The College Conservative blog has a post titled My Time at Walmart: Why We Need Serious Welfare Reform. The second sentence says it all, “I spent hours upon hours toiling away at a register, scanning, bagging, and dealing with questionable clientele.” Oh pahleeze, when did working a register become toiling? What makes the author believe there is any value in her character assessment of an entire class of people- the poor, in many cases the working poor.
The poor are undeserving especially of “steaks, lobsters, and giant birthday cakes.” The author has no compassion or understanding of the circumstances surrounding the purchases. While my niece was alive one of the only things she could swallow, while she could still eat, was ice cream. Food stamps paid for the ice cream. She was a lovely little girl with a merciless disease. She never walked, talked, fed herself or had any useful movement of her body. Would the author begrudge a little girl a dish of ice cream?
The author goes on to describe the entitled attitude of those receiving the bounty of public assistance- “One time, a package of bell peppers did not ring up as food in the computer. After the woman swiped her EBT card, it showed a balance that equaled the cost of the peppers. The woman asked what the charge was, and a quick glance at the register screen showed that the peppers did not ring up as food. (Food items had the letter ‘F’ next to their description.) The woman immediately began yelling at me, saying that, “It’s food! You eat it!” The shopper may have been mortified by being in a position where she had to accept charity (not to mention the disdain of a cashier), reacting from humiliation caused by a lack of money not a lack of character.
In conclusion the author writes: “There is no time limit and no motivation to actually get back to work. Furthermore, spending on welfare has increased dramatically, but there has been no reduction of the poverty rate.” Does she attend college in a bubble? Did she somehow miss the collapse of the U.S. economy?
I bet she supports Newt.
elroyjones 
Having been a welfare recipient, I can assure you, it was not pleasant. I used foodstamps before the card came along (that was a very humane thing to do) and it was always the worst feeling. And, yes, once in a while we bought ourselves a treat – maybe some potato chips, maybe some soda, but good lord! we were poor! Even poor people want some chips and a soda or a birthday cake once in a while. Why are they not considered allowed? I’ll tell you one good reason why people stay on welfare: for the Medicaid. If we had univeral healthcare, that would do away with that program. Another reason: wages that aren’t living wages. How do you pay childcare and work? Hmmm, . . . ? My daughter thinks that “those people” shouldn’t be allowed to have children. Oh yeah? Who is going to police that. If you’re poor, you shouldn’t have children. If you don’t make a certain amount of money, you aren’t capable? Some of the best parents are poor and some of the worst are rich. Civil liberties, people, ever heard of them? Give me a break.
Some of the best, strongest, most capable, talented, smart, funny, delightful women I know have been recipients of public assistance and some of the most cowardly men I know have benefitted from their strength.
I’m honking your horn, LOUD. You raised two lovely daughters, who in most respects have grown to be compassionate human beings. You worked full time and earned a degree; your insatiable curiosity keeps you in school and at work at one of the most prestigious universities in THE WORLD. You are a loving daughter, sibling, & mother and a loyal friend. YOU have most definitely not wasted your turn!
A little plug for my sister who suffered through her daughter’s death (having gone to school full time, worked part time and kept that little girl at home with no help from her ex-husband) met adversity head on, got her degree contributes to society and lives a full happy life.
If I had been independently wealthy, I couldn’t have raised a family, too much sacrifice and too much heartache. Thankfully, the two of you have kids I can enjoy!
One more thing (oh, there always is, isn’t there?) . . . I heard this on StoryCorps this morning. Can’t tell me she asked for it or enjoys it: http://www.npr.org/2011/12/16/143771611/homeless-at-60-a-bullet-i-didnt-see-coming