About Government Handouts To The Rich

We have our fact-checkers out working on this, but it seems to be common knowledge that rich Americans enjoy the perks that government hands out – earned income tax credits and the like – but cannot abide social welfare programs for less fortunate Americans. It’s okay for the government to bail out corporations, they say, but no bailouts for poor people; they can sink or swim!

Two Jews are walking in the park when a bird swoops down and plotz right on one guy’s head. He looks at his friend and says, “For the rich, they sing.”

I spent years with a famous Jewish comedian who tells that story with a heavy Yiddish accent. I’m not sure if he’s Republican or Democrat, but I think of that bit when I hear that a corporation is a person that accepts a helping handout from the government, while we plotz on the heads of the poor and middle class.

A person replied to one of my blogs recently, and lectured about our “rights” vs “responsibilities.” He objects to using his taxes to fund social welfare programs. He argued long and a bit loudly that government has no responsibility to help lift the poor out of poverty, but I think the founding fathers disagreed. I think the Constitution disagrees. I know Democrats disagree. I used to think Christians disagreed.

Republicans don’t hate poor people; we know that. They may not invite them to dinner, and I seriously doubt the Tea Party has plans to vote for any of Obama’s social programs, but, while they are drinking the tea, while they are saying “no thanks” to anything proposed on the left side of the isle, perhaps they should re-read the Constitution. And ask, What would Jesus do?

Yes, I’m an atheist, a skeptic, a Democrat, and a fortunate recipient of our government’s largess: the G.I Bill, homeowners’ tax credits, unemployment insurance, and more. And I expect I’ll be paying higher taxes in the future. But look what I’m getting for my money: I am an American.