O'BRIEN: Oh a little Marvin Gaye to end our morning this morning. It is time for our "Reveal". And our "Reveal" is the long arm of the recession. We know it's left scores of people without jobs as the economy is fully getting back on its feet. But an analysis of the latest census data which is out today shows that it's pushed record numbers of people on to public assistance programs. More than one in three Americans live in households receiving Medicaid, food stamps or other government help. If you add in Social Security, Medicare and unemployment benefits nearly half of the country is getting a government check. That's more than 148 million Americans. The nation's safety net as we've seen right here on STARTING POINT is fodder obviously for the presidential campaign. Republicans are accusing President Obama of turning the country into an entitlement nation. And Mitt Romney said on this program last week he's not very concerned about the very poor because of the ample safety net. But the rapid growth of government assistance programs is a concern on both sides of the aisle. And we can expect to hear much more about it, including more rhetoric, and certainly what promises to be a rough and tumble general election campaign in November. "End Point" is up next with our panel. Stay with us. We're back in a moment.
Long Arm of the Recession