US - More On Benefits Than Employed Full-Time

The Census Bureau released some interesting data in October.  One of the pieces of data that we knew was coming was the continuing decline of household income.  This decline is in line with the growing income disparity that is occurring in the US.

Another piece of data made this trend abundantly clear.  The comprehensive data showed for the 2011 year that more Americans received means-tested government benefits than actually were employed.  As usual, we can only examine data after the fact and the Census is releasing this data in October of this year.  Yet it gives us a better perspective on what kind of recovery this is. 

This information only confirms other trends like the 1 out of 6 Americans on food stamps.  Hard to believe?  Only if you keep your eyes closed to the real status of the economy.


Means-tested benefits surpasses Americans employed

This is not a threshold that you want to cross.  According to the Census Bureau 108,592,000 Americans in the fourth quarter of 2011 were recipients of one or more means-tested benefit programs:
















Source:   US Census Bureau
At the same time, there were 101,716,000 Americans working full-time.

taken from here