What's at Stake for Liberals? Reform That Might Not Last

i to am a gulf coast resident, and here is my take ,,, Americans want to help our fellow Americans,when they are in need,this has a proven record,, what voters said on 11/02/2010,, is,,, helping hand,,,, not hand out,,, conservatives do not want benefits extended indiffinatly,,on thier income,,, if i work hard,,and my neighbor does not,, why should i give him my earnings,, so he can work less,,or not at all,, if i drive a new car,because i can pay for it,,,,and my neighbor can not,,am i responsible for said neighbors lack of savings,,,, another words ,, the left wants those who work hard and are careful with thier income,, to do with less,because some do not work hard,and save,,, what is wrong with the lefts ideolgy,,the uiverse is based on survival of the fittest,,, unions are the problem in the service secter,,, dues are paid,,instead of stashing those dues,unions have used them to promote thier agenda,,now unions can not pay benefits,, tax dollors are now expected to go to union members,, while i am not in a union,and my retirement,becomes less so union members can have more,,, ,my take is cut unions loose,,, cut some benefits down,,,get a job work hard,save some money,, and purchase what your neighbor has,,if you fall,then yes thier should be a hand to pull you threw,but then get on back on track,

Don't want to pay for community services? There is a willingness to pay a fair price for a fair service. But, with lines in every office run by government and a general who-gives-a-sh*t attitude by government workers who then demand we who have very little now pay for their twice-the-going-rate wages, lavish benefits and retirement programs it's no wonder there's a bad attitude. We ask for cuts in the waste because we can see the waste and we're told, "Don't believe your eyes, believe what I'm saying:there is no waste." We're tired, we're sick, and frankly, if neither Democrats nor Republicans ever controlled Congress again we'd be lucky as there isn't a spit's worth of difference between the whole lot of them. Stop whining; find a way to make a billion dollars and donate it if you want something paid for instead of thinking the commune has to pay for it.

"I look at this GOP sweep and wonder if we will ever become a country where people believe in things like paying taxes for community services." I believe everyone should pay taxes for government services...but our tax system has been corrupted to the point that almost half the workforce pay no federal income tax. This has lead to our current quagmire of a political process because now they just vote for whoever is going give them the most... Let's simplify the tax codes so everyone pays at least a little; lets cut back the size of the government starting with our military bases overseas but with a goal of reducing the number of federal government positions by 30 to 50 percent over ten years, and let's make sure government policies favor working Americans and small business.

I love how liberals see taxation as charitible. And then they want to brings christianity down with it. Christians are still very giving people. American was founded on freedom. Freedom to make a choice of who we should donate to. Not let the corrupt politicians decide. Also our freedom should allow us to choose how we give back. Maybe instead giving money I feel more inclined to donate Saturdays to the local habitat for humanity. In a free couontry I should be allowed to make that choice and not be made to feel guilty because I would rather donate my time than pay another 5% in taxes to an out of control government. The liberals are out of control!

What the country has come to realize is that Liberals are only after people who work hard for their money. I do not see any of the Liberals giving their money to community efforts for the poor. Soros has all his money off shore, like many others. Liberals want to control, quite frankly, we are sick of them, with do as I say attitude. Today will be a major turning point for hard working people, who want to accomplish and strive for the American dream. Government cannot hand this to you, self respect and hard work will get you there and keeping government out of our daily lives.

This may bear repeating ... Ayn Rand said, "It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master." Government's role is not to be all powerful and to dole out largesse to those who strive to be needier than their neighbors. Government's role is to protect the rights of the individual. Let's try lower taxes, smaller government, personal accountability and more freedom! Where in the world is there a chance for this that is better than the country that originally championed the idea?

If your friend in the Gulf Coast is so emphatic about paying for community services, let him give another ten percent of his income to the local community center. Also let him selflessly volunteer to be taxed at the top rate with no deductibles. In fact, all Democrats should volunteer to do this - in the vernacular, it's called putting your money where your mouth is.

Melinda Hennenberger could well have written, "...from each according to his ability, to each according to his need...," were it not already in print. The florid utopian rhetoric of Ms. Hennengerger merely masks the underlying principle expressed in the quotation above. The truth is that human beings are quite willing to help the less advantaged among us; each helping in his own way and to his own ability measured against his own imperatives. When people however, are forced to help others in the amount, manner, and time chosen by government, those forced to comply wholly resent the beneficiaries even more than the compelling authority. Ms. Hennenberger ignores the stress and frustration of self-preservation felt by those robbed of their success by cynical politicians who dispense that stolen largesse to the politically influencial. Ms. Hennengerger also mis-reads the coming tsunami as a rejection of neighborly care and an angry statement of selfish expression. No, Ms. Hennenberger, what we reject is the destruction of our system of wealth production and the cadre of self-righteous idealists who feel entitled to power by the superiority of their ideals. Our system of government is not that of the philosopher-kings rather the consent of the governed. To understand tomorrow's tsunami, Ms. Hennenberger should watch the election in justaposition to a replay of triumphant politicians walking across the Capital, arm-in-arm, smiling, in complete contempt of the people screaming for them to stop.

There was a time when the people of America were one. The congress with the help of the so called media have divided us into classes. Congress who messed with the tariffs and trade deals they didn't think through, and the media who pushed their own agenda by subverting truth. I hope the public stays involved. If the Republicans do win the house and senate keep their rears to the fire also, don't accept unread bills, earmarks, private deals.

Ms. Hennesberger's error is that opposition to the past two year's liberal agenda is selfishness. Far from it. It is opposition to reckless and fruitless spending over the vocal opposition of ordinary Americans. Regardless of how much the left wishes, us "great unwashed" do not want a charismatic leader to follow. We want REPRESENTATIVES to represent our wishes- both in Democrat and Republican brand. 2006 was a drubbing for Republicans because they abandoned fiscal responsibility. Democrats, flush with opportunity, revealed their true hand- socialism and central government arrogance with unprecended, ineffective and unsustainable spending. Americans are not "becoming" more conservative- we are looking for anyone who will properly mind the store instead of robbing it.