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by ButlerianJihad 27 days ago
Since I live in a nation that offers a tapestry of entitlements and safety nets for the indigent, and I've tapped into those resources, finding them available in my time of greatest need, I worry far less now about losing all my income, because if it drops near-enough to zero, then that clears the way for assistance for my basic needs, especially food, medical care, shelter, and utilities.

You may hear tell of the "donut hole" or "welfare trap" or similar terms. Being among the working poor is a zero-sum game. I get gov't assistance for vocational rehab and supported employment. I secure employment, I earn money in legitimate paychecks, it's siphoned away for taxes and living expenses, I can't build a savings; my job ends, and I'm "back on the dole". The cycle repeats.