Redworm, I thought I was too pessimistic, whoa.
It's true that bad things happen to good people sometimes, but I don't think it's the norm. Generally speaking, the harder you work, the farther you get.
Throw in the Government card, with all the fees, regulations, licensing, insurance, continuing education, taxes, and so forth and bam, it gets harder for the hard working to keep afloat.
Generally speaking, the only people I see who can't make it are lazy, drug abusers, or just plain do not manage thier money well if at all.
The government rewards these types by giving them benefits which allow them to continue to sit on the couch, and become more dependant on others, worsening the problem(s).
If government was seriously down scaled and welfare done away with, people would live right through it. They would get up off that couch and go get a job flipping burgers at least.
The poor never miss any meals. The rich never have any extra. Things have a way of working out. The poor man would receive help from friends & family and things would get better over time across the board.
Yes, of course there would be a few that their circumstances would leave them in dire straights but no moreso than the few good people who have bad things happen to them. But generally speaking, things would get better as the norm. Take away the big governments drain on the middle class, and those people would have more to work with, would help the less fortunate more, people would get better help and more educated, and the people would prosper more across the board and life would be better for all. You are wrong.
Show me someone who can't make the rent and I'll show you someone who is irresponsible, hung over, drug addicted, or an enabled couch potato. Audrey fits here.
Helping children is a damn good reason to do something as long as it genuinely does help them.