Combat Ranting (formerly known as Famicom Mini)

[A Black Falcon]

When did I say anything about medicare?

I don't like Clark. He says things that don't make sense.

Have you ever disagreed with Weltall?

Didn't think so.

But it'd work just as well if people were just responsible about it! We'd help ourselves and them themselves. Look, generosity is all well and good, and I support homeless shelters and such fully when they are done by people who truly want to give to those in need. However, it shouldn't be forced or it's not true generosity. Generosity comes from the heart, not from orders to give or else. And, as I said, aside from help from those willing to do it, those who have not saved for retirement their whole life have EARNED what they get. Should someone help them, then they are being a very generous person, but they don't deserve help. I don't say that callously, I mean that NO ONE deserves a free handout. That's why it's free. The only time someone actually deserves something is when they earn it. The whole idea of Christmas is that no one deserves the gifts you give, but you give them anyway because you love them. It's more than what they earned, because that doesn't matter. Now, how much meaning behind gift giving would there be if people were ORDERED by law to give gifts on Christmas, and a specific dollar amount was required as well as what people you are to give to. That would take away all the meaning behind it. Same here. Generosity is meaningless if someone is forced rather than chooses to help someone themselves without coersion (sp?).

You expect far too much of the human race. We are far, far from perfect... people live more in the now than in the future and do all kinds of things that in future years will look really dumb. Like amassing lots of credit card debt, and wasting your money on junk, and not saving for the future, or starting a habit like smoking or drugs...

In a similar vein, not many people would willingly give a big chunk of their paycheck to others who need it when they won't see a payout from it for decades. Sorry, but it just would not happen. It'd be about as likely as a industry dramatically reducing pollution without it being legislated (read: it would never happen)... the best way by far is to have the government set aside money, as SSI does.

And also, gift giving is dramatically different from funding medical care for people who otherwise would lie at home ill, or suffer because they cannot afford their perscription drugs.