I don't get paralyzed in general. I say first you do the trick and then you get the banana, and if you want a public benefit, you had better be on your best behavior (or non-dysfunctional if you will), and you had better not endenture anyone's paycheck by your optional (as opposed to mental illness etc.) behavior. You had better not spit on the streets, or scare people or talk in threatening ways on the bus and since you are getting a public benefit, you will earn some of it if you are capable and screened for safety, by working in a nursing home, day care center, park etc. We ask almost nothing of people and the dysfunctional behavior spreads. We need to say this is what to do to get this..and make it attractive enough so that they will want to do it..make part-time work at minimum wage attractive enough that they will take it by not making it economically scarier for them to work than not work..subsidize efforts.

There needs to be a triage system. Some people are able to switch their behaviors fairly easily with the right incentives. Some never can, due to addiction, mental illness etc. There is a group in the middle that needs various help, especially job help, and I do think government should be employer of many in sheltered situations. We need more people in nursing homes and parks and painting schools and cleaning public buildings and for those deemed non-violent they could be earning part of their benefits.

Part of the problem is..a big huge part of the problem..is looking at the most difficult situations and thinking everything is hopeless. It is for some people and they need to have different plans and support than those who need jobs or benefits in lieux of jobs. There is a lot that can be done with a can-do attitude and people who know how to get things done.

And one thing I think is that some middle-class people are using poorer people to act out their own anti-social desires...like I want to be a bad girl but I really can't but I can encourage other young women to act in certain ways and call it support. And whenever anyone proposes something I can shoot it down. I can be a nay-sayer and come up with all sorts of reasons why nothing will ever work until a very complex and expensive system is set in place. I do not want simple, incremental improvements..I want a grand plan and I will stomp my feet until I get it. mg