Friday, October 19, 2012

Let's Talk about Income Inequality and Our National Debt and Deficits



During Barack Obama's tenure, the United States government has spent 11 dollars for every 7 dollars of revenue it raked in. Throughout the fiscal year that just ended, the United States government spent $3.538 trillion while raking in $2.449 trillion. With the exclusion of Social Security and Medicare, in 2011, over $1 trillion was spent on 83 new welfare programs with 100 million Americans registered in at least 1 program, thus topping welfare spending at a 32 percent total increase for the past four years and a 378 percent total increase for the past 30 years. As of now, 47 million Americans are dependent on food stamps whereas upon Obama's entrance into the White House 32 million Americans were dependent on food stamps. 

When it comes to healthcare costs, this year the federal government will account for more than 50 percent of all healthcare expenditures in the United States, whereas in 1990 the federal government accounted for 32 percent. The number of Americans dependent on Medicaid was 34 million in the year 2000 and skyrocketed to 54 million in 2011. Economists prefigure Obama’s healthcare policies will add 16 million more Americans to Medicaid. The number of Americans dependent on Medicare will increase from 50.7 million in 2012 to 73.2 million in 2025 while facing unfunded liabilities of more than $38 trillion and a $134 trillion shortfall over the next 75 years.

And Obama says there has been an economic recovery?

Income inequality between federal workers and non-federal workers

The number of workers for the federal government making $100,000 or more in annual salary has increased from 12 percent in 2006 to 22 percent in 2011. People working for the federal government are 13 times more likely to die from natural causes than they are to be laid off from their jobs.


In confuting a statement Harry Reid made earlier this year about the private sector “doing just fine” and “it’s the public sector where we’ve lost huge numbers”, the Congressional Budget Office found earlier this January that federal workers are compensated 16 percent more on average than private sector workers who are of similar or comparable levels of education and expertise in their field. 

For wages in the 2005 to 2010 period, the Congressional Budget Office said: “Federal civilian workers with no more than a high school education earned about 21 percent more, on average, than similar workers in the private sector. Workers whose highest level of education was a bachelor's degree earned roughly the same hourly wages, on average, in both the federal government and the private sector. Federal workers with a professional degree or doctorate earned about 23 percent less, on average, than their private-sector counterparts.”

For health insurance, retirement benefits, and paid vacations, the Congressional Budget Office said: “Average benefits for federal workers with no more than a high school diploma were 72 percent higher than for their private-sector counterparts. Average benefits for federal workers whose education ended in a bachelor's degree were 46 percent higher than for similar workers in the private sector. Workers with a professional degree or doctorate received roughly the same level of average benefits in both sectors.”


Income gap between ordinary American citizens and government officials 

While Social Security plods its way to bankruptcy for the next generation's baby boomers and workers of the middle and lower classes have an austere economical future for being able to continue supporting themselves and their families, more than $70 billion for government pension plans are being dispensed to 1.8 million retired federal workers. 15,000 of these workers are earning more than $100,000 annually and 9.3% of these workers are former employees of the infamous Securities and Exchange Commission. After serving a measly 5 years in office, Congressmen are permitted to begin collecting their pension money at the age of 62. After serving 20 years, they are permitted to begin collecting their pension money at the age of 50.


While Americans all across the country flounder in their finances, former presidents of the United States will receive $3.6 million to support their opulent lifestyles in 2012, and it is scheduled to increase to $3.7 million in 2013. All of this money is covering for things such as office rentals, travel, phone bills, postage, printing, and pension benefits. Secret Service Protection not included. In 2013, George Bush will receive $1,356,000 in taxpayer money, $85,000 of which will go towards phone expenses. Bill Clinton is scheduled to receive $1,019,000 in taxpayer money, $442,000 of which will cover for office space. George Herbert Walker Bush will receive $879,000 in taxpayer money, $64,000 of which will pay for “equipment.” Even Jimmy Carter will receive $518,000 in 2013. But the Obama family, in 2011, was deluged with $1.4 billion; something so reprehensible in comparison to the $57.8 million British taxpayers furnish the royal family with. All of this money being spent on the Obama family covers for their transportation, housing, entertainment, and vacation. American citizens ought to be irate by the fact that Michelle Obama spent 42 days and $10 million on vacation in one 12 month period while Barack has played more than 100 rounds of golf since the beginning of his tenure. Also, this money covers for the salaries of the 469 senior staff members working under Obama, 226 of which receive more than $100,000 annually. At least one projectionist is at the White House 24 hours a day in case if anyone would like to watch a film. The dog handler who cares for the family dog receives $102,000 annually and is often flown with the family to their vacation sites to have constant upkeep on the dog. The Obama administration has the biggest staff in American history with the highest wages yet. 

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