pinedust wrote: Discussions are funny! I learn a lot reading both sides, but when it comes to passionate issues one has to take them with a grain of salt. To be honest, AV, I mentioned you last night, I said there was nothing better than AspenValley and Printsmith debating a topic. I have learned a lot from both of you. Please continue presenting your sides, it is not a wasted effort, and it is appreciated.
Why thank you for that kindness pinedust. While I have never had the pleasure of actually meeting AV outside of the various forums of the various sites I do have an immense amount of respect for her, even if our back and forth isn't always demonstrative of that feeling.
On many important issues AV and I are really more in agreement than disagreement, but those fine details sometimes bring out the less than civil side of both of us. I am of Irish and German descent, so I'm certain you can understand why I dig my heels in so deeply some (OK most) of the time.
And while LJ and I can't even agree on the time of day, she is another lady that I have immense respect for. I have actually had the pleasure of meeting LJ once upon a time and I have no hesitation at all in saying that, despite her rather ill informed outlook in all things political, she's good people through and through. I know that if I ever needed to ask a favor of her that she would do it without hesitation if it was within her ability to fulfill it, and she knows that I would do likewise for her.
First and foremost we are all neighbors, even if only in a digital sense. We are our brother's keeper and we all have a personal responsibility to take care of those that we come in contact with regardless of race, color or creed. Humanity knows no political boundaries, regardless of what those on the opposite side of the political fence might believe to be true. While I might not support paying taxes for the purpose of sustaining a federal pig with 330 million teats for the citizens to suckle at because I agree with Benjamin Franklin and his statement regarding how best to help the poor, that doesn't mean I am heartless and uncaring, regardless of what others may occasionally say in the heat of debate.
I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I traveled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.
Benjamin Franklin, On the Price of Corn and Management of the Poor, November 1766
I think there is a lot of wisdom here that is ignored by the federal government and the citizens of the nation that has led us to where we are in regards to our national debt and the "safety nets" that we are obligated to surrender the fruits of our labor to Washington D.C. to sustain.
Let's do it, whose in?
