Hey Mister, Can You Spare a Dime?

I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.
- Ben Franklin 1766

We hear a lot about the poor and disenfranchised in America today. It seems that the Democrat party has a particular burden for America’s poor. In fact, the Democrats have had a soft spot for America’s poor beginning with FDR’s administration over sixty years ago, with the inception of social security. Social security is the first socialist entitlement program to be foisted upon the American people, and America's poor. For decades the poor in this country have reaped the rewards of fruits of other's labor through a multitude of government entitlement programs.

Using entitlement programs, the Democrats in government have created generational interdependence on handout programs, succeeding in creating a whole underclass willing to vote more democrats into office. They have been told that not to support Democrats in the vote, would cause the poor to loose their  government promised, free support. Vote Democrat in order to preserve the handouts and benefits promised. With all these 'free' handouts, and entitlements from the Democrats in exchange for votes, why call America’s poor, poor at all?

When one compares America’s poor with the poor of other nations, it becomes apparent that America’s poor has the highest standard of living over that of any other of this planet’s poor. Being poor in America does not always mean being impoverished. 

In my line of work I get many opportunities to enter into some of the poorest homes, in the poorest neighborhoods of Oakland. There is one thing these homes and their occupants all have in common. They are wealthier than any of the poor belonging to any other nation on Earth.

America’s poor have many amenities that the poor of other countries simply do without. Many of America's poor enjoy running hot and cold water, heat and electricity, refrigerators, stoves, ovens, washer and sometimes a clothes dryer. Almost all have access to flushing toilets. Many have flat panel TVs, stereo, CD and DVD players, VCRs, food in the fridge, alcohol in the cupboard, furniture, blankets on the bed, and a roof over their head. Many have cars, or clean and safe public transportation. If they have kids, there's a school for them to go to. There's free medical care at the local clinic, or general hospital,. No emergency room, or trauma center will turn the poor away.

Compare America's poor with the poor who are unfortunate enough to live in Afghanistan, India, Southeast Asia, or even Central & South America. There, crowded shantytowns surround the cities, and sewage flows through the streets, past the front door. Ghettos with homes made of  mud, cardboard, black paper, scraps of lumber, and corrugated tin. The only form of light may be the glow of a candle, or  that of a single incandescent light bulb. Meals are cooked on a flat stone over a small indoor fire pit. Medical care is rare, disease runs rampant and the life expectancy of one of these poor, can be expected to be half that of one of their poor American counterparts. Let us not forget that infant mortality is much higher than that of  American newborns born into poor families. The poor of other nations have few if any services to call upon for assistance and survival.

Meanwhile, back in America, our poor have many outreach and entitlement programs to pick from. There are federal tax exemptions and tax credits, welfare, food stamps, government cheese handouts, WIC for babies and young mothers, section eight housing, federal housing assistance, utilities assistance from the phone, gas, electric and water companies. Free garbage pickup, vouchers for a free ride on public transportation, grants and city sponsored loans for automobile purchases and of course, social security benefits. It is also worth mentioning that many of these benefits are available for those who have have just immigrated to America, both legally, and illegally. What a country! The available benefits and handouts are staggering. The only people we see living in shanty towns (squatters camps) or in boxes, are the homeless, who, more often than not, choose to live that way. They choose to live this way, because they may be mentally ill, or drug addicts. Some  simply choose to refuse assistance of any kind. Most depend on the generosity of the federal and state governments, on behalf of the American taxpayer.

America is the bread basket of the world. America is seen by the rest of the world as being the land of plenty, especially to the poor who are on the outside, looking in. So much so, that many would gladly leave their country at great risk to life and limb to seek a life in America. Always, America is the preferred destination by many of the worlds poor and refugees. Few who are actually here, really have much of a desire to leave America. Why is that? 

Americans are a generous people who give more to charities than any other people on earth. The rest of the world knows that. The outside world sees Americans as being gluttonous, wealthy, lazy, and they see America as being a land of opportunity, while at the same time many poor Americans see their  own country as a land of hopelessness and despair. America's poor  are taught, and they learn to depend on the government, and not themselves. Self-sufficiency is a foreign concept to most.


The poor in America have been conditioned and brainwashed into believing that a certain standard of life is owed them, and that that life can be had with little, or no work, or effort, other than filling out a government form, or two. All courtesy of the left who holds this country's purse strings. 

No longer is a handout an embarrassment, or damaging to one’s pride. It’s expected, and the more one receives from the government, the higher one’s status rises his neighborhood. Used to be that a man would do menial labor to feed his family, rather than taking a handout to feed his family. Today, that handout is expected, and even demanded.

I place blame on this country’s leftists, progressives, and the Democrats who have socially engineered a poor underclass in this country. Their sole purpose is to cast a vote for a Democrat at the expense of any kind of decent future, or escape out of poverty, except for the redistributed wealth that they receive. This gives them enough to keep the poor fat and well fed. But, not enough to find happiness. Still, they always demand more, thinking that happiness will be given to them through more handouts. It's a never ending cycle.

It gives me pause to wonder if the damage caused by the leftists, progressives and Democrats to this country can ever be reversed and undone. I believe it can be reversed, but first we need to convince our country’s poor that work is, 'good for the soul', and that work, and productivity gives a man pride, honor, and a way out of the hopelessness of being poor. Soon, a productive taxpaying citizen will begin to love his country for what it has given him –opportunity. The Democrats, leftists and progressives will loose that productive citizen from the welfare rolls, as they flee from the Democratic voter rolls. This is the greatest fear of the Democrats, and it scares the hell out of them. 

The very prospect of a self-sufficient and productive American, who has escaped the bonds of poverty, and who has escaped the bondage caused by Democrat abuse, and control over their lives, Is what  the Democrats fear most. Through new self-reliance and self-sufficiency of the formerly poor, Democrats lose votes, which translates to a loss of power. This is what Democrats fear most, as they lie in bed at night, staring at the ceiling.

I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.
- Ben Franklin 1766

We hear a lot about the poor and disenfranchised in America today. It seems that the Democrat party has a particular burden for America’s poor. In fact, the Democrats have had a soft spot for America’s poor beginning with FDR’s administration over sixty years ago, with the inception of social security. Social security is the first socialist entitlement program to be foisted upon the American people, and America's poor. For decades the poor in this country have reaped the rewards of fruits of other's labor through a multitude of government entitlement programs.

Using entitlement programs, the Democrats in government have created generational interdependence on handout programs, succeeding in creating a whole underclass willing to vote more democrats into office. They have been told that not to support Democrats in the vote, would cause the poor to loose their  government promised, free support. Vote Democrat in order to preserve the handouts and benefits promised. With all these 'free' handouts, and entitlements from the Democrats in exchange for votes, why call America’s poor, poor at all?

When one compares America’s poor with the poor of other nations, it becomes apparent that America’s poor has the highest standard of living over that of any other of this planet’s poor. Being poor in America does not always mean being impoverished. 

In my line of work I get many opportunities to enter into some of the poorest homes, in the poorest neighborhoods of Oakland. There is one thing these homes and their occupants all have in common. They are wealthier than any of the poor belonging to any other nation on Earth.

America’s poor have many amenities that the poor of other countries simply do without. Many of America's poor enjoy running hot and cold water, heat and electricity, refrigerators, stoves, ovens, washer and sometimes a clothes dryer. Almost all have access to flushing toilets. Many have flat panel TVs, stereo, CD and DVD players, VCRs, food in the fridge, alcohol in the cupboard, furniture, blankets on the bed, and a roof over their head. Many have cars, or clean and safe public transportation. If they have kids, there's a school for them to go to. There's free medical care at the local clinic, or general hospital,. No emergency room, or trauma center will turn the poor away.

Compare America's poor with the poor who are unfortunate enough to live in Afghanistan, India, Southeast Asia, or even Central & South America. There, crowded shantytowns surround the cities, and sewage flows through the streets, past the front door. Ghettos with homes made of  mud, cardboard, black paper, scraps of lumber, and corrugated tin. The only form of light may be the glow of a candle, or  that of a single incandescent light bulb. Meals are cooked on a flat stone over a small indoor fire pit. Medical care is rare, disease runs rampant and the life expectancy of one of these poor, can be expected to be half that of one of their poor American counterparts. Let us not forget that infant mortality is much higher than that of  American newborns born into poor families. The poor of other nations have few if any services to call upon for assistance and survival.

Meanwhile, back in America, our poor have many outreach and entitlement programs to pick from. There are federal tax exemptions and tax credits, welfare, food stamps, government cheese handouts, WIC for babies and young mothers, section eight housing, federal housing assistance, utilities assistance from the phone, gas, electric and water companies. Free garbage pickup, vouchers for a free ride on public transportation, grants and city sponsored loans for automobile purchases and of course, social security benefits. It is also worth mentioning that many of these benefits are available for those who have have just immigrated to America, both legally, and illegally. What a country! The available benefits and handouts are staggering. The only people we see living in shanty towns (squatters camps) or in boxes, are the homeless, who, more often than not, choose to live that way. They choose to live this way, because they may be mentally ill, or drug addicts. Some  simply choose to refuse assistance of any kind. Most depend on the generosity of the federal and state governments, on behalf of the American taxpayer.

America is the bread basket of the world. America is seen by the rest of the world as being the land of plenty, especially to the poor who are on the outside, looking in. So much so, that many would gladly leave their country at great risk to life and limb to seek a life in America. Always, America is the preferred destination by many of the worlds poor and refugees. Few who are actually here, really have much of a desire to leave America. Why is that? 

Americans are a generous people who give more to charities than any other people on earth. The rest of the world knows that. The outside world sees Americans as being gluttonous, wealthy, lazy, and they see America as being a land of opportunity, while at the same time many poor Americans see their  own country as a land of hopelessness and despair. America's poor  are taught, and they learn to depend on the government, and not themselves. Self-sufficiency is a foreign concept to most.


The poor in America have been conditioned and brainwashed into believing that a certain standard of life is owed them, and that that life can be had with little, or no work, or effort, other than filling out a government form, or two. All courtesy of the left who holds this country's purse strings. 

No longer is a handout an embarrassment, or damaging to one’s pride. It’s expected, and the more one receives from the government, the higher one’s status rises his neighborhood. Used to be that a man would do menial labor to feed his family, rather than taking a handout to feed his family. Today, that handout is expected, and even demanded.

I place blame on this country’s leftists, progressives, and the Democrats who have socially engineered a poor underclass in this country. Their sole purpose is to cast a vote for a Democrat at the expense of any kind of decent future, or escape out of poverty, except for the redistributed wealth that they receive. This gives them enough to keep the poor fat and well fed. But, not enough to find happiness. Still, they always demand more, thinking that happiness will be given to them through more handouts. It's a never ending cycle.

It gives me pause to wonder if the damage caused by the leftists, progressives and Democrats to this country can ever be reversed and undone. I believe it can be reversed, but first we need to convince our country’s poor that work is, 'good for the soul', and that work, and productivity gives a man pride, honor, and a way out of the hopelessness of being poor. Soon, a productive taxpaying citizen will begin to love his country for what it has given him –opportunity. The Democrats, leftists and progressives will loose that productive citizen from the welfare rolls, as they flee from the Democratic voter rolls. This is the greatest fear of the Democrats, and it scares the hell out of them. 

The very prospect of a self-sufficient and productive American, who has escaped the bonds of poverty, and who has escaped the bondage caused by Democrat abuse, and control over their lives, Is what  the Democrats fear most. Through new self-reliance and self-sufficiency of the formerly poor, Democrats lose votes, which translates to a loss of power. This is what Democrats fear most, as they lie in bed at night, staring at the ceiling.