I hate free stuff. At least, free stuff that's stolen from people who worked hard to earn it and handed to people who didn't. Yes, I believe in fair wages and making sure people are treated fairly - but the idea that compassion is the government's job (and not the job of, say, the church, as it has been traditionally) is socialism. And that's fine if you believe that, if you believe in free health care for everybody, in robin hooding your way past poverty, but don't call it "progressive" or "liberal" - it's an idea that's been around for much longer than that. Call it what it is - socialism.

A buddy of mine posted this on his blog and it's so freaking awesome I had to share.

"Two Kids: One gets all A's. The other gets all D's.
If the kid with the A's gives the kid with the D's some of their A's, then both will have all C's.
Nevermind the fact that the A student worked hard to earn their grades.
Just consider the fact that the D student wants what the A student has.
Eventually, the A student will have no incentive to work hard, and the D student will never have to."

This is exactly what's happening. This is political socialism at it's best. This is why Russia is still a poor country - because they spent decades and decades teaching the hard workers it's pointless and the lazy they can get whatever they want just by breathing.

It was NOT BUSH'S JOB to fix Katrina. ::shock and horror!!:: Well, it's wasn't. It has NEVER BEEN the job of the federal government to FIX US. The very idea is COUNTER to what this country was founded on.

I've been on welfare. ::shock and horror!!:: Yes, that's right. For about 6 months while I was pregnant I was on welfare. And then I GOT OFF IT. Justin found a job (not nearly as hard as they would have you believe - McDonald's is ALWAYS HIRING) and we got off benefits. I probably used more of the government's money in my application process than in actual benefits. This, I really believe, is fine, and exactly the way welfare was supposed to work. It was supposed to be a quick fix for someone in between jobs - it was NEVER supposed to be a way of life, and it certainly was NEVER meant to rob from the rich and give to the poor.

Economists have long said that 5% of the world controls 95% of the wealth. Wow! Why don't we split that up and make it even?! The same people have also always said this: "If you took all the money in all the world and split it evenly between all people, in 10 years, 5% of the world would control 95% of the wealth." It's a mental thing. If all the money you get just gets spent and you have nothing to show for it but a freaking awesome stereo that will be obsolete in 2 years, you have gained nothing. And that is simply what 95% of the world would do with all that new found cash.

Everyone in America has the chance to provide for their families. Some have to work harder than others. But even "overnight success" stories spent years working toward said success. Rich people have the right to be rich and poor people have the right to become rich - but NOT by forcing the rich people to give them their money.

I'm liberal on a lot of issues. I absolutely believe in saving the environment and don't believe in the death penalty. But I simply can't buy into this socialist taxation policy. It will ruin our country.