Work Not Needed

The Census Bureau of Statistics released a statistic that the share of the working population in America fell to the lowest level since women started entering the work force in large numbers three decades ago. It is not surprising to me, and not because of a recession or aging population. It's all a reflection of the entitlement/welfare mentality that has taken root here now as fully as it is in Europe.

Only 45.4% of Americans hold jobs now. Yep! Less than half of the total population works. Given the normal percentage of children the disabled and elderly who are not expected to work, it is about 15% higher unemployed than should be. And why should they work. The U.S. is now a nation of welfare addicts who expect and receive "government help" to pay for the goods and services they use. The decline in workers, coupled with the fact that less than half the population paid any income taxes at all in America shows the distress the country is in economically.

One wonders if the U.S. economy is now doomed. For when incentive to work dies so does a nation's prosperity. No matter how wealthy you are, you have a problem if half the population is not working and depending on those who are. And that's what we have now. The politicians promise and give to the non workers more and more welfare, and the segment that contributes work and revenue is forced to pay more and more of its earnings for the have nots.

Right now if a person chooses to sit home and live off (albeit, it is not an extravagant existence, though for many it is preferable to working) entitlements paid by others he or she gets from the federal government, 99+ weeks of unemployment compensation, free health care, subsidized or free housing, food stamps, checks for having children and for child related "expenses' , and a gamut of programs temporary and permanent that pay cash or goods to those who choose to sit rather than work...and then there is the huge amount of state welfare each sate pays. But that is another subject of its own.

The loss of the work ethic loss and of personal responsibility in the U.S. is far worse than the economic disasters of the past few years. Too, 40 million or so uneducated, unskilled, illegal immigrants to the U.S. have added to the "I ain't gonna work because they pay me not to" mentality here. Lets see.... take away meaningful work, make work seem to be unnecessary, degrade the value of work to the nation and make people dependent on government handouts paid for by the work of only a few of the citizens. Who need al Quida or a war to ruin the country. It seems to be doing a good enough job of that on it's own.