Every once in a while,  T.J. Aulds, Mainland Editor of The Galveston County Daily News gets a quote from someone that either shocks you or makes you shake your head. In an article today about a federal housing assistance program, he quotes the head of the program telling us the bare naked truth:

“Once you get on, there’s nothing that makes you get off,” Fuller said. “I’m not saying it’s a flawed system, but there’s no real incentive to do better.”

Wowzer. Obviously Mr. Fuller is speaking the truth but dang! When was the last time you heard someone actually say it, much less the dude in charge of doling out the money? Most of the time these guys will tell you the stereotypical sob story about keeping the elderly out of the gutter or the children off the streets.

T.J. does try to give us one stereotypical story, one of the driven young woman that has a baby and just wants to be closer to school so she can continue her education. Awww, ain't that special? Except for one teeny, tiny little thing. Here's T.J.'s account, you find the flaw:

Valerie Valdez, 18, was hoping to be one of those who will get to enter the program. The single mother of a 4-month-old son lives with her grandmother in Galveston but wants to move to the mainland to be closer to the University of Houston at Clear Lake where she is taking criminal justice courses.

The part-time waitress sees the Section 8 housing program as a helping hand as she tries to start a career path while raising her son on her own.

“I don’t judge it,” she said. “It’s more help than anything. When I was raised, I wasn’t raised on (public) housing or anything. My mom tries to help out, but she can only help with baby-sitting.”

Valdez’s plans are to get help with housing, go to school and once she finds a good paying job, “take care of things for myself.”

Going to UHCL, is she? Hmm. Let's see….yep, just as I thought. You see, UHCL is still an upper level university, meaning that it is for juniors and seniors. Here is a list of the courses that Valerie would have to have transferred just to be "taking criminal justice classes" at UHCL. Somehow, I doubt that Valerie has had the time to take those courses. Hey, call me cynical but here's the way I see her story. She doesn't want to live with Granny because Granny might have some rules. And Mom says, nope, no way. So she sees this lifelong freebie out there and goes and stands in line because YOU owe her! That's right YOU should pay for her to live somewhere. Oh, and while you're at it, how about free day care. And obviously she'll need a Lone Star Card because the few dollars she makes waitressing has to go for cigs and such. 

You think I'm wrong, prejudiced, and a bully, don't you? Hey, don't lie to me and I might be tempted to buy your sob story. But if you lie to me, why should I?

This is just one example for those of you on the left that wonder why those of us on the right get tired of paying high taxes. Don't blame us – we don't mind paying for the truly needy, although we think the best way to do that is through voluntary charity, not confiscation of our wealth. But either way, Valerie isn't needy and only serves to hurt those that truly are.