I love the "Republican Converted" Threads.

[IdaBriggs]

Haven't had any myself.

Did get to "yell" at a Libertarian who was embarrassing himself on Facebook - it was true "facepalm" in the stupidity burns category.

I also got to smack down one person who set himself up with "how do you like paying for someone else's health care?" by invoking Jesus.

"I know lots of people suggest that worrying about money instead of the poor and the sick is the smart man's bet, but as for me and my house, we will do as commanded with a smile on our faces, and a song in our heart, because there, but for the grace of the Almighty.... It is okay if you aren't good with it; I know lots of people who think Jesus gave bad advice."

He hasn't said much since.

[pinboy3niner]

1. You don't need Jesus' inspiration to care about others

All you need is a heart. Sometimes it may take a traumatic personal experience to activate it...but it's always there...waiting...

[IdaBriggs]

2. Agreed. But Jesus did say to take care of the poor, the sick, the orphans and

the widows. It was blunt, and there was no equivocation.

To be fair, he was nailed to a cross shortly thereafter, so...

[treestar]

3. That the concept they are contributing to someone else's health care

is for them, the end of the question, says volumes.

And they assume it, maybe someone richer is paying towards their own healthcare.

[IdaBriggs]

4. I think it speaks to the fear of not being able to take care of their own.

[treestar]

5. You mean that their taxes to them mean

they might not have enough left over to care for their own? Or that they are too proud to be on the "taking" side of the equation. (If they don't have enough to care for their own, they likely qualify for subsidies).

[IdaBriggs]

7. It isn't just taxes - I think it is $$$ in general.

I think if you are worried that you won't have enough money to take care of yourself, or of your family, and you "know" you can't count on anyone else to step up if you need a hand, then it makes it easier to "hold tight" to what you have.

If you think about it, that is the entire "Libertarian philosophy" -- I will take care of me and mine, and you take care of yours. The pool of available resources is limited, and it is everyone for themselves.

If you *have* extra, it isn't always easy to give it up for other people's priorities (see taxes).

I think it really revolves more around fear than anything else.

(This has been a new thought for the day, so I am still chewing on it.)

[treestar]

10. True, but then isn't the idea that society as a whole

in the form of government, would step up and lend a hand. Thus that they don't want to be part of that is some sort of pride perhaps? Which some people have to a degree they wouldn't accept help from anyone, including friends/relatives.

[IdaBriggs]

14. I think the idea of "government helping out" is rather new.

Granted, you had "bread and circus" stuff in ancient Rome, but "poor houses" were not good things in the 19th century. Children died in the streets before the "orphan trains" started up (late 19th/early 20th), and with the limited ability to move food during famine times (I'm thinking of the "Little House on the Prairie" books I read as a youngster, as well as "feed the world" back in the 1980s), people DIED (and still do) of starvation. Influenza epidemics killed millions in the early part of the 20th century, and "social services" as we know it started because relying on religious charity involved "judgment" ("stay with your husband; he only beat you because you deserved it&quot . I posted a thread about an aunt and an uncle who died in the early 1940s at young ages because they couldn't get medical help since the families couldn't pay for it.

We have a very skewed view of the plenty we enjoy - and honestly, if you are constantly hearing "big government is bad" and those people get voted into office, would you *really* want to depend on your life for them? (Think Bush Junior and the Hurricane Katrina response - would you have believed that level of criminal incompetence would be allowed to happen, let alone be unpunished, in a modern country?)

[treestar]

15. It is, maybe some of the resistance is due to that

and the incompetence at helping out is there - it's new to the government, too. Funny it is the Republicans who are incompetent and that kind of explains why - they want people to think the government isn't good at helping out, not as good as private businesses. The private business needs money though. Even if it's charitable, it doesn't have to be.

[seveneyes]

6. Jesus had an advantage

When your Dad is God, your credit is always good. You are also immune from "Mother" jokes when your Mom is a virgin.

[IdaBriggs]

8. Love this!

[treestar]

11. In God We Trust

All Others Pay Cash!

[Javaman]

9. my crazy right wing libertarian nephew, all of 21 years old, has been amazingly quiet lately.

funny that.

[treestar]

12. I have a 17 year old Libertarian nephew

He still hasn't learned how much advantage he's had as a member of the middle class. It's amazing how immaturity can lead to Libertarianism.

[Javaman]

13. the best part is...

my nephew is part of the "upper middle class" (my brother does very well, unlike myself.lol). He's gone to private "all white" school (meaning very right wing) in a very privileged part of New Jersey. He has zero reference to reality.

He's a gun toting fool who loves to play ROTC but when asked to put in his time in the military, said no. Typical right wing mentality.

Just another young and ignorant 20 something who has all the answers. I let him spout and just grin and laugh.

When he asks what I'm laughing at, I just say, "one day you will be old". LOL