For me, the focus right now  is on the Welfare System in the U.S. and who and how it was created.  The recipients are  not stupid and know how to work the system and the public servants probably feel duty bound to assure all are signed up to the maximum.  Also, as a bureaucracy gets bigger, the salaries go up in relation to the number being supervised and their pay level also goes up.  The public sector (government, etc.) is paid about 150 percent more than in the private sector for a comparable job.  The work ethic we inherited from our parents while growing up has fallen prey to the “WELFARE SYSTEM.”  

The Cato Institute released an updated 2013 study (original study was in 1955) showing that welfare benefits pay more than a minimum wage job in 33 states and the District of Columbia.  Even worse, welfare pays more than $15 per hour in 13 states.  According to the study, welfare benefits have increased faster than minimum wage.  It is now more profitable to sit at home than it is to earn an honest day’s pay.  Hawaii is the biggest offender where welfare recipients earn $29.13 per hour or a $60,590 yearly salary – all for doing nothing. This is unbelievable!

Following is the list of the states where the pre-tax equivalent “salary” that welfare recipients receive is higher than having a job.  

1.  Hawaii – $69,590; 2.  District of Columbia – $50,820;  3.  Massachusetts – $50,540; 4.  Connecticut – $44,370;  5.  New York – $43,700;  6.  New Jersey – $43,450;  7.  Rhode Island – $43,330; 8.  Vermont – $42,350; 9.  New Hampshire – $39,750; 10.  Maryland – $38,160;  11.  California – $37,160; 12.  Oregon – $34,300;  13.  Wyoming – $32,620;  14.  Nevada – $29,820;  15.  Minnesota – $29,350;  16.  Delaware – $29,220;  17.  Washington – $28,840; 18.  North Dakota – $28,830;  19.  Pennsylvania – $28,670; 20.  New Mexico – $27,900; 21.  Montana – $26,930; 22.  South Dakota – $26,610;  23.  Kansas – $26,490; 24.  Michigan – $26,430;  25.  Alaska – $26,400;  26.  Ohio – $26,200;  27.  North Carolina – $25,760;  28.  West Virginia – $24,900;  29.  Alabama – $23,310;  30.  Indiana – $22,900; 31.  Missouri – $22,800;  32.  Oklahoma – $22,480;  33.  Louisiana – $22,250;  34.  South Carolina – $21,910.

As a point of reference, the average Middle Class annual income today is $50,000, down from $54,000 at the beginning of the Great Recession.  Hawaii, D.C. and Massachusetts pay more in welfare than the average working folks earn there.  Is it any wonder that they would rather stay home than look for a job?  What are our Congressmen and Senators thinking?  How do we un-do this type of stupidity .  The stupidity is far-reaching:  

The salary of a retired U.S. President is $180,000 for life.  The salary of a House or Senate representatives is  $174,000 for life.  Salary of the Speaker of the House is $223,500 for life.  The salary of the majority/minority leader is $193,400 for life.  The following scenario is something to think about.    

The average salary of a teacher is $40,065.  The average salary of a soldier deployed to Afghanistan is $38,000.  

 Right now our leader is asking for a minimum wage hike of $15.00 per hour.  After reviewing the wages for the unemployed and what they are receiving in each state, he is trying to play catch up before the November, 2014 election.  He knows this is going to be brought to the surface by the working folks.  To think that people who are not working and who are receiving these high wages for doing nothing and you have people who are working and the minimum wage they are receiving, it is deplorable.

I think the voters know where the cuts should be made.

kommonsentsjane