PaulTheMatrix2



** // __Different programs of United States federal assistance and how they work. __ // **  United States federal assistance could be federal program, project, service, and activity provided by the federal government. Food stamps, medicate or Medicare, Section 8, unemployment all these are supplement programs that are funded by general tax revenues and the social security retirement benefits are funded by the social security taxes. These supplement programs are designed to help elderly, blind, disabled, and poor people, who have little or no income by providing cash or other benefits to meet the basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. The official name for the food stamps program is Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In the past, the program provided paper denominational stamps or coupons to the peoples. They were like US $1 (brown colored), US $5 (blue colored), and US $10 (green colored). Today, all food-stamp benefits are distributed through plastic cards called the Mass EBT card. Every cardholder has his own account and the food stamp benefits are put into the account each month. These EBT cards could be used at grocery stores, convenience stores, markets, and co-ops. The food stamp eligibility is determined by a Net income calculation that takes into consideration your family size, citizenship status, household income and certain expenses. In order to be eligible for SNAP/Food Stamps, households must have a Net Income below or equal to the Net Income Guideline for their family size.


 * Count the number of people in your household || Your gross income must be equal to or less than  ||
 * 1 || $1,805  ||
 * 2 || $2,429  ||
 * 3 || $3,052  ||
 * 4 || $3,675  ||
 * 5 || $4,299  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">6 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$4,922  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">7 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$5,545  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">8 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$6,169  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">for each additional person || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">add $624  ||

( [] ) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Medicaid is the United States health program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. Medicaid is the largest source of funding for medical and health-related services for people with limited income in the United States. Medicare is a social insurance program that funded entirely at the federal level and focuses primarily on the older population. The Medicare Program provides a Medicare part A which covers hospital bills, Medicare Part B which covers medical insurance coverage, and Medicare Part D which covers prescription drugs. Medicaid is like a social welfare or social protection program and the Medicare is a social insurance program. Medicaid also covers a wider range of health care services than Medicare. ([]) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The chart below shows how much income you can receive in a month and the amount of resources (if applicable) you can retain and still qualify for Medicaid. The income and resource (if applicable) levels depend on the number of your family members who live with you.

People, Couples without Children & Low Income Families |||| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Net Income for Families; and Individuals who are Blind, Disabled or Age 65+ || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Resource Level (Individuals who are Blind, Disabled or Age 65+ ONLY) ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2010 Income & Resource Levels* ||
 * |||| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Medicaid Standard for Singles
 * ^  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Annual  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Monthly  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Annual  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Monthly  ||^   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$8,479  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$707  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$9,200  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$767  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$13,800  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$10,584  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$883  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$13,400  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,117  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$20,100  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$12,593  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,050  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$15,410  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,285  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$23,115  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">4 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$14,622  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,219  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$17,420  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,452  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$26,130  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">5 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$16,719  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,394  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$19,430  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,620  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$29,145  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">6 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$18,253  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,522  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$21,440  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,787  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$32,160  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">7 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$19,869  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,656  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$23,450  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,955  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$35,175  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">8 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$21,943  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,829  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$25,460  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,122  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$38,190  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">9 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$23,131  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,928  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$27,470  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,289  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$41,205  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">10 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$24,321  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,027  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$29,480  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,457  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$44,220  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">For each additional person, add: ||   || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$99  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,010  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$168  ||   ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">([]) Section 8 is the subsidized housing for low-income families and individuals. With these programs, individuals or families find and lease a unit (either in a specified complex or in the private sector) and pay a portion of the rent (based on income, but generally no more than 30% of the family's income). (http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/hud/public-housing-and-rental-subsidies) Unemployment benefits are payments made by the state or other authorized bodies to the unemployed people. Unemployment insurance is a federal-state program, which jointly financed through federal and state payroll taxes of the employers. Generally, employers must pay both state and federal unemployment taxes when they pay wages to employees totaling $1,500 or more in any quarter of a calendar year or they had at least one employee during any day of a week during 20 weeks in a calendar year, regardless of whether the weeks were consecutive. Some state laws are different from the federal law. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment_benefits#Federal-State_joint_programs) <span style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">In most states, regular benefits are paid for a maximum of 26 weeks but during the times of high unemployment, additional weeks of benefits are available. In many states, the compensation will be half of the person’s previous earnings, up to a maximum amount. For example, in New York State, NYS unemployment provide up to a maximum of $405, which is half the state's average weekly wage. While in Arizona, the highest benefit rate is $205. Benefits are subject to Federal income taxes and must be reported on your Federal income tax return. ([]) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">To become eligible for Social Security retirement, a person has to reach a certain age and earn at least 40 Social Security “credits.” (10 years of work) by working and paying Social Security taxes. If you stop working, you stop earning credits until you return to work. The payment is based on how much a person made during his working years. Social Security replaces only about 40 percent of the average worker’s preretirement income. The payment is also affected by the age at which a person decides to retire. The earliest age to retire is age 62, and then the benefits will be permanently reduced, based on the age. For example, if you retire at age 62, your benefit would be about 25 percent lower than what it would be if you waited until you reach full retirement age. To draw full retirement benefits, the following Social Security Administration age rules apply:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Born in || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Full retirement age  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Born in  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Full retirement age  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1937 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">65 years  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1955  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">66 years 2 months  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1938 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">65 years 2 months  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1956  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">66 years 4 months  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1939 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">65 years 4 months  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1957  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">66 years 6 months  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1940 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">65 years 6 months  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1958  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">66 years 8 months  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1941 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">65 years 8 months  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1959  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">66 years 10 months  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1942 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">65 years 10 months  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1960 or later  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">67 years  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1943-1954 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">66 years  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">If a person wait to retire beyond his full retirement age, his Social Security benefit will automatically increase by a percentage based on his year of birth. For example, if you were born in 1943 or later, Social Security will add 8 percent per year to your benefit for each year that you delay signing up for Social Security beyond your full retirement age. ([]) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> ** // __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How these assistance programs create problems in the society, and who are the stakeholders? __ // ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">

===  Most of these federal assistance programs cause economical and social problems, which lead to many sustainable problems. These problems are not because of the existence of the programs but it is because of the lack of authority and proper rules. With food stamp, people could by all the food or food products that meant to be eaten by people. Snack foods like candy, potato chips, chewing gum, and soft drinks also could be bought with food stamps. Therefore, many people are buying the non-healthy foods and facing many health issues like obesity, diabetics, cholesterol, and many others. Many people are abusing most these federal programs to get assistance they have to earn less money. Some people work foe cash money, therefore the earnings are not reported. Some people quit jobs frequently to get these benefits, and some do not mind to be fired from jobs to get unemployment benefits. Because of getting more benefits of being a single mother, many children are raised without their father. Since, children and pregnant women get a lot of benefit, lot of young women are getting pregnant. By getting pregnant, young moms also become independent. Therefore, they do not have to provide their parents income. For health benefits, the income levels are higher for children and pregnant women. ===
 * <span style="background: white; 0in line-height: normal; margin: 3pt 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Infants to age one and pregnant women - 200% of the federal poverty level.
 * <span style="background: white; 0in line-height: normal; margin: 3pt 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Children age 1 through 5 years - 133% of the federal poverty level.
 * <span style="background: white; 0in line-height: normal; margin: 3pt 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Children age 6 through 18 years - 100% of the federal poverty level.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Monthly Income Effective January 1, 2009* ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Number in Family || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">100% FPL**  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">133% FPL**  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">200% FPL**  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$903  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,201  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,805  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,215  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,615  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,429  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,526  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,030  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$3,052  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">4 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$1,838  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,444  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$3,675  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">5 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,150  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,859  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$4,299  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">6 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,461  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$3,273  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$4,922  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">7 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$2,773  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$3,688  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$5,545  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">8 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$3,085  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$4,102  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$6,169  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">For each additional person, add: || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">+$312  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">+$415  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">+$624  ||

* Income Levels are subject to yearly adjustments. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">** FPL = Federal Poverty Level ([]) <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 30pt 10pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Families are using welfare programs are big in sizes. Many people who enrolled in the federal assistance programs are drug addicts. Many of them buy alcohol and drugs from the money they got from welfare. Many of them do not like to pay their bills and some of them even went to jail several times for different crimes. Growing up in these families, many kids are learning how to abuse the federal system from their family. Therefore, their moral qualities decline and defraud the system when they grow up. The labor force participation rates of persons around retirement age dropped when retirement benefits became available at age sixty-two in 1956 for women and in 1961 for men. In his 2005 State of the Union speech, President Bush indicated that Social Security was facing "bankruptcy." Since people are living longer and therefore drawing benefits longer now, the benefits will rise dramatically over the next few decades. In 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. Every year afterward will bring a new shortfall, bigger than the year before. For example, in the year 2027, the government will somehow have to come up with an extra $200 billion to keep the system afloat - and by 2033, the annual shortfall would be more than $300 billion. By the year 2042, the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt. Therefore, people in their // 20’s // or 30’s might not see the social security; even 12.4% of their paycheck goes towards these taxes. ( [] ) All the federal assistance programs take a big part of the total budget and most of the budget money comes from the taxpayer. The President's budget for 2008 totals $2.9 trillion. Percentages in parentheses indicate percentage change compared to 2007. This budget for some federal assistance programs are; <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Mandatory spending: $1.788 trillion (+4.2%) >> >>  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> ** // __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution and conclusion __ // ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">From the discussion above, we could realize that, the stakeholders are everyone in the nation. These different federal assistance programs are like drug addiction for some people. These programs make peoples life so easy by giving benefits that they keep coming back for more. It does not mean that US should not have these federal programs. Without these programs, the nation will face bigger problems by increasing poverty, crime, and corruption. Therefore, the programs should exist, but it should not be so easy to get. The authority needed to be strict and each month they needed to check into whom they are giving the benefits. Voluntary work could be mandatory for all healthy beneficiaries. Government could make a low that smaller families will receive more benefits than bigger families. People should only able to buy healthy foods with the food stamps. Through education, everybody need to learn how it is harming, the social and economical quality of the future generation. For retirement benefits, persons taking early retirement benefits could receive an even greater decrease in annual benefits, compared to persons who retire at the normal retirement age and this could encourage work among persons between the earliest retirement age and the normal retirement age. Overall, we have to encourage people to be on their own feet, when they can instead of being lazy. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> ** // __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Citation __ // ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> [] [] [] ( []  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment_benefits#Federal-State_joint_programs   []  []  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[]    <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[]   <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[]   <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[] <span style="display: none; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> ** // __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Link __ // ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[] [] []
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$608 billion (+4.5%) - [|Social Security]
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$386 billion (+5.2%) - [|Medicare]
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$209 billion (+5.6%) - [|Medicaid] and the [|State Children's Health] [|Insurance Program] (SCHIP)
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$324 billion (+1.8%) - Unemployment/Welfare/Other <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> mandatory spending
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$261 billion (+9.2%) - Interest on National Debt
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">$56.0 billion (+0.0%) - [|Department of Education] (Notice the difference from other programs) ([])

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