Reply #91: This answers two points .. [View All]

I live in a big city where I see lots of people using WIC and Food Stamps and there are a lot of people on AFDC and SSI. I have never, ever seen anyone using WIC or Food Stamps in the market who wasn't cheaply dressed, looking down in shame because they know people are judging them, or with "wads of cash" to buy ineligible items. I have seen small amounts of cash with WIC but it purchased expandable meals like dried beans, rice or no frills pasta. There was very little meat, because meat is expensive here, few sundries other than basic hygiene items. Not very much of anything that you would buy for yourself if you had a choice.

I know that this is one of the most basic conservative myths; that people who receive public assistance always have lots of cash stashed away and enjoy being humiliated by social workers and others who assess eligibility, and who some put in the same league as criminals who murder, rape, and abuse children like the Blackwater operatives. The Blackwater statement is a new one for me. I cannot, absolutely cannot equalize welfare use and the assumption of fraud by people who observe aid recipients through prejudiced eyes with the idea that somehow that is as bad as anything that Blackwater did, either fiscal or criminal. Is that like the escalating conservative drug use theory? Use pot and you will inevitably end up addicted to stronger stuff? Use food stamps and WIC because you can't feed your family without them and next year you will be up there killing people because they are not of your religious faith as Blackwater operatives did, frequenting underage prostitutes as Blackwater operatives did, and killing your colleagues if you feel they pose a threat to these activities as Blackwater did. Talk about moving on to stronger stuff!:wow: Welfare to utter depravity in a few short steps.

The second part of this post is about students in graduate school. If they are poor, and have no other means of support, like an extended family that will help them or a spouse who can get an outside job they should use the aid they qualify for. They have to go through the same rigorous screening program as anyone else to get welfare, and maybe a higher education will help them to avoid poverty in the future.

In order to pursue a PHD my niece who holds a full time job as an editor at a newspaper, lives at home with her parents instead of renting or buying a place of her own, accepts transportation from whomever she can get it instead of maintaining a car, uses public transportation when rides are not available and she can find public transportation that will run at night since that is when she has to schedule her classes. She also worked night shifts at her paper when there were classes and other supporting activities she could only access in the daytime. My sister took out loans for her daughter's undergraduate work, figuring that she could get lower interest through her credit union and that she didn't want my niece to be saddled by a huge amount of debt when she first started work. This is not because they are welfare snobs. They are progressive Democrats who devised this as the most workable and comfortable plan for their family.

I'm happy for the poster who is able to go to school "for fun." He must have access to funds we are not aware of. I wonder if we checked out his clothing, haircut, whether or not he wears jewelery and what kind of car he gets into at the super market we could tell? I wonder if he would feel comfortable under that type of scrutiny? I'm not uncomfortable helping people who have need, either ongoing or sudden and catastrophic, because I could be one of them some day. We all could unless we happen to be born rich and have enough money so that we can take other peoples' need for granted without having any desire whatsoever to help them out. What I am unhappy with is constantly subsidizing those rich people who will not pull their own weight when it comes to paying taxes or help anyone else in the slightest amount no matter how small a dent it makes in their life styles. They are the real parasites in this country, not the poor and middle class people who are regularly expected to do without, to pay the taxes which support the rich but which have no benefit to anyone else.