in the united states, 60% of democrats and 52% of republicans have benefited from at least one entitlement program (not counting social security) at some point in their lives.

17% of liberals, moderates, and conservatives in the united states have received food stamps at some point in their lives.

60% of democrats and 52% of republicans have benefited from one of the following entitlement programs at some point in their lives:

• social security
• medicare
• medicaid
• welfare
• food stamps
• unemployment benefits

if  you don't have a college degree, you are 3 times as likely to use food stamps at some point in your life.

some states in the u.s. have instituted mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients, presumably to cut down on the amount the states spend. here are how many welfare recipient tested positive:

• arizona - 1 out of 87,000
• florida - 21 out of 51,000

in other words, less welfare recipients took drugs than the general population. it actually cost the states more to test the welfare recipients than they saved. not long after, a federal judge ruled that drug testing welfare recipients was a violation of the 4th amendment - but by then, this meme had already been busted, even though it keeps coming up even today.

91% of government benefits - including welfare - go to the elderly, the disabled, and the working poor.

the welfare state was originally thought up by otto von bismarck, a far-right conservative. he saw the idea of creating a 'safety net' of minimum benefits for workers as a way to keep them from becoming socialists.

women in the u.s. on public assistance have 3 times as many children as women who are not on public assistance. (although interesting, this isn't causative - single women frequently go on public assistance because they have more children than they can provide for.)

in michigan, florida, california, and arizona, food stamps can be used in several fast-food chains. the fast-food companies got approved for their slice of this federal money by saying that the elderly and the ill have difficulty making their own meals.

1/3 of the people in philadelphia are currently on food stamps.