I do donate to some charities, but when money gets tight, the donations are curtailed. Which is part of the problem of leaving it to charity only, when people need help the most, there’s less money available.

I’m in pretty much the same field, similar pay, but the break down is more conservative than your shop. Maybe 66%-34%. Still, being a union shop, there is a startling number of people who believe the same thing: evil corporations taking money. Astonishing! It is the state that is mandating furlough days, pay cuts, and higher taxes, not the evil corporations. What’s worse, is many of them don’t seem to understand that a reduction in revenue requires a fiscally responsible government to reduce services.

I’ve been laid off (with many coworkers) on a number of occasions, and although the private sector employees may hate that they are getting laid off, most of them understand why… revenues are seriously down! The number of public employees who feel they are ENTITLED to be on the government tit despite the lack of milk is simply mind numbing. My popularity seriously plummets when I am in favor of cost cutting measures… go figure

Concerning conservative Christians, I’ve never met or read about any that actually were against helping the poor. I have met and read about many conservative Christians that were against the government taking their money via taxes to help the poor. Many Christians, in spite of political affiliation, “tithe” 10% of their income to the church for the purpose of helping the poor. My poke at what was ironic wasn’t that one or the other did or did not help the poor, it was “the means by which they ameliorate poverty.” Liberals tend toward an increase in taxes (especially the wealthy, essentially saying one MUST) to help the poor with government mandated social programs, while churches (such as the Salvation Army soup kitchens) tend toward (everyone no matter your income, saying one OUGHT) volunteerism and giving/donations “out of the goodness of their heart” sort.

I tend to believe that people on both sides sincerely want to help (though there may be a few troglodytes on both sides), but that they differ markedly in the way they want to help. One demands taxes, one begs for donations.

Now about that 40 billion dollars… I love it when people make these kinds of statements. 40 billion dollars will do all that? Wow! Umm, wait… for how long? A month? A day? 3 years? Indefinitely? Did someone figure out how to create potable water indefinitely for 40 billion?! This is another example of Liberal factualation. For your edification, here’s the process:

Liberal Factualation
1) I need a fact.
2) I can see it in my imagination.
3) FACTUALATION! It’s true now because I wrote it.

A few examples of factualation: health care reform will save the economy, we can’t win the war in Iraq, and Islamic extremism is a problem of poverty. Here’s the reality: health care is a degradation of our liberties and a bloating of our government, the US can win any war given the proper lack of sympathy, Islamic extremism is a problem of ideology.

I make about $42k a year as do my overwhelmingly liberal co-workers at our detention center. We recently recieved an email telling us not to be surprised when our checks shrink next pay period due to the new federal taxes and increased health care costs. These idiots STILL haven’t made the connection… at $42k a year, they’re considered RICH by the powers that be. They blame Wallstreet as though a magic pipeline were somehow constructed between New York and Virginia that sucks out their money. Even more depressing, these people are registered, motivated Democrat voters. I’m left wondering, with such wide-eyed empty-headedness, is it really illegal to use a captive bolt pistol on them?

All I’m HOPING is that I still have some CHANGE left in my pocket by 2012.

Good question. I wouldn’t say that poverty is necessarily the root cause of crime. But a contributing cause is people of all income levels who are trying to live beyond their means that would be tempted to take the “short-cut” to keep their lifestyle, instead of adjusting their lifestyle to fit their income level. There are a lot of criminals, rich and poor, with the difference being the type of crime they commit – armed robbery, identity theft or investment fraud.

As for the irony of the non-christian liberals pushing a christian ideal of helping the poor, I find it equally ironic that christian conservatives are against it. That’s the beauty of being a moderate, I can disclaim either side and laugh at both when they deserve it.

Tom