Planet Planning

1 in 7 Americans Use Food Stamps

"Food-stamp use jumped in the U.S. in December with more than 1 in 7 people receiving benefits"

"Food stamp rolls increased 5.5% in 2011"

"The number of recipients in the food stamp program, formally known as theSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), rose to 46.5 million, or 15% of the population in December."

Click to Read the Article

The food stamp program, part of the Department of Agriculture, is distributing the greatest amount of food stamps ever. They have been advertising to attract more food stamp recipients since 2004 and in 2007 began Spanish language advertising.

Meanwhile, the Park Service, also part of the Department of Agriculture, asks us to "Please Do Not Feed the Animals" because the animals may grow dependent and not learn to take care of themselves.

Thanks to Will Hepburn for sharing.

Corruption In Government Costs You

Corruption in government is a major tax on economic development. It discourages people from investing or remaining in the community. It hurts the local economy. All residents of a community pay a tax for corruption. It takes money out of residents pockets. You get what you pay for.

It is a shame that voters are tolerant of corruption. A wise electorate votes out the slime balls or does not elect them in the first place. Unfortunately Illinois voters are not wise.

There are a number of unflattering terms for people who are so dull that they elect crooks to screw them. Terms that come to mind are chumps, fish, guppies, whales, idiots and marks.

Lets get smart, Chicago and Illinois voters. Vote for character and ethics, not political party or rhetoric. We get the government we elect and deserve.

Professor Dick Simpson was my Political Science Professor way back in the dark ages in 1971. He was a great teacher. Congratulations on your report, Professor.
____________________

“Chicago is the most corrupt city in the country, and Illinois is probably the third-most corrupt state in the nation," Simpson said at a City Hall news conference."

From the Chicago Tribune

"ON MARCH 15th the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, will start to serve a 14-year sentence for corruption in a federal low-security prison. In this part of America, he is treading a well-worn path. Over four decades, four governors (out of seven) have been convicted of corruption."

"A new report, by Dick Simpson and his colleagues at the University of Chicago, documents the extent to which the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago have been hotbeds of corruption. Chicago, they conclude, has the dubious distinction of being the federal district with the most convictions since 1976."

"1,828 elected officials, appointees, government employees and a few private individuals have been convicted of corruption in Illinois, and 84% of these were in its Northern District, a judicial zone which contains the entire Chicago metropolitan area. During this time around one-third of the city aldermen have been convicted of corruption. "

Click to read the full article:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-02-15/news/chi-chicago-area-has-most-corruption-convictions-in-nation-uic-study-says-20120215_1_corruption-convictions-public-corruption-ethics-training

Click to Read the Report:

http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/Anti-corruptionReport.pdf

Thanks to Ken Zalga for sharing.

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