Too many in Anchorage chose not to work and live off the government

By Duncan Galland

News flash . . . Mississippi has the most obese people in the nation. Hmm, what else is Mississippi known for being first? Ooh, yeah, it's the poorest state. Wait a minute! What’s wrong with this picture? Aren’t poor people the ones who need all of our help and tax dollars just so they won’t go hungry? Isn’t this the purpose of welfare, to meet the most basic needs of the most needy among us? If the purpose of welfare isn’t to meet only the most basic needs, then what is it for?

Welfare as originally envisioned was just that, a minimalist form of subsistence intended as a stop-gap against people starving to death in the most prosperous nation on earth. We are the US of A. We don’t allow our people to beg in rags by the side of the road to sustain themselves like some banana republic (well, maybe in Anchorage but only if they want to). It was intended as a safety net, but as the evidence suggests, the safety net has become a hammock. The welfare rolls are packed with people who have settled in upon a life of leisure at the expense of the hard-working men and women of this country.

My family and I live in East Anchorage, in a “mixed” neighborhood. Some nice houses, some trailers. Some of our neighbors are Alaska Housing clientele, and while they are very nice neighbors and we like them a lot, most of them don't work. They’re not handicapped. They are able-bodied men and women who don’t work because the government takes care of them and so they don’t need to. And yes, most of them are overweight. They also seem to always have enough money for beer and cigarettes. Now, I have nothing against people drinking and smoking. My point is that if you choose not to work, there should be some consequences. You shouldn’t be able to have taxpayers pay for your food and housing, and then spend your welfare check on booze and cigarettes.

What we need in this country (or maybe let’s just start in this state or city) are political leaders who have the courage to speak out against the false compassion we call welfare. Ultimately, the current system is highly destructive to those who fall into its snare. We are not doing these people any favors. We are not only destroying their health, but their character and their families. Instead of catering to people’s worst instincts, why not help them by teaching them about good character and self-reliance. Why not allow some consequences for those who refuse to be productive members of society?

Democrats will never challenge the status quo because the welfare class is a solid bloc of Democratic voters. We need Republicans to stand up to this insidious program that is destroying the very fabric of American life. Republicans have nothing to lose at this point. If you are a Republican politician, people who feed off the Government tit are not going to vote for you anyway. What you may see happen if you speak up is a groundswell of conservatives who sat out the last Presidential election rally to your side. We are reaping tons of unintended consequences from years of misguided government social engineering. The time to stand up and say “enough!” is long overdue.