Ah...the classic "There are only two kinds of money, my money and your money" line of reasoning, as espoused by certain economists. There's no "we" in that thinking.

So...how do you feel about the 10 billion dollars we spend in Iraq a month? How about the billion dollars we just spent in Georgia (the country, not the state) to rebuild it? How about the billions we send to Israel? What about the proposed 700 Billion to Wall Street? How about the Trillions of dollars for Medicare? What about Social Security? Food Stamps? You ever been poor? Ever needed help? I have. I know what happens when the Stuff hits the fan, I've been down. I know why we have taxes. I've spent your tax money in the past. I know people who are spending our tax money now to feed their kids. I personally spent some of your tax money on a generator for the firehouse (FEMA grant), a Firehouse that will NEVER send a fire truck to your house (unless you happen to live here in Bucks County in our district). It's OUR money when it's taxes, and that's a special class of money.

Yeah, I don't like to see tax money wasted, but you have to have some perspective. Unless you want a nation where you have to ask the authorities where you're allowed to live, unless you want a nation that requires a person to demonstrate some non-financial qualifications to the government in order to qualify for home ownership (like the Nazi's did), you're going to have people who make bad decisions and you can let them die or you can help them out. I'll just hammer home one point - I think living in New Orleans is dumb, I really do, and I think that if you don't have an emergency plan that includes evacuation, you're a fool (sorry Blast, I read your posts, I think you took an unnecessary risk and you were lucky). I also think that a civilized society does not abandon those who make mistakes, it does not punish mistakes, it goes with pride and honor to help those in need - and does not judge.

I'm not a Christian by any means, but there are some great lines written in the bible on the subject of helping the poor and downtrodden, and also on the matter of pride. "No casting of stones etc." is one of those concepts that is damn near impossible to live, especially when you want to smack the person you're helping in the face for being such and idiot. But you don't. You go above that. You suck it up, take the cost, and you work to educate them to help them not get into the situation again. That's what a civilized man does.