For those of you who may have been concerned, rest at ease, the nanny state is alive and expanding exponentially. There are now 46 million or one in seven receiving food stamps in our country. Last year at this time, one in three or a third of Alabama’s population was too. In merely three years, President Barack Obama has almost equaled the number placed on the food stamp rolls as former President George Bush did in 8 years.

One in five or 67.3 million Americans depend on government assistance in some form or other like housing, food, student aid or income.

Food stamp increases are partially due to benefit increases allowed in the Recovery Act stimulus bill signed by Obama in 2009. Also, the Recovery Act eased restrictions on childless adults and the jobless to receive food stamps. Of course, to be fair, the recession and jobless rate has exacerbated the problem. However, the Obama administration has been negligent in implementing policies to foster job growth or business expansion to alleviate the unemployed or under employed. It has just been more of the same handouts.

The $831 billion stimulus package was sold on the strength of creating jobs. Where are the jobs? It has been reported that several billion dollars have been wasted on green energy companies here and overseas — yes overseas. Solyndra, the U. S. solar panel company bailed out with $500 million taxpayer stimulus dollars, is already bankrupt.

The call to soak the rich has become a mantra of the president and his minions.

Wise old Ben Franklin had this to say about welfare:

“Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. St. Monday and St. Tuesday, will soon cease to be holidays. Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.” — Benjamin Franklin (letter to Collinson, 9 May 1753)

Not that I am against taxing from the rich, which on the surface sounds good, but to punish them for being successful is un-American. The tax code should be revised and simplified eliminating the loopholes used to avoid taxes. Facts are, only about 50 percent of the population pay federal income taxes at all. In my opinion, everyone who votes should have skin in the game.

Abe Lincoln said, “you cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.”