quote goofyfish: "No point of discussion; thread closed." http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=44050 I dont know if youre a joker, or what the deal is with this. All I can say is its pretty obvious what the point of discussion is, whether the idea in the article is correct or not, whtether democracy is temporary or permanent. If I've broken some rule thats a mystery to me, perhaps you could be so good as to point it out. If you just dont want us to discuss stuff, just say, there are other forums. Lava
It has been said that a democracy will only last until the people discover they can vote themselves benefits and then bankrupt the country. This certainly is a great risk for the United States. We are increasingly becoming more and more of an entitlement nation. Luckily our economy is strong enough to absorb it for now, but it will not be like this forever. Soon there will be more takers than givers and the great entitlement well will dry up. Social Security is the most at risk right now. Without some major reforms it will not last through the next few decades. President Bush will soon attempt to enact much needed changes to ensure it's viability. Maybe it will still be around when I retire, but I'm not depending on it. We really live in a representative republic, not a Democracy. But, for our present system to survive we need to change our mindset about so many entitlements. Surely we can help those who are really in need, but many that benefit from the tax payers work and toil are those that can but do not work themselves. Some work but do not get paid enough. We do need to help people obtain the skills necessary to get a decent paying job. Education should be a priority but it should not be all about paychecks for teachers. We need to encourage churches, charities, and civic groups to help take the burden off of the taxpayer. Some work but do not get paid enough. We do need to help people obtain the skills necessary to get a decent paying job. When we give freely we feel better about it than when it is taken by force via taxation, and those receiving it do not feel so much like they are owed it and appreciate it more. Yes our republic can survive if we have the moral fortitude to defend it. We all need to work together as Americans for this to happen.
> When we give freely we feel better about it than when it is taken by force via >taxation, and those receiving it do not feel so much like they are owed it and >appreciate it more. Very true, but only on a small scale. Charity giving is a drop in the ocean of the amount needed, so you cant base a successful public economy on it. Tax is a simple necessity - if you want basic service provision. Lava
