julied--God bless you but i think you missed the point--if the govt.was run like a corp. they would and should be in prison--i am talking about govt taking our money and using it for the wrong reasons which is unconstitutional we all saw how those people acted in New Orleans--that will happen in any city in this country--people dependent on govt. for substinence--it started when they started taxation-the reason we broke off from England--polititions found that they could buy votes by offering freebies in the vein of equality-as in 1964 equal rights act-i will add more my wife is very ill must help her--Pres. Johnson or his advisors saw a way to get the black vote and it worked we have people living on a govt. handout--of all races now--people will not take care of something they donthave to put out any effort to take care of. I worked on houses that were brand new 3 bed bath and a half ranchers-- given to people income based that were trashed in 6 months. that means some were only paying about 50 dollars a month for a home.--- Our govt. is very inept at handling our monies--I dont think in my lifetime we will see tax reform--it is job creation if we were to change how many high income jobs would be lost--CPAs--auditors-revenue people-IRS and it would trickle down--so those people pushing that are blowing hot air--our problem is a moral and social problem Its impossible for the central govt. to keep paying all these bills without some kind of bigger control of the masses. Socialism is only the start and America had better wake up.I dont know why i even care as i am only a real old house painter--but i have grandchildren coming into thispit of crap our leaders have put us into. What we need is for people in congress like you and i that dont have to pay someone for favors If you look at our govt. most are lawyers-- ordinary people cannot get elected it cost to much money to run for office. I have been working for the public for45 years and have how to deal with different types of people Laywers are the worst- its the way they are trained-doctors --accountants --truck drivers or you name it see things in a different light--I think the trouble is there are not enough of everyday people in govt--and believe me the jackasses in power now-Republican or Democrat are not going to give it up. Look at George Bush He is not a Conservative and he has taken all the Dems. programs and spent 4 times the money that Clinton did on Social programs --Unless we get rid of professional politions things will not change But we will sit here and gripe and grumble and keep electing these folks that tell us they can give us the world.If any one has taken the time to read this God Bless You--Davy Crockett said it all--Weare losing our Republic so protect yourself the Govt.cannot

Thank you very much--as that is about all i have right now

You sound like you have your hands full, marysduby. The tenor of your last post saddened and concerned me. If your wife's condition is getting worse, I hope that you can and do get some assistance in caring for her. I fear by the sound of your post that you are pressuring yourself unwisely.

We need more independent old painters with good horse sense like yourself. So please do not get so caught up in keeping up that you neglect yourself, my friend. It's all too easy to forget that there are many other friends and relatives who would be only too happy to help - if only we asked.

Besides, if you think that I'm going to just let your rebuttal get by so easily, you are sadly mistaken!

"And know ye what joy there may be found in little things. For it is in the dew of little things that the heart finds it's morning and is refreshed." (K. Gibran, The Prophet)

Our best to you both.

speaking english ha! its a conspiracy called charles,or not charles,royalty allways wins, every wordis religiously designed for them,there is no free speech only faith hope n charity,tar!

The points you make are valid and obvious to any sober person, my friend. While I agree with your observations, I fear that they only present one aspect of the real underlying problem.

What is at issue for this country is the socio-economic legacy of slavery. Yes, the subsequent politicization of this issue has done as much damage as it has good. But in all fairness, what we are struggling with here is the inevitable practical and moral dilemna of any government which attempts to use legislation to institute social change.

Legislated social change inherently means the forced redistribution of wealth/opportunity from some identifiable group to others. By definition such a policy, and the authority for it, are unconstitutional.

"Aye here's the rub."

If you stop and think about it, the Founding Fathers conveniently managed to deny the existence of slavery when they drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For a group of slave owners to draft these guiding documents is not only grossly hypocritical, it is absurd. The principles of these documents are in direct contradiction to the existence of this social institution.

By denying the existence of slavery no consideration could ever have been included in these documents for correcting this injustice through governmental action. But without governmental intervention, how could the "haves" ever be induced to redistribute their assets to the "have nots?"

While all behaviors have consequences, not all conseqences have just and workable long-term solutions. What just and workable solution is there for a living human being who was criminally transformed into a lifeless corpse?

The bottom line is that there are simply certain acts which, by their very nature, are so ethically repugnant and patently destructive that they must never be allowed to occur.

As we are now beginning to fully appreciate, slavery is one of them.

Yes, I too fear for the future of this country. For all of us.