Dennis Cauchon reports for USA Today, here:
A record 18.3% of the nation's total personal income was a payment from the government for Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, unemployment benefits and other programs in 2010.
Wages accounted for the lowest share of income — 51.0% — since the government began keeping track in 1929. ...
From 1980 to 2000, government aid was roughly constant at 12.5%.
