Agian you are trying to distort my opinion. I believe that in America the majority of poverty could be over come by hard work and better decision making. I DO NOT!!!! blame anyone who has a condition they cannot help. I also believe we should help the needy, through training, expectations, finances, food and many other services. This is what I am talking about “hearing only what you want to hear.” And I’m not even a politician.

As you said Obama will bring change. The problem with change from Obama is that a lot of his change goes against my religious beliefs. Also his call to Socialism is completely UNAMERICAN. That’s right I said it…UNAMERICAN. Though I do wish that every person gave as much as possible to the needy, I have a deep rooted belief, religious and governmental, that each person is FREE to chose to do as they will. I have no more right to MAKE everyone give than to MAKE everyone attend any certain church or belong to a certain religion. I think this is where we diverge. It seems to me that it is your desire to impose your will to help people, those you deem needy, on all other Americans. This is not American thought or Christian thought.

Unfortunately, this freedom is what allows Americans to make what I consider a very bad choice to vote for the first Communist/Socialist president in Barack Obama.

Now, while much of resource sharing can be done at a local level, there is also much which must be done on a national level. For example, Exxon Mobil again set a record for profits last quarter. Coporate greed is a national problem which should be taken on by the federal governement. Now, of course, we all have the opportunity to combat corporate greed by choosing where we shop and what we buy, but government must act to protect our interests.

I think we can agree that we should have a more informed, engaged electorate. This is why I cast my vote last Thursday for Barack Obama. John McCain cannot and will not inspire a nation to move in a new direction. I believe that Barack Obama can, and I hope to God he will. We don’t need more of the same. We need to do something better together.

But, no president can do that for us. What are we, you and me, going to do to move our country forward? Any suggestions?

“I would suggest that resources are shared at the lowest possible level, maximizing the opportunity for relationship and community collaboration in sharing. I would prefer this happen on a micro-level in neighborhoods and localities rather than from a top-down federal approach.”

As I have said I fully expect that we should take care of those in need. The only way for this to happen is for aid programs to be turned over to the churches and other private interests. Only the churches and local programs can have a relationship with the people seeking aid.

I also hope you will follow through with this view point tomorrow as you cast your vote. You can vote for Barack, as you have said, and promote these arbritrary rules or you can vote for McCain who wants to increase the funds to churches and other private groups who help the needy.

Vagueness is what allows people to gain the lofty seats in Washington to make these decisions. People are willing to trust that this “smarter” person will do what’s right for me. Constituants hear the things they want from a canidate and tend to ignore the other things. We need to take a good look at all the policies a canidate stands for, as well as what they have done before, before we chose who we like.

We are at a very interesting time in history when we have more information at our fingertips than our ancestors could ever imagine. Yet the majority of the country still believe that Republicans are in charge of congress. Too many people are uninformed and passionate about it.

b) I think vagueness is actually important because what works for one community or population may not work for another. JT has raised some points about the arbitrariness of certain income requirements. These are made from lofty seats in Washington. I’m proposing that rather we make these decisions on a smaller level. The cookie-cutter approach does not work.

However, where I have difficulty is with the swiftness as which you are willing to write off a large group of people as lazy without accounting for societal factors which may be affecting them. Just because you know what it is like to overcome a disease, does not mean that you understand what it is like to be black, to be a woman, to have a family history of addiction, etc. Is there a place in time to look someone in the eye and say, “You’re lazy”? Yes, but only in the context of relationship. It is unfair to do so arbitrarily.

It seems to me that you are, for some reason, scared to call a duck a duck and say there are people who are just plain LAZY.

I still believe that we should take care of the incapable. I don’t believe that just because someone can’t earn as much as a lawyer or accountant they need to get assistance. People need to make sure they are budgeting what they have and being smart with their money.

I also think we need to have a progressive form of assistance. Just an example, if I were to have to go on disability I have to make less than $800 dollars a month for 6 months before I will be considered. Then if I accidentally make $801 one month I lose all assistance I have been getting and start the 6 month period over. How is that going to encourage anyone to possibly get better? I know this is a side note but this shows how the government programs work; not very encouraging to ambition.

As for determining what people with potentially debilitating diseases are capable I’m not sure how to decide that but as I said I don’t really mind taking care of people who have evident problems.

It seems to me we have a different understanding of what standard we need to hold people up to. I think we can expect more out of more people despite their circumstances. It seems to me you are saying that life’s circumstances are acceptable excuses for not trying. Help me to understand if I’m miss understanding you.

However, I would like to respond to this idea of responsiblity of the capable. I totally agree that we should encourage, teach, and require appropriate levels of responsiblity to be taken by all members of society. However, capability is quite subjective. Obviously you have overcome a great deal and are a highly motivated, capable individual. But, it would be wrong to assume that every person in the world having the same condition you have will be able to do the same.