ml> in the same breath, do not believe those stats about X% are unemployed
 ml> because they are always short...

 RC> The unemployment figures released by the labor pencil pushers do
 RC> not include those who are no longer eligible for bennies or havent
 RC> filed for them. 

that's exactly my point... when they say "the unemployment rate is a
X%" i know that it is flat out wrong ;)

 ml> i've been unemployed numerous times for several years in some 
 ml> cases and have never gone down and been added to the statistics so 
 ml> i know for a fact that they are always at least one entity 
 ml> short... welfare helps those who are willing to go that route but 
 ml> there are many others who do not and will not "go there" for their 
 ml> own reasons...

 RC> The problem with welfare is it creates a dependency, and one
 RC> develops a rationale that the reason they got onto it, is reason
 RC> enough to perpetually stay on it.

how does it create a dependency?? if one wanted to get off of it, they
could unless they were on it due to extenuating circumstances... medical
situations would be one of those... extreme obesity might be one medical
situation... cronic fatigue syndrome might be another...

)\/(ark