cjforsythe@msn.com
Aug 31, 2018 · 3 min read

Here is something that makes me furious. I don’t want to hear that the people who need help are lazy, undeserving or any of the other common slurs the uneducated keep saying. Our system makes it so hard to get off the assistance every one complains about. One example would be that alleged mother of three. She is working for wages that don’t cover food and shelter. So she may get food stamps and low cost housing. She can’t afford health insurance so her children get some help from CHIP. But mom better not get sick as she can’t miss work and she isn’t covered. Child care is about $500 a month per child and if they get sick she has to depend on friends and family as they can’t go to the child care she is paying for with sniffles. Usually she tries for a second job and gives up sleep so she can do laundry, shop, and help with homework. She knows she would get further with an education but there’s little left for kids clothes let alone books and tuition. This mom is barely holding things together and they are all tired of macaroni and cheese. Once in a while they go to McDonald’s because there is a children’s play area. That’s the only fun thing for the kids. Have you checked the price of entrance to a zoo or a museum. Thanks to the schools for the field trips. That is how the kids get some exposure to culture.

Mom is so tired and tries to be up in front of the kids. And then guess what happens because she is not lazy and has worked hard, she gets a raise. It is a disaster. She has just crossed the goverment’s arbitrary line. She now makes just .50¢ more an hour so she no longer qualifies for food stamps, health insurance for the children, low cost housing that the Butler’s wouldn’t live in. And so often the only solution is to stop working in order to provide the food, health care and what they need through assistance. Why isn’t there a slow graded reduction in assistance as income increases? Because the government and the Butlers and Trumps and Republicans don’t really care and are always looking to cut the small percentage we spend on our citizens. And don’t claim the above isn’t true, I worked with these moms and dads for 15 years.

When every citizen has enough food, a roof over their heads, and free health coverage as a right, it won’t cost taxpayers that much more maybe less. Complainers can just find other things to reduce. They can vote in better politicians and lower their perks, bring home half of our military and let other countries start being responsible for their own problems. And most, eliminate all taxes but sales tax. The rich spend more and would pay more. The less fortunate can buy less and would pay less. No loopholes and that would include Boeing and banks.

Sorry, but it is time to stop looking down on the people who should be given some respect for continuing to hope and work while a lot of us could not face their struggles.

Listen to Sidra she’s walked the walk.

cjforsythe@msn.com

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