Cheating the System...

The anarchist in me loves hearing about how people "get over" on the government and bring power back to the people and away from the bureaucracy.  I've always believed that because of the levels of government and the ego's of the people in charge, actual service and change never happens.  We pay taxes as a society so that our government serves us.


So it pains me to see something like this happen, especially in cash strapped Michigan.

This is the problem with this goes squarely on the shoulders of the state government. What are we employing these people for? What are we electing officials for? How is it that a HUGE oversight like this slips through the cracks and becomes fodder for mainstream media eager to not only use this as ammunition for critics who wish to demolish state aid to citizens.

Images of a millionaire lottery winner using his Bridge card is exactly what plays into conservative minds when they think of "Cadillac & Welfare Queens". And the first group to take the hit when the PR war begins are the poor and minorities. Just as in the 1988 Presidential election when Bush used the image of black welfare recipients to drum up support, or in 1996 when Republicans forced President Clinton to act on "reforming" the welfare system, Blacks become the unofficial mascot for the waste within the system. You think I'm kidding? Look at current laws going through the Michigan House & Senate that deal with cutting Food assistance to men and women whom have been charged/convicted with drug offenses. Similar laws have already been passed in Florida. And while it is true that some do waste and manipulate the system, it is a necessary system that provides help to millions of women (and to a lesser extent men) who are struggling to support themselves.