Welfare spending up 32% in last four years

Washington Times:

Welfare spending has grown substantially over the past four years, reaching $746 billion in 2011 — or more than Social Security, basic defense spending or any other single chunk of the federal government — according to a new memo by the Congressional Research Service. 

The steady rise in welfare spending, which covers more than 80 programs primarily designed to help low-income Americans, got a big boost from the 2009 stimulus and has grown, albeit somewhat more slowly, in 2010 and 2011. One reason is that more people are qualifying in the weak economy, but the federal government also has broadened eligibility so that more people qualify for programs. 

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This is where liberalism takes us.  Hostility toward business and job creators just creates more welfare dependency.  Getting these people back into jobs is an important twofer for the deficit.  They quit getting money from the government and start sending money to the government in the form of income taxes.  It is going to take a new President to change the current dynamic.

When Obama criticizes Romney's plan to increase defense spending as unaffordable he overlooks how much better off we will be without the overhanging burden of these welfare payments.