Michael Cash wrote:
> On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 02:54:36 +0900, B Robson <Xb-robsonX@gol.com>
> brought down from the Mount tablets inscribed:
> 
>>TAX, Gowen and I are talking about TAX. I am sure you have paid tax, you 
>>can freely criticise poor people for abusing their most generous welfare 
>>payments. As for me, I am glad I come from a country that doesn't have 
>>an underclass.

There are plenty of people comprising an underclass down there. It might 
be smaller in overall percentage terms, but in the regions and districts 
where unemployment is 20-25%+ (even in Sydney there are such plenty of 
such places), the long term disadvantaged are very real.

> from http://www.totallyofftherecord.com/story/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
<snip>
> Needless to say we 'spiritually' reduced her benifits.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Maybe you don't have an underclass, but there's at least one weirdo
> bum-ette down there.

I hired a bloke to work in the store (dispatch? I don't know the 
American term - the place where the truckers come in to pick up the 
finished product) when I was working in a small manufacturing firm in 
Sydney yonks ago. He'd been unemployed about 18 months. He was single, 
no dependents. The job paid about A$250 a week more than his benefits. 
The social security office were pretty good, and he was well matched to 
the job. 8 days after his first payday he came into the office asking if 
he could use the phone to call social security. "Sure, but why?" I 
asked. "They cut off my benefits!"

-- 
Non gratum anus rodentum