Well, unless things have changed drastically, an 18 year old boy cannot get welfare... Maybe some temporary "general relief" but not AFDC or ADC...

Secondly, yeah, the choices that some poor people make are maddening but that goes with the territory... Yes, we definately need more money for Head Start and for child care programs to catch kids earlier to try to break the cycle but wwe also need jobs that enabler folks to live above the poverty line...

Janie is correct in noting that a majority of our non-senior poor work at lousy paying jobs that keep them in poverty... And, BTW, when it comes to lousy payin' jobs, that's purdy much what our economy is producing these days...

Bobert