LINDSTROM, Minn. — Ki Gulbranson owns a logo apparel shop, deals in jewelry on the side and referees youth soccer games. He makes about $39,000 a year and wants you to know that he does not need any help from the federal government.

He says that too many Americans lean on taxpayers rather than living within their means. He supports politicians who promise to cut government spending. In 2010, he printed T-shirts for the Tea Party campaign of a neighbor, Chip Cravaack, who ousted this region’s long-serving Democratic congressman.



Yet this year, as in each of the past three years, Mr. Gulbranson, 57, is counting on a payment of several thousand dollars from the federal government, a subsidy for working families called the earned-income tax credit. He has signed up his three school-age children to eat free breakfast and lunch at federal expense. And Medicare paid for his mother, 88, to have hip surgery twice.....<snip>



"They're getting $300 or $400 tattoos, and they're wearing nice new Nike shoes that I can't afford," said BRIAN QUALLEY, who says some of his tattoo customers pay with money from disability checks.


My apologies if this is a repost. This is a long article and a great read if you have the time. I'm not too good at summarizing but long story short, there's a lot of cognitive dissonance with the people in this community. Not only that, it is highly probable that disruptors to this site are in the same boat as these people.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/even-critics-of-safety-net-increasingly-depend-on-it.html

Definitely check out the video clips and interactive maps!!!

The LTTE are even better. Imagine troll free responses.