THIS is astounding.
Nearly half of all Americans lived in a household that received some kind of government benefit during the first three months of last year, the Wall Street Journal reports, based on new Census data. That’s even higher than the figure recorded during the depths of the Great Recession.
I’m not rich by most people’s standards. I’m more in this category:
A recent national survey indicates that “[o]ne in three Americans would be unable to make their mortgage or rent payment beyond one month if they lost their job.” Even higher-income households would find themselves in trouble quickly: “Ten percent of survey respondents earning $100K or more a year say they would immediately miss a payment.”
But I was still in the fortunate half — the half that didn’t need government assistance. For that I am grateful every single day. In today’s economic climate, you are a fool if you take having your head above the water line for granted. I don’t.
Half of Americans. That is a national shame.
