My, my...just finished reading all of the posts. I would like to make a few comments.
1. I would bet this was not the first time this baby has had to fend for herself. I am thinking that is what saved her life. Most babies would not know how to survive because their moms have taken care of them.
2. All babies are innocent. She is not old enough to be classified as a "brat."
3. Perhaps, her mother didn't tell anyone that she was going to jail because she didn't want the father to get custody. If the mother was on welfare, it probably was due to the fact that she had a child. She was thinking that she would lose all of those benefits if the child were taken away from her. (Follow the money trail, and you usually will find the reason behind the behavior.)
4. We don't know how this child will turn out, so let's not be so judgmental. Scott Peterson, who apparently had everything anyone could ever ask for, turned out to be a wife/child killer (IMO, of course).
5. Don't get me wrong. I am not a bleeding-heart liberal. I also believe that our taxes are too high. I believe that those who work hard to become successful are then penalized by the government taking about 40 percent of earnings to fund those who haven't worked as hard. But...
6. I have no problem with my tax dollars going to those who are trying to help themselves. I believe that the working poor should be the ones who get the benefits, not the lazy people that think having kids is their right and have no intention of contributing to society. Unfortunately, the working poor oftentimes do not qualify for any benefits because they "make too much money." Hence, those who have no intention of ever giving back to society, are rewarded and reap the benefits.
7. And I hope the Bill Clinton answer of "I don't recall" doesn't get this mother off of the hook. Who in his/her right mind wouldn't know who was taking care of his/her child? Of course, this woman's brain could be fried from drugs, which would take me back to my original thought that the baby has had to fend for herself at other times....
That's all folks!