You took what I said as more accusatory than it was meant. My point was only that we live in a civilized society where we have responsibilities to one another. I would not want to live in a Darwinian society where the well off can keep every nickel they make and the less well off can go hang.

And I want to be the one to decide where my charity dollars are going to go.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not about equality of outcome.

You want everyone to be as capable and industrious as you are. That isn't reality.

Partially because too many people have been given a hand out instead of a hand up.

Just so you don't think I am espousing bleeding heart principles, over my lifetime I have probably paid as much if not more in taxes than you have.

Wow! You must be a heck of a lot wealthier than John Ryan thinks I am.

I have never regretted it. To me it is a price of living in the society we live in.

No one is stopping you from writing a check to the federal government if you think they can be more effective in spending your money than you are. And I definitely agree that we are all paying the price for what American society has become..