In days of old, when Knights were bold……..well, not that far back, but before the government got into the social welfare business.
If you were sick or hurt, it was rough, but your family, neighbors, congregation, provided for your minimum needs.
If you died someone would take in your children.
Someone would give firewood or a pig to the poor widow Jones.
When social programs began to grow, people started backing off saying let the government take care of it.
Unfortunately the government doesn’t do a very good job of it, giving some too much and some too little or nothing at all. And always at too high a price because of waste, graft and stupid regulations.
In many ways we were better off without the “safety nets” because they have too many holes in them and too many people have come to expect too much from them. A “safety net” is not there to maintain a particular standard of living…..only to save your life.
When that helicopter plucks you off the roof of your house its job is to get you to a safe place, not take care of you once you’re safe.
That is a different department/agency/organization/charity.
On a more personal level…..at Christmas I always sent out dozens of gifts. Nothing expensive, just funny or strange stuff to make people smile.
This year, however, a friend at work had his esophagus removed this summer due to cancer. We have a very good benefits package so the medical bills (over $200K) were paid and he’s getting a small weekly stipend.
But the fact remains that he’s going under financially. I have to do what I can to make sure he doesn’t drown.
I can’t sit by and hope somebody will do something or say that’s too bad, glad it ain’t me.
