Back On My Soapbox Again

The Administration is quietly implementing new "welfare to work" rules under the guise of "helping". As we've come to expect, they lie.

I remember how difficult it was for me as a single parent to juggle work, college classes (at night), and babies. I received a small check from the state to offset child care and I lived with my birth mother and shared expenses. My babysitter came to our house; I didn't have to drag kids out every morning and pick them up again at night. The government stipend made the difference to me as well as helping my child care provider leave the welfare rolls. Two of us were working instead of two completely on welfare. It was relatively informal and it worked. It was still hard, but not impossible.

This article from Tom Paine talks about some of the current regulations.

For example, study time will not count as "work" unless done in an approved study hall. What are we supposed to do with the kids while we're hanging out in study hall? What's wrong with our kitchen table? Our grades would reflect the time spent in study. It's beyond stupid.

They have still done next to nothing with child care assistance. The system of almost 50 years ago was better than the one in place today. Some cities require single parents to commute four hours a day for a minimum wage job. They leave and come home in the dark. Twelve hours away from the kids. (More, if she's trying to fit school into that schedule).

Entry level jobs have almost no flexible work schedules and few, if any benefits. One person couldn't survive on the pay, let alone a family. And the government beats its chest and crows (mixed metaphor there) about how wonderful it all is.

I have a friend who was doing welfare to work here. She had enough education to find a decent government job with opportunity for promotion. She was going to college at night. In her spare time she had to save all her grocery receipts and keep detailed records of her spending. That's insane. Is some bean counter actually going to go over those receipts? Will she be penalized if she buy her kids a Popsicle? What a colossal waste of time when social workers are already overburdened.

I'm ranting. Take a look at the article. It will give you an idea where the party of "family values" stands.