Welfare Queens or Desperate Times?

Ain't the internets grand?

I really have no idea how I got there (although that happens more often than I would like to admit when I surf), but I came across an interesting article this morning in Mother Jones, an obviously left-leaning online magazine, which I believe I have stumbled across before.

Now before anyone reacts to the name of the publication, please hear me out.

I have many American friends who tell me how awful the welfare system is in the United States. How so many people abuse it and live high on the hog while ordinary, working people can't seem to do half as well for themselves. And since I don't live there and don't have any particular knowledge about their system, I basically accept what they tell me.

Then, as I said, I stumbled across this article this morning. It's about the welfare system (or perhaps, some might say, the lack of a welfare system) in some of the southern states, like Georgia.

So here is your mission, if you choose to accept it.
Go ye forth, read the article and come back and tell me what you think.

Yes, the article is lengthy but I found it a good read. And yes, the following comments admittedly tend to be the usual political crap so I just ignored them.

But please, just read the article. And tell me.

Pretty please.