How the myth of the welfare queen died

[ejpoeta]

5. that's funny. a facebook friend just posted a thing about how people on welfare in 11 states

get $30/hr. which is of course bullshit. I looked it up on snopes and pasted a link as a comment. As if she'll look at it. It sounds great saying that those on welfare are living it up. But it pisses me off. I pay taxes and have done for most of my life. My husband pays taxes too. And poor people on welfare pay taxes too. Maybe indirectly, but they do. And I don't think I am the exception. Though I keep hearing that somehow I am... and I deserved welfare whereas others apparently do not. I know from experience that being on welfare is NOT fun.... it is NOT easy.... and it is not something most people would want to be. And how many on medicaid or food stamps are working? The majority. Not too long ago my husband and I were on family health plus because his work insurance was just too expensive and didn't cover anything. Our kids are on child health plus and I will not apologize for that. And I won't apologize for when we needed food stamps or Heating assistance either. The only way we were able to get out of that awful mess years ago was with the help of my dad. I can assure you that we were NOT living it up on welfare. We were barely surviving. And we were in a terrible cycle. If it weren't for my family helping us, we'd still be there.