Yep, Jesus said that the poor would always be with us. He also said if they wouldn't work they shouldn't eat. And more on the subject of the poor.

But Ed, my wife and I are self employed and we simply can't afford health insurance. It's so expensive that it's much more than our monthly housing expense. (Howard Dean had something to do with that according to the Mrs. Most adamantly too.)

I long ago decided I will work until I can't. Don't know if you've heard, but Alan Greenspan is 'strongly' recommending the Feds sharply cut back on Medicare and social security benefits. And Americans shouldn't be scared, they should be angry, with themselves and their 'rascally' government. All these giveaways like social security were never sustainable. I figured that out as a political novice in the early 70's. Especially once the Congress decided it was prudent to make the SS money available in the general fund. Another problem was that for a couple of decades SS was billed as a retirement fund instead the temporary supplement it was originally set up to be. Which created a false cultural mindset that...that what...the Nanny State was gonna take care of us. And not the money man of the land is tellin our nation representatives, "No Can Do".

Tell me, as I don't know, was it the habit of Chief Seattle's tribe to simply leave the old and sick behind to die when they could no longer keep up? I am aware that this was true of some of the more nomadic native cultures of the Plains and the Rocky's.

One last question: Since the compassionate Feds have spent all these zillions of 'taxPayers' labor on the War on Poverty, how come we have so many 3rd and 4th generation welfare families? What do the statwistics say about that?

In conclusion, I like your compassion Ed, but...?

PS Sorry, but how much abuse would you say there is in the Medicare, Welfare, SSI, and Disability systems?