I have housing I can afford, health care through my workplace, I have enough to live on and occaisionally go to Vegas, and of course I have to watch my weight just like every other American, rich and poor. Everyone I know, including those that receive public assistance, folks I see using a state food assistnce card in the supermarket, and the people that live in rather lovely new duplex government housing near me are suffering want as you imply, except possibly for the work element. I’m not knocking any of that assistance, and if my tax money is going to build places for people to live I would prefer that they be nice. But the worker has to bring something to the table too, or they will be a ward of the state their whole life.