95% of Americans Who Say They Haven’t Used a Government Social Program Really Have

Many Americans don’t realize how much of a role the federal government plays in their lives.



Ninety-five percent of those who say they have not used a social program in fact have done so, according to a research paper by two Cornell University professors.



Using data from the 2008 Social and Governmental Issues and Participation Study, Suzanne Mettler and Julianna Koch found the majority of those who claimed to not have accessed a government program did so—and not just one program, either. On average, the don’t-use-them respondents actually used 3.8 programs at one time or another.



Some of the programs are what are known as “submerged policies” that get little attention, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit; the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction; and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits. However even in the case of high-profile programs, many beneficiaries were unaware that they were using a government program. For example, 45% of Americans enrolled in Social Security replied that they did not benefit from a government program, as did 41% who qualified for Medicare.



Mettler and Koch said the negative discourse toward government over the past three decades may have influenced Americans to lose conscious sight of what Washington does on a day-to-day basis for people.



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