I believe the situation with welfare in this country at present is this: the government has decided to make it so marginal and demeaning that no one will want to be on it, no matter what their situation is. This means that the people who are on it must cheat, lie, and scrounge around for extra cash, and not report it to the government, who would immediately cut them off for so doing, and maybe prosecute them as well.

It's the "I'm all right, Jack!" routine from the guys with limousines and big retirement funds...

As for the people at the bottom...let'em starve, go crazy, die in the streets...let'em turn to crime, prostitution, and trading drugs...treat 'em like the no-good, useless, worthless trash they really are...and in this way, reduce government spending (oh, boy!) and give another tax break to the rich (who funded your last election campaign, and hopefully your next one).

There is very little sincere intention in the halls of power to actually heal society's wounds...only to stick superficial bandaids on them, shove them under the carpet, and work toward winning the next election. It's a money game.

What I am telling you is this. The Emperor has no clothes. But when you're filthy rich, you can walk around stark naked if you want to, and who is going to stop you? Money buys protection.

Be that as it may, yes, Hesperis' best option at this moment is to get on welfare...and find ways of earning additional cash money on the side and NOT report it to the capitalist commissars who push paper in this hypocritical excuse for a democracy that we live in.

- LH