Bert Dirschell
Centertown
Dear Editor:
The following are some statistics indicating one measure of the success of Medicaid and federal Income Security programs. You decide on the success of the federal programs. The poverty figures are from the Census Bureau. The spending figures are from the historical data included with the 2020 federal budget. The dollar amounts have been adjusted for inflation.
In 1969, there were 24.3 million people with incomes below the poverty level, a decrease of 15.2 million over the previous decade. Medicaid cost taxpayers $14.6 billion, $600 per person who had an income below the poverty line. "Income Security" cost taxpayers $84.2 billion, $3,500 per person below the poverty line. Total - an average cost of $4,100 per person living in poverty.
In 2018, we had 38.1 million people living in poverty. Medicaid cost taxpayers $389 billion, $10,200 per person in poverty. "Income Security" cost taxpayers $495 billion, another $13,000 per person in poverty. Total - an average cost of $23,200 for every person living in poverty.
The above dollar figures are only federal spending. They do not include state nor local spending on care for those in poverty.
When he submitted the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 President Johnson told Congress, "for the first time in our history, it is possible to conquer poverty." The Democrat majorities in both the House and Senate pushed the bill through. Government has spent $23 trillion on poverty eradication since then. We now have 56 percent more people in poverty and are spending 5.6 times as much per person, just for Medicaid and Income Security.
I am not suggesting that we ignore the indigent in our nation but, once again, I am pointing out that the federal government offers no viable solution. Its answer to failure is always the same, spend more of someone else's money. The only way to stop the fiscal insanity in D.C. is to return control to state and local government.