Hey, where have I ever suggested that we will never have those that require continual aid and care, some from cradle to grave. That is a given. We will never see the need for group homes and mental institutions go away in our lifetime.

Janie, you and I don't seem to agree that starting a program to save the very young - yes, in some cases, an orphange type situation as the parents don't have to be physically dead for the child to be treated like one. Once the pattern of skipping school, learning to live on the dole, (and here is that big catch phrase) not learning personal responsibility is adapted, changing the direction of those is almost an impossibility and at the least, untenable.

And, "name not given", I am not against helping one individual. If everyone did that, the problem would would cease to exist. (with adequate followup) Why would you expect grief from me? While that one act on your part does not make you a hero in my eyes, it was an admirable act. You make my point; a leg up until the person is able to stand on their own two legs.

Additionally, some of cases will never get to a point where they will start receiving "Christmas bonuses". Janie, your two examples involved people in their 30's and 40's. I am insisting on action with those BEFORE preteens. Never liked the adage that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". One of the reasons is I am now one of those old dogs and in many cases, it is true. As you well know, when a pattern of behavior is established and allowed to exist, change is very, very difficult, if not impossible, in most cases.

I have had experiences where an eighteen year old awarded a full athletic scholarship could not carry on when put in a college atmosphere where he had to interact with his peers. His growing up with one abusive parent obviously caused him to self destruct when placed in a group that did not have the same societal experience that he had while living at home.

I think we must start with the young, the very young, as I believe we had proven in the past 40 years the current methodology is not accomplishing the goals we all like to think are going to occur any day now.