possibly including some welfare payments to the poor. in 2002, the poverty rate in america was about 12%. in 2009, it s about 14%. up 2 points despite, despite more than $4 trillion in welfare spending over that period. the big kahuna? medicare which counts for $276 billion this year alone. an 87% rise in 10 years. medicaid is money the federal government gives to the states to pay for health expenses for the poor. food stamps also big up a whopping 256%. in nine years. child nutrition programs up 82%. low income energy assistance up 190%. direct payments to americans who have low wages up 353%. that s the redistribution of income. welfare spending is 15%. 15% of the entire federal budget but that is deceiving. because medicare and social
retirees per worker, and more money starts going out than is coming in. the ryan republican bill would partially privatize social security. future retirees would receive a combination of reduced federal benefits and income from a personal savings account carved out of their social security account. the president wants to lift the income cap on social security taxes, which is now around $107,000 a year. and in his speech today, the president may have unwittingly stumbled upon the reason republicans really want to cut education spending. how many of you who are in the audience have got an pell grant to help you pay your way? how many of you can t afford to pay another thousand dollars to go to school? i know what this is like. scholarships help make it possible for me and for michelle to go to college. it s fair to say i wouldn t be president if p it hadn t been for somebody helping me be able to afford college. joining me now is the huffington post s alex wagner, who s also an m
out of their social security account. the president wants to lift the income cap on social security taxes, which is now around $107,000 a year. and in his speech today, the president may have unwittingly stumbled upon the reason republicans really want to cut education spending. how many of you who are in the audience have got an pell grant to help you pay your way? how many of you can t afford to pay another thousand dollars to go to school? i know what this is like. scholarships help make it possible for me and for michelle to go to college. it s fair to say i wouldn t be president if it hadn t been for somebody helping me be able to afford college. joining me now is the huffington post s alex wagner, who s also an msnbc analyst. thanks for joining me tonight, alex. thanks for having me,
harry reid symbolizes the let s make a deal, policy as usual, establishment corruption that people have really say we have had enough of this. the candidates are doubling down on the airways. reid taking aim at angle s desire to create personalized social security account and move the power of federal agencies like department of education and energy to the state level. sharron angle, just too extreme. angle is stealing a page from reid s playbook calling him extreme and too close to the obama agenda. they say you can t buy love but we have paid a heavy price. conservative special interest have upped the ante. crossroads g.p.s. backed by karl rove spent nearly $1 million on the race. today, another group backed by hollywood conservatives posted this web ad. i don t know how anyone of hispanic heritage could be a republican, okay? reid picked up some conservative endorsement. former republican first lady
harry reid symbolizes the let s make a deal, policy as usual, establishment corruption that people have really say we have had enough of this. the candidates are doubling down on the airways. reid taking aim at angle s desire to create personalized social security account and move the power of federal agencies like department of education and energy to the state level. sharron angle, just too extreme. angle is stealing a page from reid s playbook calling him extreme and too close to the obama agenda. they say you can t buy love but we have paid a heavy price. conservative special interest have upped the ante. crossroads g.p.s. backed by karl rove spent nearly $1 million on the race. today, another group backed by hollywood conservatives posted this web ad. i don t know how anyone of hispanic heritage could be a republican, okay? reid picked up some conservative endorsement. former republican first lady