Welfare Office Parking Lot

By Douglas V. Gibbs

I pulled my big rig into the construction yard, swung my truck around, and disconnected my trailer. After crossing the gravel covered driveway, and rumbling along metal grates, I pulled out on the road that led to where the crews were working on the underground utilities. Along the way I passed a Public Social Services building.

On my way back to the yard to pick up my trailer box, I slowed down to take in the details of the Social Services property. The building was a basic rectangular structure, two stories high, with two glass doors at the center to lead folks into a fairly good sized, tiled lobby. The windows had blinds, but the first floor window covering were mostly open to let in the sunlight. The upper story windows, however, were all sealed up tight.

A small parking lot graced the front of the building, and a staff parking lot was to the rear. Gates with code boxes for opening them locked out the general public, keeping the employee's cars in the back safe and sound. The parking lot for the staff was at least five times the size of the visitor lot. In fact, there were so many cars in the staff parking lot, it looked to be an incredible feat that they were able to squeeze all of those people into the modest-sized building, and keep them all busy.

I began to wonder who the facility was truly for? Did the modest building packed with a horde of public employees serve the needy? Or was the existence of the facility primarily for employing all of those public workers?

Welfare programs are more likely to keep someone down, than to encourage them to rise out of their difficult circumstances. Self-reliance is the key, not a false sense of security from benefits that the government can pull at any whim. Government offers handouts that encourage the poor to remain poor, giving no incentive to rise out of poverty. Limiting benefits, and offering options for the poor to work to earn their benefits be it through community service, or other options, is a hand-up that allows them to walk once they are on their feet.

Of course there are exceptions, but a large portion of the people in the system are using the programs for the sake of using the programs, and there needs to be tighter restrictions on who is eligible, and incentives should be offered that encourages self-reliance, and education.

I understand what it is like to be poor. I've been there. I am not there anymore because I refused to accept government intrusion into my life, and instead did whatever it took to survive, and provide for my family. I was even willing to do jobs they say Americans are not willing to do. My drive to be a person responsible for my own failures, and successes, was larger than my willingness to accept government handouts, and remain poor.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary