Wisconsin Works

read as testimony, Wisconsin Senate hearings on "W2"
welfare reform bill, U. of Wisconsin, La Crosse, 1995

we're here to talk about poor women and work, poor
women and work, as if they don't work, but that's
another story, we're here to talk about poor women,
so let's talk, shall we? not in the polite mid-western way,
the smile on our face, how nice we are to find work for
women, the dignity of work for women, how American
we are to find work for women, a way out of welfare, how
nice we are, let's talk, shall we? what's the plan here, work
for women, what work? young people with three college
degrees are out of work, people in their fifties with thirty
years experience are out of work, what jobs, what work is
there for women with no skills, outside of mothering that
is, and we'll make sure it stays that way, we'll cut them off
from college, and we'll build in a little provision here, all
welfare moms who can't find a job, well we'll just find
them a job, won't we, we'll get into bed with industry,
and provide a slave labor force, did I say that? did I say,
a drone class, a drudge class, dignity, what dignity, let's talk,
shall we? and once these women, these poor women get
a job, and the working conditions get worse, as they will,
and if these women dare speak out, well, industry will just
fire them, won't they, and then we'll build in another little
provision here, case workers will, and I quote, remove
children from the home if they're not adequately
financially supported, remove them from the home,
and aren't we nice, we'll build orphanages for these
children, and the women, the women, the poor women,
they'll be out on the streets, dignity? do I hear dignity?
do I hear work? work? let's talk straight here:

I believe you're selling an illusion, it's been done before,
it's been done to my people, brought to a concentration
camp, the words above the door, arbeit macht frei,
work makes you free, it's been done before

in our country, in this state, we do it differently, we do it
politely, we smile and say aren't we nice Americans

Frances Payne Adler

 ©1992 Kira Carrillo Corser