Election 2012

"barack obama has a long history of opposing work for welfare:
'I was not a wild supporter for the federal plan signed in 1996' - BO, 8Jun1998
on july 12th [2012] obama quietly ended the work requirements for welfare - you wouldn't have to work and wouldn't have to train for a job.
Mitt Romney strongly believes that work must be part of welfare ..."

Mitt Romney campaign ad

ok ... I agree that welfare recipients should get some job training and should strive towards getting a job and supporting themselves ...

BUT ...

in todays market, how many people can really find work? I mean, the jobs just aren't there ...

maybe it would have been better to point out that perhaps the President himself feels the economy isn't recovering, the jobs aren't there for people, so then the welfare-work clause would put too many people in dire straits at this time ...

and actually i can see that ... if it is just a TEMPORARY suspension of that clause ... but its not

Welfare started as about $1000 per "capita" (i.e. per person) in 1960 ...did a slow but steady increase until about 1976 where it plateau'd at about $3000, then it did another slow rise until about 1992 (the Clinton Years) where it leveled off again to about $4000, then it took another rise until 2002 when it stayed at $5000 ... at about 2008 it jumped up to, and is still rising as of 2010, at $7,448 ... the Obama Years!!

that was the same as $2.3 TRILLION being spent on welfare ... now it does not say (the graph I'm looking at) what it is counting ...

is it just "welfare"? does it include AFDC? does it include "food stamps"? does it include WIC? (which i think is a fantastic program with a BUILT IN exit clause and SHOULD be funded) ...
does the creation of these other systems effect the total per capita cost?

lots of stuff unanswered.

it did also show that in 1960 the nation al defense cost (per capita) was slightly more than the welfare payment ... but in 2010 it was about the same as it was back then ...

education spending was about $600 in 1960 ... in 2010 it was about $1000 .... wow, i thought it was more than that

Interest (did not specify what type) .... in 1960 it was less than $500 interest/year ... in 2010 it was at $1000 ... it had held steady until around 1978 and continued to rise sharply thru Reagan's first term but then lowered during Clinton's second term, took a sharp dive during Bush2's first term where is did remain fairly steady until 2010

Transportation costs have remained fairly the same, showing as a near flat line along the $0 line (so perhaps #100 per capital?)

police/fire/jails has also remained steady at about $500 per capital

i'd tack on a photo of the graphic but my camera's are all full from vacation yet ... sorry.