As we sit on the precipice of the passing of the "historic" Health Care Bill I am truly amazed at the current Welfare State in our country. I have had the true eye opening experience for the past few months to observe this phenomenon on display at the hotel where I work. I can only imagine the Health Care Bill will "help" the situation.
A few months back we had a family (a mother, her three kids along with her boyfriend) arrive at our hotel after apparently getting kicked out of their apartment for non-payment. The mother is in her late 20's or early 30's, rather portly, and apparently suffering from diabetes. Her kids are aged 16, 11, and 6 respectively. Her boyfriend appears to be in good health in his early 30's. Their payment of choice was a government issued credit card and we were told there would be a certain amount put on it by the government every month and we could charge the card on this day.
You could not help but feel for this mother with kids at first as she appeared to struggle daily both with the embarrassment of her predicament, the behavior of her kids and the inactivity of her boyfriend. My staff and I tried our best to make her feel comfortable. Apparently she could not work, but she was always busy receiving phone calls, getting in her car driving places, having visitors stop by, filling out forms and such. We assumed she was looking for work but later found out she was going to governmental agencies, churches and other places to find assistance. This was a full time job for her.
It became increasingly obvious she did not intend to work but, "live off the government." There was a string of endless government social workers having important meetings with her in our lobby telling her how she could receive free government money for food and housing and other assistances. Her kids could get free money to join any activity they wanted to participate in. We had to listen to her tell her story over and over to the sympathetic govertment workers. This list went on and on. The money appeared very easy to come by.
She then would use our front desk as a secretary service for her in assisting her filling out forms, faxing and telephoning places for her. She would tell us daily to take messages for her or to tell callers she didn't stay here depending on who the caller was. We needed to screen her calls before transferring them to the room. Many time she had us "watch her kids" while she went out. She was quite busy with her schedule and to hear her story, you would be amazed she could function as well as she did.
After a few months with us, she received word that she could get an apartment and a car through some government program at no cost to her. She notified us that she would be moving out and not to tell anyone of her forwarding address, hence they find out things that could cause her to loose her free money. She did not tell them that her boyfriend would be living with them because then they would not receive the assistance.
At the hotel we still receive her mail for free meals and assistance for her "struggling" family. She had three different churches send her vouchers for huge Thanksgiving meals, letters from kids activity places that cost working families a lot. She wants us to forward all of her mail to her because apparently she cannot pick it up herself. She doesn't want people that are sending her things at the hotel to know where she is.
Bottom lining it. If this woman tried to find a job as hard as she tries to find free money, she would be successful. I cannot imagine President Roosevelt had this in mind when he began the "new deal". Am I bad for not wanting to help this woman anymore? I am afraid we are creating a society that will become this.
Will Obama's programs such as healthcare, help or create more of this...It remains to be seen....What happened to pride in yourself? What happened to being responsible for yourself? It doesn't matter anymore...Obama will fix everything ...right?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment