7-29 IAN Waco Paper

 Here’s an article that appeared in the Waco Tribune Herald and it was written by some Texan who wasn’t exactly happy about the economy. I’m just going to read it to you to provoke some thoughts.

Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, Sorry.

 Put me in charge of Medicaid. We'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos and piercings. If you want to use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get tats and piercings, Sorry.

 Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks? You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your "home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, Sorry and get your own place.

 In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you.

 Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.