After reading your article I was going to comment that a close friend of mine, going on fifty years now, had a husband who was essentially a ne'er-do-well. He wasn't abusive, but he was neglectful. Alcohol took around age 50 or so. He lived with his parents and had done for many years by then. He never paid a nickel of child support or alimony. And when he needed a release to get his drivers license, my friend said no way.

While on his death bed it was known he wanted to see the kids, by then adults of course. They had better things to do.

My friend used AFDC to put herself through nursing school, worked at LA County Women & Children's for many years. Wound up owning several houses in Palmdale/Lancaster, renting some out. She's retired now.

When I wrote about her in a more conservative forum, one woman replied: "Has she made arrangements to pay back the state for the AFDC?"

"Yes," I wrote. "In the substantial taxes she pays."

I've always regarded the late AFDC & other forms of assistance as an investment in people rather than support for the lazy. You account validates that.

However, I also read your exchange with Jordan. Like him, I'm a man & I also do things just like a man. So I won't write any of the above after all.