Punching paper walls

High unemployment is a poor excuse when settling for a life of welfare dependency | Marvin Olasky

Illustration by Krieg Barrie

Is it unfair to suggest in our cover story that 46 million people on food stamps is too many? That the prospect of half of America's children living off food stamps is unappealing? After all, unemployment remains high and the politically well-connected get government grants and loans, so why shouldn't the poor grab what they can get?

More examples of governmental favoritism have come to light since our latest critique of corporate welfare (WORLD, Oct. 22). For example, a half-billion taxpayer dollars are going to Tesla Motors, which includes among its funders three big donors to President Barack Obama—Steve Westly, Elon Musk, and Nick Pritzker. The Occupy Wall Street folks are right to be upset about such deals, and here's a humble suggestion to them: Move your demonstration to Lafayette Park, across from the White House.