I think its a disincentive to taking responsibility for yourself. Let me ask you something. Say you lost your job and you got an entry level job and weren't making ends meet. Do you think to yourself "I really need to get on food stamps." Or "I need to sign up for welfare". OR do you think "Maybe I need to work an additional part time job for awhile till I find another better paying job" or "Maybe I need to tighten my belt more". Why does the government have to subsidize so many people that COULD be able to do it on their own if they had to?

Everyone has hard times in their life sometime and if their answer is always to look for a government program to help them when they are faced with hard times they will never develop the skills to face life's challenges on their own. You may look at me as a cold and mean, but I think the majority of those people getting food stamps are doing it because they CAN. Its easy to get. It is, after all, free money and they're entitled. I've met people that do it in the course of my life and they're not even ashamed to take it when they don't really need it. They're greedy, not needy and they don't care that it means that the truly needy get less.

I've had hard times in my live and NEVER did I ever consider government programs as the answer to my dilemma. I worked two jobs. Whatever I had to do, I did to make it through on my own. I lived without. I worked long days. I always managed.

The greatest nation on the face of the Earth became great because of values that are largely missing today. People had pride and worked hard to achieve the "American Dream". It is still achievable if you're willing to work for it. The wealthy in this country don't owe the rest of us anything. Sure, we can tax them till they're out of money supporting the rest of us, but in the end it comes down to people taking responsibility for themselves.

Don't get me wrong Nick. There are some truly needy people in this country and I don't begrudge taking care of those in need, but then there are those that have made a lifestyle around taking advantage of government programs, and that, I have a problem with.

AV