I recently received this story in an email from my sister. Worth reading-
~There was a chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab, the professor noticed one young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist regime.

In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked: "Do you know how to catch wild pigs?"
The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said that it was no joke. "You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free corn.
"When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence.

"They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. "The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat that free corn again. You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity."

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening in America. The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tax exemptions, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc. While we continually lose our freedoms, just a little at a time.

One should always remember two truths: There is no such thing as a free lunch and you can never hire someone to provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself. If you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America, you might want to send this on to your friends.

You may think the free ride is essential to your way of life, but God help you when the gate slams shut!~

Katz great story and so very true. Experts address the loss of freedom suffered by East Europe using the analogy "salimi tactic" meaning they took away their freedoms one slice at a time and the Eastern Europeans hardly noticed until it was too late.

Unfortunately what you are going to find are some posters who will argue a) it can't happen here and b) many people are in great need.

Well we know that because better than 49% pay no taxes and I wager a bet that no one is starving in america. In fact those below the poverty level own TV DVR cell phoes have subsidy for both heat and AC, etc.

We need to start thinking about giving a hand up rather than a hand out....and yes for my liberal friends I direct that at corporate welfare as well.

The story is a very accurate description of what is happening in America. I am shocked at the lack of responses.
It must be an indication of the truth hurts.

Thanx for the post, I will be sending it to friends and family. What I like most is there is no requirement for an R or D or race or religion to state the problem.

btk

A great little parable. I don't know why I waited until today to read it. I like BTK will share this with my other "communities".

Liberals are probably too embarrassed to comment. (I had to get in a shot)

Once again, the Republican faction here is showing their lack of compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. They are the same Republicans who will wonder in November why their candidate lost the election. Do you honestly believe the less than affluant will vote Republican? Of course not! Do you honestly believe people of color will vote Republican? Of course not! Do you honestly believe gay and lesbian people will vote Republican? No!
Do you honestly believe registered Democrats will vote Republican? No!
Does this leave a large enough group of people to vote Republican and have their candidate win? OF COURSE NOT!!

Originally Posted by buggyone

Once again, the Republican faction here is showing their lack of compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. They are the same Republicans who will wonder in November why their candidate lost the election. Do you honestly believe the less than affluant will vote Republican? Of course not! Do you honestly believe people of color will vote Republican? Of course not! Do you honestly believe gay and lesbian people will vote Republican? No!
Do you honestly believe registered Democrats will vote Republican? No!
Does this leave a large enough group of people to vote Republican and have their candidate win? OF COURSE NOT!!

You apparently don't understand the meaning of compassion, Buggy.

buggyone, you have just proved the point i just tried to make on the Santorum Does It Again forum...the left is systematically making more and more people dependent on govt, either for jobs or for handouts, and thereby solidifying a stranglehold on power in this country...to what end? to push all of us, rep and dem and ind alike, into an eventual global government where property rights are stripped away for the sake of the society, and the US will be just another mediocre nation among many....is this what you want for your grandchildren? of course not! you just don't believe it could happen...but i believe it can and am fighting against it with everything i can.

Originally Posted by chachacha

buggyone, you have just proved the point i just tried to make on the Santorum Does It Again forum...the left is systematically making more and more people dependent on govt, either for jobs or for handouts, and thereby solidifying a stranglehold on power in this country...to what end? to push all of us, rep and dem and ind alike, into an eventual global government where property rights are stripped away for the sake of the society, and the US will be just another mediocre nation among many....is this what you want for your grandchildren? of course not! you just don't believe it could happen...but i believe it can and am fighting against it with everything i can.

Liberals don't get it and no matter what wisdom you're imparting above, never will.

You want to know whats happening to this country you only need to read the history of Argentina. A once prosperous country decimated by socialist policies that drained the lifeblood of that country.

Is Obama our Juan Peron? .........A case can be made.

The disability scams and foodstamp larcenies are breaking the backs of working people.

I've read this story before the big problem is the young people growing up really dont know what is going on and live with the changes and dont question anything this why I tell everyone educate the young and make them read history. Everything that is happening has happened before but the end result just keeps getting worse and worse.

Originally Posted by Posh 08

The disability scams and foodstamp larcenies are breaking the backs of working people.

Yes, there are some people who do take advantage of foodstamps. I, too, have seen all the television lawyers advertising they will get you disability from the government (for a price).

However, have you seen first-hand the poverty around the outside of The Villages? I do a little volunteer work at a food pantry in Lady Lake. There are even some Villagers who need food - mostly older, single people living in the historic section - where they subsisting on $600 per month in Social Security payments. Do you want to cut these people off from food? Is that breaking your back?

Originally Posted by buggyone

Yes, there are some people who do take advantage of foodstamps. I, too, have seen all the television lawyers advertising they will get you disability from the government (for a price).

However, have you seen first-hand the poverty around the outside of The Villages? I do a little volunteer work at a food pantry in Lady Lake. There are even some Villagers who need food - mostly older, single people living in the historic section - where they subsisting on $600 per month in Social Security payments. Do you want to cut these people off from food? Is that breaking your back?

I don't think anyone's decrying the support of the truly needy. But there are far too many able people who are able to adjust to the government payments, and give up trying for a better life through the results of their own labor.

I'll say my favorite line again, "The safety net should never become a hammock"

Chachacha~ thought this movie would be of interest to you.
MONUMENTAL: A Search for America's National Treasure

Originally Posted by buggyone

Yes, there are some people who do take advantage of foodstamps. I, too, have seen all the television lawyers advertising they will get you disability from the government (for a price).

However, have you seen first-hand the poverty around the outside of The Villages? I do a little volunteer work at a food pantry in Lady Lake. There are even some Villagers who need food - mostly older, single people living in the historic section - where they subsisting on $600 per month in Social Security payments. Do you want to cut these people off from food? Is that breaking your back?

buggyone: Many of us have lived it. No one is going hungry in this country. However even in the animal kingdom they understand that if you don't forge for yourself you die. We have governmenr programs that are being run for political purposes only and without the needed leadership needed to differentiate between the needy and greedy. Those elderly folks you speak of certainly are the exception. However, how cruel is it to allow otherwise potentially productive people become totally dependent on a government system, a system where they never had any skin in the game. I have been acquainted with many disabled people whose pride and self detemrination made them chide at the thought of a hand out.

As stated in a previous post here we need to think more in terms of hand ups rather than hand outs.....as the old saw reminds us we can keep feeding people fish or e can teach them to fish on their own

Originally Posted by buggyone

Yes, there are some people who do take advantage of foodstamps. I, too, have seen all the television lawyers advertising they will get you disability from the government (for a price).

However, have you seen first-hand the poverty around the outside of The Villages? I do a little volunteer work at a food pantry in Lady Lake. There are even some Villagers who need food - mostly older, single people living in the historic section - where they subsisting on $600 per month in Social Security payments. Do you want to cut these people off from food? Is that breaking your back?

It's the fraud I'm talking about. I reread what I said and didn't see where I mentioned taking it away from the genuine needy, please help me understand.