Uncle Sam is on Steroids

With a freakishly huge federal budget looming, it seems that governmental expansion is a given. Like it or not, Uncle Sam is on steroids. If I must give a chunk of my paycheck to the country's most inefficient human services provider, I'd like to suggest ways to improve it. Ideally, we help people get off welfare, there is considerable dignity and self-esteem to be earned by earning one's way.

1. If we are providing welfare in order to care for minor children, we have a right to insist those children attend school. Their best chance to grow up and contribute to society is by becoming educated. If a child is truant (in the Minneapolis school district, eight absences in a quarter is automatic failure, that seems like reasonable number) to the point of failing the quarter ~ and we can allow exceptions for hospitalizations, obviously ~ Mom gets off the next quarter, and Junior goes to foster care. After four absences, the social worker can be notified to get on Mom's case ~ so it doesn't come as a surprise.
2. If you're getting welfare, you're getting educated. Welfare recipients who do not have a high-school diploma or GED must be attending classes with the goal of graduating. Those with a diploma need to be in a vo-tech or community college program. We can pay for it. Remember, we're trying to improve people's lives. No school = no money. Actually, I'd like to see free community college for everyone who wants it, just like high school.
3. If you get food stamps or WIC, you must attend (and pass) a cooking/nutrition class. It is both cheaper and healthier to make food from scratch than to buy ready-to-nuke meals. This week, a local grocery store is offering a frozen meal for two ~ 24 oz of linguine, chicken, sauce & vegetables ~ for $6.99. On the other hand, a 48 oz package of chicken breast is $3.87, a 12 oz box of linguine is $1.00, one pound of sweet yellow onions is 77¢ and a pound of asparagus is $2.48. In other words, the ready-made meal is $3.50 per serving, the same size homemade meal is $1.06 per serving!
4. No welfare for druggies! Members of the military ~ who actually provide a service in exchange for money from the government ~ get drug tested. It's only fair that welfare recipients are subject to the same standard.

I saw the best personalized license plate the other day: HRUDUDU. If you remember Watership Down that plate will bring a smile to your face. If you never read it, you should, it's excellent. It is funny, sad, scary and thoroughly entertaining.

Spring has sprung. In appreciation of warmth and sunshine, my son Pat and I went out with our cameras to take skyline shots of Minneapolis. This is my favorite. I had to stand on a deteriorating snowbank to get a view above the freeway fence, but I think it was worth it. I love this view, with all the modern skyscrapers in the back (the big one on the left, with the black cap, is Philip Johnson's IDS Tower) and in the front, right by the IDS, is the Foshay Tower (it's the one that looks like a tribute to the Washington Monument). The Foshay was the first skyscraper west of the Mississippi. I remember when the Foshay dominated the skyline. We used to go up to the observation deck and be awed by the view.

Today's Genealogical Tip: Read the hometown obituaries. If you have a small town in your family's recent past (and many of us do) check the local paper's website. Even many small town papers are now online and they have great obituaries. It's not uncommon to find birthplaces, mother's maiden names, military and job history, all siblings' names and church memberships listed. Those small-town papers can be a genealogical dream come true. Even big city obits seem to be getting more in-depth. Bookmark the websites of papers for towns where your family settled en masse and check them often.