Welfare Payments Can Be Given to Employees

Obama Advisor Changes the Definition of “Welfare”: Free Money Handouts Are No Longer Enough
Welfare Payments Can Be Given to Employees

WASHINGTON, DC— Supporters of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are sometimes accused of megalomaniacal messianism when it comes to their policy objectives. Yesterday, though, chief Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee went too far when he attempted to alter the English language itself:

"Our thing has never been welfare," said Goolsbee. "It was always our intention that there was a work requirement."

Goolsbee correctly noted that Obama's other refundable tax credits were clearly tied to work. An individual must work in order to qualify for Obama's making-work-pay credit, an individual must have earnings from a job in order to benefit from Obama's saver's credit, parents must work in order to benefit from Obama's refundable child care tax credit, and college students must perform community service in order to benefit from Obama's college tax credit.

October 21, 2008, ABC News, “Political Radar” blog

Actually, recipients of free money from the government can have a job, be unemployed, etc. It makes no difference. “Welfare” means the government gives you a check paid for by stealing it from someone else.

Here’s the point: if the Obama camp redefines “welfare” to exclude anyone who has a job or does “community service,” the handouts will never end. It’s like saying you’re not going to eat sweets except at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s absurd. It makes the term meaningless.