012 as an Independent President and Bill Still 2012 as an Independent Vice President!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
SEE http://www.understandingmoney101.com and http://www.still2012.com for some monetary solutions,not complaints!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Ron Paul is the best choice! He’d win if he were on the ballot.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Ventura 2016!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
“Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it’s realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.” ― Dr. Ron Paul
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Two dislikes, Romney & Obama?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
smartest politician
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
It would’ve been nice. Too bad he pussed out.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
He’s been stepping up for 30 years, what the hell are you talking about? You know why many don’t know him? Because of the corruption/corporate control of the mainstream media. The way Rep/Dem is pushed in this country as the only choices, though they clearly are not, combined with the fraud and corruption in the election system itself, he has completely been denied any chance, realistically before he even started. He didn’t “call it quits”, he still does exactly the same as he was doing before.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Ron Paul: We Must PHYSICALLY Restrain Our Government!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
EPA is not going to mandate minimum pricing…to much fox news. At Public Sector emplyees outside Dept of Homeland are at RECORD LOW. Its not welfare, if you pay taxes and then the govt hires teachers and firefighters for you.
Many things like Corporation Tax and Sales tax revenue belong to everyone so its not really welfare
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
It’s so horrifying that now Democrats are pro-war… Ron Paul was the only choice America had. I’m still voting Gary Johnson this year. It might be the last year I vote. The rest is up to me and you. Voting won’t fix anything. We got to bring peace and prosperity ourselves by stop paying for cable tv and buying their shit, become less reliant on their oil, healthcare system, courts, education etc. We have to do it while they steal our money. We also have the option to take arms and end tyranny.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
people, there is no going back, fiscally responsible? cut the deficit? give me a break, NO POLITICIAN HAS A REAL ANSWER. why? because its impossible to answer! 16 TRILLION in debt, 1.2 trill deficit, please, its over! the only thing that will work is a complete collapse, and restart, thats it. get ready because if you want to at least try to survive the collapse and restart process, you better stock up on as much as you can. nobody wants to see their children crying because their just so hungry
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
He probably means gold/silver. Federal Reserve notes (you know, paper cash) are technically illegal to be used as money.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Sorry, right now he has the power that you and I don’t have. The time is ripe and he needs to step up. You might know him but, many don’t. He needs to get his face and message out there to the masses while he is able. He has enormous power in numbers going for him. To call it quits doesn’t fly. If He needs a PR guy to help him so be it. Hire one. We’re living in a media age and its not asking to much for him to give it a last push, to reach more people until the 2012 election is over in 4 weeks.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Cashing out my 401-K early, taking the tax hit, buying a sailing yacht and plan to live in international waters (armed to the teeth). Good thing I love seafood. We’re screwed blue and tatooed!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
is no one listening?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Many of our young people here in Western Massachusetts are not on Welfare but rather Social Security Disability. A loop they found following Clintons’ Welfare Reform Act. You attend a detox center twice and your eligable for life. Federal programs stop, Welfare, SSD, etc. inner cities will become extremely dangerous places. Food prices go above gov. handouts this too would create great threat for those who have by those who have not. This is going to get challenging.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I can’t believe people some times. I was 16 in 2008 when I first heard of Ron Paul, I couldn’t believe how few people supported him! Mostly conservatives who claimed to be for smaller government kept calling him a nutjob! Sadly 2012 didn’t work out, I still have no idea why people believe the 2 parties.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0