Conditional Citizens

t occurs to me now that poverty is often associated with parasites—and not just in literal ways. In every election, I can count on one or another politician to rail against people who “live off” taxpayers’ money, receiving food stamps, rent assistance, or medical services while making no discernible effort to become self-sufficient. California, where I have lived nearly half my life, is particularly hostile to the poor. Before he conjured up the “welfare queen”