Record-Breaking Dependence on Government Assistance

There’s a big shift in how Americans are affording to get by.  No wonder recruiters are seeing so many people trying to figure out a new career path.  As it stands now, Americans depend hugely on government support.  A recent article in USA TODAY by Dennis Cauchon reveals that “Americans depended more on government assistance in 2010 than at any other time in the nation’s history.”

This dependence on the government is at a time when the United States is recovering from horrific natural and unnatural disasters and juggling military involvement around the world.  While these issues confront the government, Americans received an average of $7,427 in benefits in 2010, up from an inflation-adjusted $4,763 in 2000 and $3,686 in 1990.

According to Cauchon, “A record 18.3% of the nation’s total personal income was a payment from the government for Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, unemployment benefits and other programs in 2010. Wages accounted for the lowest share of income — 51.0% — since the government began keeping track in 1929.”

Everyone may be familiar with the idea that the national budget is a difficult thing to balance, but not everyone may be familiar with scale of individuals’ dependence on the government in order to get by.  If anyone has a bright idea for creating new jobs with substantial salaries, now might be the time to give it a whirl.