Homestead mailing list

["Tracy J" <tracy9j AT frontiernet.net>]

I kind of flew off the handle last night, I guess.  I've been on this list 
for a long time and have found that you guys are sure a caring, 
knowledgeable lot...But this thread has kind of surprised me...Where is the 
compassion?  I do NOT believe that everyone who gets welfare, handouts, 
assistance, whatever we want to call it WANTS to live that way.  Some might, 
but I bet if you actually sat down with these people you would find out that 
most of them just plain have no idea of how to start to get the hell up and 
out of their situation.

You should see what people have to do in St. Louis County (Duluth, MN and 
Iron Range) to get off assistance.  A friend of mine worked for the county 
for 30 years.  She had plenty of stories about deadbeats, but a hell of a 
lot more stories of how hard it was to get out of the system.  Example: say 
you are a family of four.  The state/county gives you Section 8 housing so 
you only pay 25% of your total income (Assistance and job combined).  Then 
to feed your family they give you food stamps for 25% of your income minus 
the housing allotment.  Then you get to pay for the rest of your family's 
life on what's left.  IF you get a little raise at your minimum wage job, 
they take it ALL away so then you are really screwed.  No more section 8 so 
there's $800 or more a month for housing if you can find it that cheap, and 
your $120 an month for groceries is gone.  Geez, all that happened because 
of a 10 cent an hour raise.  What the heck do you think they should do? 
Throw themselves out on the street or take the money and be fed.  Granted, 
there are plenty of people that use the system, but I have seen an awful lot 
of people get off of welfare even though it would have been easier to stay 
on.

It goes back to the old story of teaching a man to fish instead of giving 
him a fish.  Our programs are so narrow and bloated with uncompromising 
rules that its an all or nothing proposition for most people.  If we could 
assist people individually with education and cash, it just might work.  But 
we don't.  Everyone gets the same amount regardless of need.  Someone might 
ask for $50 to help with heating fuel but they'll get $200 because that's 
the slot they fall into and someone else who needs $150 gets nothing, 
because they made $10 too much last month.  There is enough manpower in 
these government agencies (at least around here) to handle this kind of 
individual assistance, but then that wouldn't fit into the governments nice 
little forms.

If we could be allowed to assist and teach people as opposed to take care of 
people, that would make a difference.  So far, no matter what is proposed or 
fought for, it just will not change.  I don't know how to change it.  I have 
voted, been on committees. etc for 30 plus years and I still can't find any 
answers.  I wish I could.

So, when someone's house burns down or there is a food drive or some kid 
needs mittens, I donate what I can and wish all the people that really need 
it well.

Tracy Julian
in East North-Central Minnesota

P.S.  I never noticed but they took the cent symbol off of the keyboard. 
When did that happen?  Ahhh.. maybe I don't want to know.   I'm aging too 
fast as it is.