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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (16786)	6/15/2001 11:14:54 AM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I agree that some people will steal what they want and that that is a burden on society. I've come to the conclusion, though, that helping people in a way that makes them feel entitled to the fruits of others' labors is a greater burden on society because it infects even the productive and the potentially productive and is so insidious. You took the words right out of my mouth. (So I replaced them with a Mrs. Fields chocolate chip cookie.) Tim

To: Lane3 who wrote (16786)	6/15/2001 6:48:31 PM
From: Solon	Respond to of 82486

I've come to the conclusion, though, that helping people in a way that makes them feel entitled to the fruits of others' labors is a greater burden on society I agree; I am not advocating that. The fact is though that all people do not contribute equally or pull their weight in society. In a family, even the wayward children get a plate at the table, at least till they are old enough to be kicked out. However, there is no place for society to kick them out to. It is their home as much as ours, and they will have a plate at the table one way or another. My post contained the answer as to how I think help should be given: in a way that makes people feel valued because they are valuable. I agree with you that the way it is done now creates a subculture of mediocrity--in particular of the spirit. I think that the political extremes cannot afford to stand firm on idealistic principles representative of either the "we owe them nothing," or the "we owe them so much" variety. It is why I suggested a pragmatic approach which allows society to adress workable ideas rather than waste enegy on fruitless opposition. As regards your comment about minimizing the reach of Government, I again agree. I think (too much) government is a huge waste of resources. I can do more good with a hundred dolar bill directly than I can with a thousand dollars through Government. Indeed, the National debt indicates that giving the thousand dollars to government actually costs money<g> So people are doing something wrong. And so long as they study and peer into government to find out what it is they are doing wrong--for just that long will they be incapable of finding the answer. But idealism is for the young, so I believe I'll have a martini. CYA later!