Poverty-Stricken Should Try Work

* The Nov. 26 article “Children’s Survey Has Bleak News” does not move me at all. The article talks about how many children in Orange County lack basic necessities such as adequate nutrition, health insurance and affordable housing.

As responsible adults, my wife and I waited until we were financially able to start our family. My wife and I are both Catholic and my wife is a Latina. So liberals can’t use the religion or ethnicity excuse to justify irresponsibility by adults having children that they cannot afford.

More importantly, responsible adults who cannot afford to properly care for two children do not continue to have children and expect the taxpayers to support their large families via our tax dollars, which fund countless government programs that continue to encourage irresponsibility.

Parents are responsible for their own children, not the government. The article talks about a typical family of four who will not be lifted out of poverty even when the minimum wage increases to $5.15 an hour next September.

The federal poverty level for a family of four is $16,071. The article states “working full-time at the minimum wage of $5.15, a family would earn about $10,700, still falling about $5,371 below the poverty line.” Well, that’s assuming only one of the adults is working, while the other one is staying home complaining about their financial plight rather than working.

If both parents were working, they would earn $21,400 a year, approximately $5,000 above the poverty level. I shed no tears for these “poverty-stricken families.” Their poverty is a result of their irresponsibility and laziness.

Minimum-wage jobs are typically entry-level jobs where previous work experience and job skills aren’t necessary. I have seen numerous “now hiring” signs throughout Orange County. Of course my wife would like to stay home with our young children, but if she didn’t work, we couldn’t make ends meet and we too would become public charges. I think it is only fair that before the government assist these “poverty-stricken families,” both parents be required to get up every morning and go to work just like my wife and I do.

FRANCIS CONCANNON

Irvine