4salt, I never said welfare was being used to buy rims, etc. I was saying that people will go without health care to buy the accouterments of life like rims, xboxes etc... working people with income and misaligned priorities.

Now for illegals getting free health care, maybe you should explain that to my nurse friend in CA that delivers illegals babies on a regular basis, paid by the state, in a nice hospital, not the county clinic.

County hospitals ask your income level when you go in there and if you fall into the "poverty" category, you get health care, yes free, no not with a bill nor any hit to your credit rating. I had a friend of mine who was a drug addict and got new teeth, diabetes meds, and complete facial reconstruction when he took a spill face first on ice... no payment, no credit hit, nothing more than filling out a form and waiting. He is now recovered and has not had to pay a dime, ever.

Welfare abuse is rampant, if you don't believe it, go spend some time in East Oakland at 10am on a Tuesday and ask around. See how fast you get offers to trade booze for food stamps. Ask how many of them folks have been on welfare and for how long... it isnt just the fact that people use welfare for income, they do it for LIFE.