Tasting Hunger Up Close and Personal
by Byron Williams

As the public in general, and Republicans in particular, laud the presidency of Ronald Reagan as someone who made them feel good to be an American, few recall the Gipper's insensitivity to poverty.

Reagan conjured up mythical welfare queens, who through ingenuity and chicanery created multiple aliases, addresses and Social Security cards, allowing them to live lavish lifestyles at taxpayers' expense. Reagan had no tangible proof that such persons existed, but the hyperbolic political yarn was well received on the campaign trail.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, offers a contrarian's perspective to Reagan's fairy tale, not through conjecture, myth and hyperbole, but through the experience of putting herself in other people's shoes.

I am so sick of people who envy the poor. Try it yourself, and see how wonderful the situation is. Not really the cup o' tea it is cracked up to be. In fact, tea is too expensive for the poor...