As a therapist, I am trained to not let my own personal reactions seep into my work. It isn't as easy as it sounds.

A couple of summers ago, I'm sitting in the kitchen of one of my patient's home. Section 8 (low-income) housing. A darling little house, nice kitchen. Paid for. I'm talking to her about her plans. She'd just finally rid herself of her abusive, drug-using, controlling boyfriend (and father of her two children) and was starting life over again. I asked her of her plans for the summer, beginning the conversation of finding meaningful employment instead of asking her family for money all the time.

She states: "I'm getting a pass to the water park and I'm going to take my kids there all summer. I'm not getting a job."

Gee... I was going to be working all summer, juggling taking kids to summer school classes, music classes and paying for child care. I wasn't going to get to spend the summer at the water park working on my tan. I was going to be exhausted and thankful school was starting by the time August rolled around. And then my husband and I would give over a third of it back to the government so she could take her kids to the water park. I know, politically incorrect, but I was angry. Working isn't a privilege... it is a responsibility.

But, representing things fairly, I have other patient's who would love to work, but if they work, they lose the monies they are receiving and wouldn't be able to care for their famiies. This is a fact. If they make more than an alloted amount, the money goes away and they are back to square one. Probably sixty to seventy percent of my caseload fits this category. Most people want to be free of government aid.

After (almost) twenty years as a therapist, I don't know why it is so hard to implement decent welfare reform. This would by my plan, if I were allowed to wave my magic wand and make things work:

1. To receive any government aid, you must either be (a) employed (anywhere... making minimum wage.... doing something) - OR - ( receiving further education, either to complete a high school degree or gain more vocational training. In other words, you must be working toward achieving financial independence.

2. That the government would subsidize the difference between current wages and an adequate standard of living. This would need to be time-limited (like TANFF is now).

3. That the work programs from the 30's and 40's be re-implemented to address the issue of employment in point one. We have significant infrastructure issues that could be addressed and all would benefit from these programs. In addition, it would be a boost to the private sector and a step in the right direction to putting the economy back on track

4. That appropriate services be provided to people -- medical care; psychological care; career/educational counseling so that they can work to break bad habits and patterns of behavior. Almost everyone can do something productive.

(These last few points are important, but are more mindset issues, rather than things that can be regulated)

5. That having two children is wonderful, but if you want more, you have to figure out a way to pay for them. (When I was doing my internship about 15 years ago, I was meeting with a nurse and a family whose 13 year old had just had a baby. The nurse was explaining birth control and the dangers of pregnancy for a young girl to the family. The mother told us to get out, that her daughter was going to get pregnant again so they could get more money. Yes, we reported her.)

6. That we work on implementing the concept of a work ethic and not that 'everyone should feel good about themselves.'
Hard work is what made us strong as a nation, as a group of people and not working hard in the past 30 years has been our demise.

:::Relinquishing her soap box to others:::: Thank you for your attention.