3D illustration of private investigator files with the words investigation and fraud Courtesy of The Foundation for Government Accountability
Socialists want higher taxes, increased reliance on government, and if possible, the complete elimination of the private sector.
They aim to transform the US into a country where, like much of the world, 1 in 5 youths are NEET—“not in employment, education, or training.” In the US, the percentage of those aged 16-24 qualifying as NEET has already reached 11.9%, and as welfare and unemployment benefits increase, so will this number.
They advocate for universal basic income (UBI), which is defined as “an unconditional cash payment given at regular intervals by the government to all residents, regardless of their earnings or employment status.” The country appears to be moving in this direction.
Under Biden, more people are on government assistance than at any time in US history, and the workforce participation rate is at the lowest point since 1978, when women became fully integrated into the workforce.
The low workforce participation rate is the result of liberal government unemployment and disability payments, as well as food and rent assistance, that make it more profitable to stay home and collect checks than to work.
Those who support welfare programs often downplay the amount of money recipients receive by citing a single program like SNAP, where the maximum benefit for a family of four is $931.
However, you can visit the US government’s Benefit Finder website and discover a variety of assistance programs, including food assistance, housing help, help with utility bills, welfare benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and health insurance.
Many people qualify for multiple programs, and there are both federal and state programs that they may qualify for. When combined, these benefits can be worth more than a low-paying job.
One reason liberals push for a higher minimum wage is that earnings from work must surpass welfare benefits to incentivize employment. Simultaneously, they advocate for higher welfare benefits and universal basic income (UBI) payments, even for working individuals.
For welfare, UBI, and a high minimum wage to coexist, the minimum wage must be higher than welfare payments, while UBI should be lower than the minimum wage.
Raising the minimum wage would likely increase unemployment and automation of low-skilled jobs. It would also lead to higher consumer prices, while increased welfare and UBI would result in higher taxes for workers.
This creates a socialist dystopia that superficially resembles capitalism, as individuals have jobs, salaries, and the freedom to purchase goods. However, with a high tax rate, people become reliant on government aid and can only afford what the government provides.
When most of the population is dependent on the government for their basic needs and purchases, the government begins to crowd out the private sector, eventually operating its own factories, shops, and other businesses, and the private sector eventually dies.
When the question of whether the disability threshold is too low comes up, they often present a severely disabled person who cannot work and needs twenty-four-hour care. However, no one is suggesting stopping benefits for those who are genuinely disabled.
The real issue is that the threshold for disability is now so low that an increasing percentage of young adults are claiming disability just to avoid working.
According to an advocacy group for wheelchair-bound Americans, “a majority of people applying and receiving disability are capable of working. In addition, they generally receive other programs meant for those who are truly disabled.”
They also highlight how fear of lawsuits combined with a general softening of the population is driving the problem. “We’ve become so afraid as a society to inquire about someone’s disability. That word in itself, ‘Disability’ strikes fear in employers and educational settings. Disability to them means spending money on accommodations.”
Essentially, as soon as someone claims to be disabled, whether they can prove it or not, they will get some form of accommodation. While a higher order of proof is needed to receive government cash payments, the bar is still quite low.
You qualify as disabled under the Social Security Administration if you meet the following criteria: If you are 18 or older, you may be considered ‘disabled’ if you have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment (including emotional or learning problems) that results in an inability to perform any substantial gainful activity. This impairment does not have to be life threatening, as long as it has lasted, or be expected to last, for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
A growing percentage of working-age young people, 38%, are claiming to suffer from depression and anxiety, potentially qualifying them for disability.
About the same percentage of 20-29-year-olds are on medication, while more than half of those aged 30-39 are also medicated. Many of these individuals would meet the federal definition of disability and have stopped working. And many have already done so.
Not only can Americans take advantage of these programs, but so can legal immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and some illegal aliens, including those who were paroled into the US, granted conditional entry, are fighting deportation, or have been mistreated by their families.
These individuals qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). According to the government website, “you can be a ‘deemed qualified alien’ if, under certain circumstances, you, your child, or your parent has been subjected to battery or extreme cruelty by a family member while in the United States.”
Shouldn’t the family member be jailed or forced to pay restitution, rather than the victim receiving a monthly check from the government? It is no wonder that the Center for Immigration Studies released a report showing that immigrant households are significantly more likely to receive benefits than native-born households. Fifty-nine percent of non-citizens, versus thirty-nine percent of citizens, are receiving government benefits.
And thanks to Joe, there is an endless supply of illegal aliens and asylum seekers who will also qualify.
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