We’ve see in the last few weeks various states are considering Republican-sponsored legislation to force “welfare” recipients to undergo drug testing to have access to social welfare programs. The republicans argue that they want to make sure taxpayer money isn’t being wasted. That’s going to be a hard argument to sell because a close look at of government spending shows that corporations are the largest recipients of welfare.
About $59 billion is spent on traditional social welfare programs. $92 billion is spent on corporate subsidies. So, the government spent 50% more on corporate welfare than it did on food stamps and housing assistance in 2006.
If they want to make sure welfare funds are not wasted, then corporations and banks who need access to corporate welfare should have the CEO’s and Executives line up with a collection cup and each give a urine sample.
Of course this will never happen, the same companies that receive corporate welfare use that same money for lobbying and political campaign contributions, all while politicians blame those who can’t find work as social welfare abusers.
When one thinks about government welfare, the first thing that comes to mind is the proverbial welfare queen sitting atop her majestic throne of government cheese issuing a royal decree to her clamoring throngs of illegitimate babies that they may shut the hell up while she tries to watch Judge Judy.
Government Spends More on Corporate Welfare Subsidies than Social Welfare Programs [thinkbynumbers.org]