Newsmax reports that About 52.2 million Americans, or 21.3% of the population, received aid from a major means-tested government assistance program in 2012, according to a new Census Bureau report released late last month. That's up from 18.6% in 2009 and 20.9% in 2011.

Eligibility for such assistance is based on whether an individual or family has income and/or assets that fall below specified thresholds.

Participation rates in the programs were highest for Medicaid, 15.3% of Americans, and for the food stamp program, 13.4%.

Also among the Census Bureau findings:

In an average month, 39.2% of children received some type of means-tested benefit, as did 12.6% of those aged 65 and older.

41.6% of black Americans received benefits in an average month, compared to 36.4% of Hispanics, 17.8% of Asians or Pacific Islanders, and 13.2% of non-Hispanic whites.

Half of all households headed by a woman participated in major means-tested programs, while just 14.7% of married-couple families participated.

37.3% of people who did not graduate from high school received means-tested benefits, and so did 9.6% of those with one or more years of college.

So, apart from the fact that Americans are becoming increasingly dependent on government aid under Barack Obama, the clear takeaways from the Census Bureau report are that blacks, Hispanics, single mothers, and the uneducated are faring worse under the progressive leadership that claims to be their savior.