Every time another case emerges showing that the welfare state is a bottomless pit for taxpayers cash that solves nothing, the liberal media and political elite say "this is just an exception". But it seems to be dawning on some folks that there are so many "exceptions" that the exception is now the norm. The system is broken. Have you met Shanique?
Born in the UK she moved to Jamaica with her parents as a baby. The she came back here. She got pregnant so has a 4 year old son by a dad who she says is abusive and who seems unwilling to pay a cent towards his upkeep. She has the right to stay in the UK but no right to state help or social housing.
And so she is appealing that natch (did anyone say legal aid?) and pro tem that means her local council must put her up but not in social housing but in a hotel which is costing the grateful taxpayer £50 a night plus £72 a week for food, essentials and whatever.
Shanique says the hotel room is not big enough and is making life hard as she is forced to eat junk food which is making her son ill and it is also a bad base from which she can go out and get a job. She fails to explain who will look after her kid if she does get a job. There is no evidence that she has done a day's work in her life, that she has not contributed a cent to the coffers of the UK Treasury and each week £422 is being spent by the UK Treasury supporting her and her son and heir. There is no evidence that she has tried to look for a job.
Shanique says there is not enough room for her son to play as his toys have cluttered up the hotel room? So how come he has so many toys if this woman is living on welfare? Is having lots of toys now regarded as a basic human right?
Shanique fails to explain why she feels obliged to spend her £72 at eateries such as MacDonalds on expensive unhealthy food which she says is making her son ill, rather than at Sainsbury on cheaper healthier food. It is her choice to feed her kid on crap but it is the fault of everyone else that he is fat and unhealthy. Naturally.
Ms Vickerman also told reporters “I have thought about packing my bags and leaving but then they will say I have made myself intentionally homeless." She knows how to play the system.
Shanique believes she has rights and entitlements from a Society without any obligation to ever contribute something to that Society. The father of her child clearly takes the same view. And the welfare state accomodates the whims of both these folks at our expense.
In order to have £422 a week to spend after tax in the current tax year you would have to be earning just over £27,600 per annum. That means that 66% of workers in the UK earn less than Ms Vickerman earns. It is actually worse given her age - 26. 79% of those of her age earn less than she does.
Ms Vickerman sends out an appalling message to those folks who do actually work hard for low wages in search of a better life. And also to taxpayers who have to fund the welfare merry go round. At every level this case shows yet again that the welfare state does not work and also that it encourages a cluture based on assumed rights and dependency.
But to the liberal elite it is just a one off allowing the right wing press to smear an entire system. After so many one-offs that really does not wash any more.