[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Families, churches, and voluntary associations can do a far better job of caring for the poor and needy than government bureaucrats.

Generally this is true, but in some cases it isn't. For example, the hundreds of mentally ill homeless we have wandering the streets of some of our big cities. The cost of maintaining these folks in an institution goes beyond the budget of the average church and voluntary association. Government is the only entity that has the millions of $ it costs to do it.

[Veritas et equitas ad Votum]

Surely there are some good points to socialized medicine, and anyone unwilling to concede that simple point is not interested in honest debate.

However, freedom is not about me paying for my neighbor's medical care today so that his child can pay for mine tomorrow. Freedom is simple, if you want to use prescription medication, pay for it yourself. If I want to do so, I'll assume the cost. (Now, by pay for it, I mean obtain insurance or pay the bills) Medicare, prescription drug subsidies, and social security are completely unConstitutional and are not what this country is supposed to be about. They are all socialist at the core, and they undermine individual liberty. Continued federal spending on these programs are going to lead to an America which is totally bankrupt.

***Remember, for those Americans who think the Canadian/German/Japanese/French/British system is so great, and ours is so bad, they are FREE to move there.

[Logophile]

Generally this is true, but in some cases it isn't. For example, the hundreds of mentally ill homeless we have wandering the streets of some of our big cities. The cost of maintaining these folks in an institution goes beyond the budget of the average church and voluntary association. Government is the only entity that has the millions of $ it costs to do it.

Not so. Private charities and religious groups can and do operate extensive charitable organizations, including hospitals and universities. For instance, I just heard a radio ad touting the Shriners' hospitals. They claim to spend a million dollars a day on burn care, at no charge to the patients. That is just one organization out of many.

Besides, government has so much money only because it has taken it at the point of a gun from productive citizens. Reduce the enormous burden of taxation, and these same citizens would be able to support all sorts of charitable efforts.