Welfare- The System Experts

New York State is one of the highest taxed states in the Nation. I'm pretty sure I pay air tax when I breathe. I would like to know where my tax dollars are going. No, really, I want an itemized audit of every single item my money is buying, and who I'm buying it for.

Did you know that a Police Officer's salary is public information, but the welfare recipients yearly benefits package isn't?

Schenectady County used to be a thriving, innovative place to live. You can still see (if you squint your eyes) the beauty that lies beneath the grime of useless parasites that flood our streets, and the mindless, greedy politicians who support them (gotta get votes somehow!). Not until I was 19 years old did the reality of my surroundings really sink in. I grew up in a middle class family, and as an only child I rarely had to want for anything. For some reason, I have work ethic and started working in the restaurant business. Let me shine some light on what I have since found:

My second apartment was in a little town called Scotia, my rent was $702/month in 2004. My car payment was $362.00, my cell phone was $120.00, and my car insurance was $140.00. I also afforded myself renters insurance for what few possessions I had. Health Insurance came out of my paycheck, cable was about $120.00, and Electric probably averaged $200.00 every month. $1282.00 was what it was costing me per month just to live. Not too bad. One day my "friend" at work said to me:

"You pay HOW MUCH for rent!?!" Dumbfounded, her jaw hit the floor, and I had apparently grown 7 heads.

"702, why what do you pay?"

"120, but it varies based on what I make" (yes, that is a per month figure).

At the time, I didn't understand. How could we both be working the same hours, in the same job, at the same place of employment, and my rent was nearly 7x what she was paying?

I furthered my investigation, only to come to the conclusion that she also had half of her grocery bill paid for, and most of her heat bill as well. This way she could afford girls night out every Thursday, accompanied by a new set of acrylic nails, a new outfit, and some money left over to get her "hair did".

This time, my jaw dropped. How is this fair?? I'm a white girl, working for a living, going home every night smelling like fryer oil, and dealing with anyone who put the word SCUM in SCUMNECTADY, just to pay my own way? When there are people to pay this way for me? Am I insane?

Well, her method was rather simple:

First, you have to have a baby with a convicted felon, who will not marry you or pay you child support.

Next, you have to go to this building called Department of Social Services and fill out the proper paperwork. (If you can't read or write, I'm sure there is tax payer money available to pay someone to do this for you).

Finally, you have to sit back and collect.

It must be tough only receiving FREE money on the 1st and 15th of every month. I can't imagine her turmoil. Thankfully she had this full-time waitressing job to supplement her expensive shopping, drinking, eating, and cell phone habits, otherwise I don't know what she would have done when her $50.00 fake nails grew out every two weeks. Now THAT would be a tragedy!

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but our Government is not a business. The Government doesn't MAKE money. They don't earn, they don't sell, they don't produce. They don't grow, farm, or manufacture anything. They don't even ENTERTAIN the masses, like the NFL or Hollywood. Where do they get the money to just give away to Scam Artist Central (a.k.a. D.S.S.)? That's right... they take it right out of my pay-check. That money doesn't even reach my own pocket before it goes to buy some drug-dealer their groceries. When I want to give my money to charity, I will, until then I would like to keep it in my own pocket, gas tank, refrigerator, etc.

Unfortunately, this is a way of life for a lot of people. It's sad really. Welfare, however wrong, was intended for good. "The road to hell was paved with good intentions." People used to be ashamed to be on welfare. Shame came with the territory, and served as a motivational factor in getting yourself back on your own two feet. When decent hard working people fell on hard times, ill prepared for the challenges they faced, they put their tail between their legs, and carried their starving children by foot, down to that wretched building where they were about to ::gasp:: ask for a handout. They couldn't believe their lives had come to this, and they were going to do everything they could to make it right. They just had to get their kid fed first.

Today it's a game. It's fun, and it's a way to make sure mommy can get her "nails did" while baby still has formula. How could either go without? These kids are cute for a while, what kid isn't? I would never want to see ANYONE's kid starve, but the cold hard reality is these "kids" turn in to the mommy's at the nail salons, and the daddy's sitting in prison, both voting for PoliticianPeckerhead, while Superstar WaitressLady foots the bill.

That's what's going on.