Reply #36: Some truth here, but also some hyperbole...

[dh1760]

The single mother who is nervous about using food stamps, is reacting to her own embarrassment or misconceptions. In most towns the food store cashier is a high school kid (who probably disparages everyone!), or an adult who is paid low enough that they fully understand the stigma of food stamps (and would be the last person to look disparagingly). Even, the food store owner also could care less, since food stamps = cash, as far as he is concerned.

Your country doesn't value the Trumps and Palins more than teachers. Your country values entertainment more than education, and the Trumps and Palins are (some people's idea of) good entertainment.

The "slightest" medical emergency (as opposed to a true medical calamity) doesn't cause people to lose homes, retirements, or life, unless it goes unattended and becomes a calamity. Emergency room bills going unpaid will often be written off as noncollectable debt (I know ... my wife is a medical biller), but at worst will cause a credit history ding.

It's been a long, long time since prisons were filled with small-time marijuana users. I'll agree with the mentally ill ... but even that is largely caught well before prison time (unless acting innapropriately includes causing bodily injury).

The rest of your examples ring true... I'm just not sure I'd equate my feelings of safety with full government disclosure and otehr "trust" issues.