This statement is PATENTLY false. There are huge numbers of people "swimmingly on government assistance". I have had multiple people try to teach me how to game the system, and live quite well. I see it, I live next door to it.
And again, if someone who is single, married, has kids, etc. can't live on $15 an hour is not the issue. Everyone makes choices, and I made mine, and I bit off more than I could chew when I had my kids, so I have had to struggle to make ends meet. But that's nobody's responsibility but my own. I am doing a little better now, because I've worked my ass off to do it. But nobody OWES me anything.
No one is OWED anything by the government, or by anyone. That's what I'm teaching my kids. I know it's not a popular concept anymore, but personal responsibility for our own lives and choices should be focused on more these days, not what we can get for free, or by using "other people's money".
I would like to keep more of the money I make, and use it for charity to those who truly need assistance, rather than have the government disseminate it for me. I'm sure that's not a popular opinion around here, but we can agree to disagree.