Look at Charts 1-3 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/charting-food-stamps-china-inflation-and-more-2011-12-09?siteid=rss&rss=1 The food stamps one really bothers me the most. Is it really because there are that many more in need or are there just that many more living off the system? I don't want to sound prejudiced but here in AZ I often see families of Mexicans, 1-5 kids, buying $500-$600 of groceries with their food stamp EBT cards. Most of them don't speak English and were not born in the USA but it only takes One child born here for the entire family to qualify for assistance. It is especially very difficult to watch some gang banger tatooed idiot buying nothing but junk food for his 'baby'. It is also sad to go into most any local/state/fed assistance building and see it is primarily hispanics helping hispanics. Probably not the same in most other states but when was the last time you went to the local elementary school and looked at the student population?
Anyway, Charts 2 and 3 look very similar to pre 2008 bottom. So definitely a lot to worry about, especially if the 'movement' is to look for the hand out rather than to offer a hand to work.