With an economy mired in what many seem to be regarding as a perpetual recession, Pennsylvanians are particularly hard hit, with 1 in 6 receiving unemployment benefits from Harrisburg. This represents an increase of 62 percent since 2007. An increasing number of Pennsylvanians — 11 percent — are receiving food stamp assistance.

Also, more than 16 percent of Pennsylvanians — some 2 million people — are receiving some form of state medical assistance:

The other concern facing states which expanded their anti-poverty programs during the recession is taxpayer funded medical assistance, which has also increased. In 2007-2008, over 1.9 million Pennsylvanians, or about 15.2 percent of the population, were receiving some medical benefit from the commonwealth. 609,900 were also receiving cash assistance.
Last year, over 2 million Pennsylvanians, or about 16.48 percent of the total population, were receiving state medical assistance. 622,576 were also receiving cash assistance. …
Pennsylvania’s unemployment fraud rate last year was 4.68 percent, the ninth highest in the nation, and cost the state over $374 million.