Anyone who says people shouldn’t get “handouts” and nonsense like that are the first ones who are bewildered when something bad happens to them.

Back when I was at the law firm, the calls I got the most satisfaction from would follow this pattern:

  1. Someone called in about something like a tax or child custody issue. They’d then start ranting against government programs and handouts apropos of nothing.

  2. They’d call back a few months later and say they were getting laid off from the job they’d had for 20+ years, and what the options were to sue to keep their jobs.

  3. They’d get laid off and then call in to ask whether they’d still stay on their employer health insurance.

This happened at least 4 times, and each time they’d ask if there were any programs to help hardworking citizens like them. My response: “We don’t have such programs in this country.”

Yeah, I’m petty.

Written on August 3, 2023