So much for declining Welfare Rolls



To pay their monthly bills, many of these missing workers have turned to disability insurance, a government program under Social Security that has become the centerpiece of the new American welfare state. Since 1990, the number of people receiving disability pay has nearly doubled, to 5.4 million, and the government now spends far more on the program than it does for food stamps or unemployment insurance.

My quick glance says this increase basically offsets declines in welfare cases over the same period. Are these things comparable? Actually, I think they are. Though I haven't had any coffee yet so more on this later.

In any case, there's a great Katha Pollitt column lurking in these numbers.


Over to you, Mickey.