Social Work in a recession

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A social worker laments:
As I contemplate how to pry a few dollars from these systems designed to humiliate and degrade my clients, already struggling with being social outcasts, chronic illness, drug addiction and mental illness I sigh audibly. I read of billion dollar bailouts and disappearing pallettes of cash as I ponder how to help a family with $400.00 so they will not be homeless in three days. I am so very tired.
We are not very caring as a nation. I want that to change. And as for stimulating the economy: nobody spends money faster than someone who needs to pay the rent to avoid getting kicked out of their home. The bank bailout has been severely hampered by the fact that the banks are often just sitting on the funds and not telling anyone what they're doing with them.

Our priorities are completely out of whack, and our politics barely begins to address our needs as a nation. Obama, as far as I can tell, is only a small step in the right direction. Must there be massive suffering for there to be change?

Humans: buggy software running on crappy hardware in a shitty environment. I am very very very fortunate to be as well situated as I am.

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