Report: America's government addiction worsens
Steve Elliott, Grassfire
Heritage Foundation has published its "2012 Index of Dependence on Government" and is reporting "a level of dependence on our government that has never been seen before."
Heritage reports that 67.3 million people depend on the government for assistance and 70% of the federal budget now is dedicated to "individual assistance programs." Plus, Heritage reports that 49.5 percent of Americans pay no federal income taxes.
+ + The Victim Society
Even worse than the actual money that is being transferred through the welfare and entitlement programs is the mentality that such systems foster. It's a mentality of blame and victimhood, not one of responsibility and accountability. The victim is always owed. Someone else is to blame. The government is here to help.
Consider the President's remarks as today he unveiled the latest $25 billion shakedown of the banking industry -- a shakedown that did not involve a vote in Congress but was a deal struck with the five largest lenders.
"By now, it’s well known that millions of Americans who did the right thing and the responsible thing ... were, nevertheless, hurt badly by the irresponsible actions of others: by lenders who sold loans to people who couldn’t afford them; by buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them; by speculators who were looking to make a quick buck; by banks that took risky mortgages, packaged them up, and traded them off for large profits....
"I want to be clear. No compensation, no amount of money, no measure of justice is enough to make it right for a family who's had their piece of the American Dream wrongly taken from them. And no action, no matter how meaningful, is going to, by itself, entirely heal the housing market. But this settlement is a start."
Clearly, we are all victims now, including those who cannot afford a cell phone. Don't worry, the government has that covered as well.
+ + Cell Phone Welfare
More than 12 million people are currently receiving free phone service at the expense of U.S. Taxpayers through the federal govenrment’s “Lifeline” program. This Cell Phone Welfare program has grown by 76% under the Obama Administration as millions have jumped on board to get free cell phone service.
Finally, yesterday our Darla Dawald personally presented more than 93,000 petitions of support to Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. America's Sheriff has come under intense pressure from the Justice Department because he has led the way in real law enforcement in one of our nation's border states. Go here to see Sheriff Joe receiving Grassfire petitions.
Vigilance. Every day.
Steve Elliott, Grassfire
P.S. I posted this update on my Patriot Action Network blog and would love your feedback. Also, you need to see what happened when I posted this message (read to the bottom). Go here:
Report: Congress Directs Taxdollars To Personal Projects (New)
Rick Santorum's Home Run (New)
High Taxes Driving People Out Of Country (New)
Grassfire Nation Audio Update: "How The Left Is Changing The Language To Defeat The Tea Party" (New)
Liberty News -- News and Views For Our Movement
Patriot Action Network -- Your Social Action Hub
Sign The Petition Supporting Sheriff Joe Against Obama's Attacks
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
(Note: Please do not "reply" directly to this e-mail message. This e-mail address is not designed to receive your personal messages. To contact Grassfire Nation with comments, questions or to change your status, see link at the end.)
+ + + + +
Grassfire Nation, a division of Grassroots Action, Inc., is a million-strong network of grassroots conservatives that is dedicated to equipping you with the tools that give you a realimpact on the key issues of our day. Copyright 2012 Grassroots Action, Inc.
+ + Comments? Questions?
http://www.grassfire.com/email.asp?ind=10
+ +
Technical questions only: For technical questions regarding this email, go here: (Not for comments/feedback on this update)
http://www.grassrootsaction.com/r.asp?U=73151