A small bit of support for one of alabamapurpleneck’s points. I recall it being a plot point in several urban drama TV shows and movies of the late ’60s or early ’70s that a single African-American mother had to hide her live-in boyfriend from the “welfare lady” lest she lose some or all of her benefits. Hardly an academically acceptable reference, I know, but it was at least commonly enough recognized to be used in mass-market productions. And of course that doesn’t mean that current assistance programs have such characteristics.

I think we can all agree, though, that the bureaucracy of large government programs can have unintended consequences. That doesn’t mean the programs aren’t worthwhile.

Thank you for this essay, Obdicut.