Replying to a message of mark lewis to Bob Ackley:

 RC>> What is it like to be on welfare and what does it do for your
 RC>> self-esteem?

 BA>> Apparently it beats working for a living...

 ml> not everyone without a job is on welfare but they can still find ways
 ml> to provide for their needs... this does not mean that they do not
 ml> "work" for their "living"... contrary to what
the gov't believes... 

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

But you did not and most do not make welfare their lifetime career.  Some do.
I've been unemployed, and have drawn unemployment (I'm not eligible for welfare
due to my military retirement annuity).  At the moment I've been unemployed for
just shy of two years, fortunately I'm eligible for and draw Social Security to pay
the bills (that aforementioned annuity makes the house and insurance payments) -
so I can say I'm retired. although not by my choice.

I can remember my parents griping in *1960* about second and third generations
of people living on California's at-the-time quite generous welfare system.  Back
in those days states provided varying levels of benefits and people were moving
to California simply to get on the welfare system there, and the state attempted
to place a residency time requirement before one would become eligible - and lost
a federal lawsuit over it.  The feds gradually took over the entire welfare system -
mainly by mandating that states provide certain levels of benefits and eligibility,
not by paying for it.  The federal Medicaid program is even worse off than
Medicare WRT funding - and has been for years.

--- FleetStreet 1.19+