TANF and SNAP wrote:
I have seen people cite 60 million people on welfare elsewhere on the internet but haven’t seen a break down of what type of assistance is included in 60 million number. (it is especially unclear since there is no US government program called “welfare”). The program that looks the most like welfare, TANF, only goes to around 1.1 million families. 40 million people receive SNAP (food stamps). Another 10 million receive disability insurance under SSI because they are disabled or spouse of a disabled person.
But at end of day you are right: tens of millions of Americans (between 50 and 60 million) receive gov’t assistance to survive.
And likely 90% of that number are people receiving social security checks after they retire and that is their own money being given back to them for all practical purposes.


