You know, I usually try to keep out of political arguments, and I usually don’t get very serious on this page, but I just gotta say my 5 cents worth. For those of you who have been keeping up with the Shlongster/Frustrated thing lately, you probably already know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, check out Frustrated and Shlonglor.
When I was growing up, my parents provided very well for me. I rarely (if ever) went without necessities, and usually had more besides. And now that I’m all grown up and making a living for myself, I’m a lot better off than I was as a child. For only being 22 years old, I’ve got a great job that pays very well. And the only reason things worked out that way is because I was extremely lucky. It wasn’t because I worked hard to get where I am, and it wasn’t because someone helped me get there — I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
But not everybody is as fortunate as I am. Some people need help, and there will always be people who do. Maybe there’s a better way of running the welfare system, but until there is, I don’t mind paying a little extra tax money to help those who need it. And for those who don’t need it but are still on welfare, I think it’s worth the price we pay to help the few (or many, who can really tell?) who really use it to get on their feet.
And wow, is this timely or what? On CNN’s site, there’s an article about some new welfare reform which quotes president Clinton as saying “This regulation says loud and clear people ought to get paychecks, not welfare checks.” It sounds good to me, but whether it will be effective or not, we’ll just have to wait and see. I think allowing welfare to pay for child care and transportation is a great idea. It allows single mothers especially to work full-time while their children are being watched over.