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Politics : View from the Center and Left
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To: JohnM who wrote (10688)2/2/2006 9:31:11 PM
From: Lane3  Read Replies (1) of 541791
 
These are not "tips"; they are essential parts of simply getting by.

First of all, tips are essential to the people who earn a living that way. But that's neither here nor there...

Whether or not the money we give to others is essential to them or not, we are still giving them something for whatever reason we choose to give. It is ours to give. It's not theirs. Not giving it is not taking anything that is theirs. If you still think we are taking by not giving, please explain your definitions of "theirs" and "ours" and "give" and "take" because I can't make those words work your way. This is a very simple concept. We teach these four words and their associated concepts to very small children.

I think you look at medicaid as something like a gratuity, a gift to a charity.

Don't read too much into the tip example. I was merely trying to come up with a simple theirs/ours/give/take illustration.

But I do think of welfare as a government imposed redistribution that formalizes and mandates charity. That's the key problem with welfare. Formalizing charity that way reframes it as an entitlement causing people to think that it's owed.

helps others in difficulty and enhances our humanity.

I'm all for helping others in difficulty and enhancing our humanity. I couldn't me more supportive of that. I just think that doing it the way we do it has produced a lot of costly intended consequences. Don't assume because I don't think that some people are entitled to the fruits of other people's labors doesn't mean I am opposed to providing for those who can't provide for themselves.
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