The American public's dependence on the federal government shot up 23% in just two years under President Obama, with 67 million now relying on some federal program, according to a newly released study by the Heritage Foundation.

Heritage Foundation's annual Index of Dependence on Government tracks money spent on housing, health, welfare, education subsidies and other federal programs that were "traditionally provided to needy people by local organizations and families." In particular, increases were in housing subsidies, expansion in Medicaid and changes to the welfare system, along with a sharp rise in food stamps.

The two-year increase under Obama is the biggest two-year jump since Jimmy Carter was president, the data show.


At the same time, fewer Americans pay income taxes, the report notes. Almost half (49.5%) didn't pay income taxes in 2009, the latest year for which the researchers have data.


The above trend should concern everyone who supports America’s republic form of government. When the President and Congressional Representatives are elected by the increasing percentage of voters who pay no income tax and depend on federal programs, the elected politician respond more to demands for yet more entitlements and subsidies from non-payers than to the pleas of taxpayers to exercise greater spending prudence? This response earns the elected politician... the votes to be reelected.

Americans have reached a point in the life of their republic when the political process has become a means for many voters to continue to receive or expand the “benefits” they receive from government. This can only lead to a corruption of government and of self-serving voters.

When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.....Benjamin Franklin