GREENSBORO — A month ago, Almeta Whitsett was on the waiting list for Mobile Meals.

With two hip replacements and a husband with Alzheimer’s, the 84-year-old Greensboro woman was finding it harder to cook. She already had someone who came in to clean her house every two weeks.

Now, she has help in the kitchen, too.

Senior Resources of Guilford learned over the summer that it would receive $80,000 in stimulus money from the state Department of Health and Human Services.

The money officially arrives today for Senior Resources.

But since the agency knew that the funds were coming, Whitsett started receiving two hot meals a day, five days a week, in late September for her and her 85-year-old husband, James.

“I don’t have to worry about preparing dinner each day,” Whitsett said. “I prepare a little breakfast for us, and maybe in the evening get us a little sandwich or something. We’ve enjoyed the meals tremendously.”

Okay, this is a good example of why we can't get this country back on track economically. Who's going to make a fuss and admit that they're against "feeding seniors"? Even many conservatives who are railing against wasteful spending aren't going to take this one on for fear of being called cruel and insensitive.

But even if I were willing to stipulate that it's okay for "government" money (read: the check I write to the IRS each year) to feed seniors, which I'm not, I would still be aghast that money the Congress and Obama specifically meant to be a stimulus to the ECONOMY would be used to provide lunch and dinner for my mother or your grandmother.

The program is funded by United Way, private donations, and federal "Title III" grants, which means that these seniors are already getting tax money to pay for their meals. And now we're pretending that giving them more tax money to feed them will stimulate the economy??

But again, what brave soul do you think is going to complain about this except Granny? That's why it can go on untouched. It may be illegal, dishonest, even unconstitutional, but our czars know that no one can get away with opposing it without inviting condemnation from the bleeding hearts.

Look, I'm all for making sure no senior goes hungry. I'm nearly a senior myself and I don't want to miss a meal either. But the way to do this is through United Way and churches and by my willing donations, not through forcing me on penalty of imprisonment to pay for this couple's lunch and dinner each day.

Think what a stimulus it would be if our tax bill were cut in half and we were allowed to SPEND the money that's now paying for senior meals!

Folks, no matter how old you are, there's no free lunch.

Labels: Money, Political Observation, Social Observation