I think to make any progress in this discussion we have to step back and look at how America is supposed to work.

We talk about the people on welfare and fearing a government that would coldly "kick them to the curb."

But is that really the right mindset?

What if people turned not to the state, but to other people to help them? To me it's much more cynical to think that people are so cold-hearted that they must be forced to be generous through government taxes. It represents a lack of faith in human goodness.

Is government really the one "giving the rich a tax break" or "withholding funding for Planned Parenthood"? Is government the benevolent benefactor who hands out checks, or is it us who gives our money to the government and frankly would like some of it back to do with as we please, as a free people?

Do you trust the goodness of government? Or the goodness and generosity of the human heart?