From: rethay@rn1.nursing.arizona.edu (Retha Yarbrough)
Newsgroups: alt.peeves
Subject: CAREER WELFARE MOMS
Summary: Get lazy mom off the rolls!!!
Keywords: welfare, lazy butts, pride, insurance, elderly
Date: 8 Apr 92 20:24:43 GMT
Article-I.D.: rn1.rethay.48
Distribution: alt.petpeeves,local
Organization: University of Arizona

My ultimate pet peeve is the welfare mom.  I'm not talking about the ones 
who need it occasionally, but the ones who LIVE OFF it.  I collected AFDC 
and food stamps six months in 1981 and three months in 1991.  If it's needed 
then it should be given, but for a lot of women I know it's a means to not 
ever get off their lazy butts and go to work.  What's happened to their 
pride?  I know I'd never hold my head up if I spent my days running around 
the neighborhood minding other peoples business instead of going out to 
work.  

Also, here in Arizona we have AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment 
System) for indigent and welfare people.  Is it fair we working people have 
to pay for insurance while welfare moms get free care for their kids?  Hell 
no!  Look at the elderly on Medicaid who have to pay high bills for their 
care when welfare moms don't have to.  

I'm sounding off here because I've been dealing with daily and it pisses me 
off considerably and even more so because things are coming to a head and I'
m going to have to be harsh and I don't want to.  Anyway... I have this 
neice who has a young son (5 yrs) who had a malignant testicle removed last 
year.  Prior to that this woman (25 years) had only worked at one job and 
that about 6 months.  She collects more money from the welfare system to 
stay at home and take care of this kid.  The clincher?  Until late February 
1992 this kid LIVED WITH my brother (grandpa) until my bro had a near fatal 
heart attack and had to be implanted with both a defibrilator and 
pacemaker!  One day several months ago the subject of her working came up 
between us and she told me she couldn't work because he had cancer.  I saw 
red!  I was pissed!  She had the balls to tell me, of all people, something 
like that.  I told her as I'll tell you now, not only did I leave a bad 
marrage in 5/81 with no outside home work skills, but with four kids under 
the age of 11 and one of them was diagnosed four months later with 
Leukemia!!!  Not only did I refuse to stay on welfare, I went to school, got 
a job, took my daughter for her bone marrow transplant (successful!!!) and 
stayed off the welfare system except for the 6 months I mentioned earlier!  
I was furious!  I told her how I felt but it's not seemed to have any affect 
except she doesn't let me know how much she collects.

Ohyeah!  It's been 9 years post transplant and my daughter will be 15 this 
month and weighs only 59 pounds, has had cataracts removed from both eyes, 
is so frail she looks a lot like the starving kids you see in programs, 
except she doesn't have the extended belly, but does have toothpick arms, 
etc.  Can't go through puberty without hormones, can't grow without shots 
3Xweekly.  Has learning disabilities in school, yet is suc a wonderful 
kid because she laughs a lot and gives her best in everything she does.  
Wants to go to college.  Anyway... this neice (welfare mom) heard last year 
that I was applying for social security insurance (SSI) benefits for my 
daughter due to her disabilities (I was told 10 years ago to do this and 
chose not to, thinking, praying she would be all better.) and applied for 
her son who was approved three months before my daughter was.   Now he 
gets  $385/month plus she gets food stamps, welfare money, medical, etc etc 
while my daughter gets only $134/month plus medical because I work!  

Thanks for bearing with me!  I sometimes feel like crying I'm so sick over 
this.  It's now come to the point I have to tell my neice I can't be around 
her anymore.  Actually, she's a rotten parent, calling him fucker, telling 
him if papa dies it'll be his fault, hitting him upside the head, lots of 
stuff.  The kid is extremely obnoxious and I don't like being around him at 
all but do so only because I realize it's not his fault, but hers.  The 
doctor is aware of their relationship but has not reported it.  Anyway... 
any thoughts anyone?
Newsgroups: alt.peeves