Often I’m told that the paper should do some kind of story about how our tax dollars are being wasted on social welfare. I hear of how people exploit the system to buy lottery tickets, beer and support all kinds of human debauchery.

Perfect failing examples of the sort of person so often stereotypically described can be seen tipping back government-sponsored six packs and lighting up good will cigarettes on just about any corner in Norwich at the end of the month, but there is something tragic to be seen further in the community.

There are different kinds of welfare – basically any money received from the state to supplement the cost of living. That covers a wide range of things from Medicaid, Social Security, unemployment, food stamps, public assistance, disability and so on.

I myself by that broad definition have been a welfare recipient at different points in my life because I received unemployment for a four-month duration and lived in HUD-approved housing (that’s a home that received government aid for its upkeep in exchange for placing rent to help lower income earners).