Forward from a friend...
"Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read 'Vote Obama, I need the money.' I laughed.
"Once in the restaurant my server had on a 'Obama 08' tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference--just imagine the coincidence.
"When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside.
"The server angrily stormed from my sight. I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.
"At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more. I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application...OR IS IT.........REDISTRIBUTION OF SOMEONE ELSE'S WEALTH IS A GREAT IDEA..............or is it just a fools game !!"
I'm not so sure he deserved it more. He may have needed it more.
This was a sucky thing to do. Why not shortchange the bill by 2.5% and pay the waiter his full tip(?): that's closer on target. Is the implication that our government is not reponsible to care for the portion of our society that cannot care for itself? Not sure what the statement was here.
ReplyDeleteSemifl,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. If you've ever worked in the food service industry or you have a heart beating in your chest,you can feel this waiter's pain.
The point of the forwarded content IMHO is that discriminantly taxing/robbing one person who is slightly better off than another person, and then giving it to that less fortunate individual isn't a complete or entirely appropriate solution to solving poverty and homelessness in and of itself.
While the benefits of charity and redistribution of the wealth are appreciated by the less fortunate, the working class is stuck bearing the brunt of the expenses incurred for the care of the poor.
I think anyone with a soul agrees that we need to take care of those that need help, but the methods to do so and the extent to which we are responsible for our fellow man are in question.
For how long and to what extent are others responsible for caring for people who need a hand? That is the rub of Welfare reform.
This issue has always been a hot topic.
When does charity become enabling someone to continue in an irresponsible fiscal lifestyle?
Who decides how much to tax, who to tax and who draws the line at when charity is no longer going to be made available to those who may be taking advantage of the welfare system? Where is the system of checks and balances for the purse strings?
When the waiter/working man lost his tip, he was losing money that HE deserved for working that table, and it was given to a homeless man who was deemed more deserving by the customer/government. The analogy is self-explanatory.
You ask why the customer didn't shortchange the bill and pay a full tip instead. It would be really nice to get a tax cut from the government (short change the bill) and then get a tax refund (tip for the waiter) in the process and then be able to assist the homeless person ourselves.
Churches, and charities would probably waste less money than the government does each year on welfare.
The bill represented money the waiter will never see (it's already been spent). The tip represented tax money that was earmarked for welfare distribution to be used by the government in support of the indigent etc.
We are responsible to care for those who cannot care for themselves. We are not responsible to purchase non-necessities to pimp anyone's lifestyle. Welfare should be for the truly needy, not for those who are trying to avoid working and continue to have babies out of wedlock to get a fatty check from the govt. each week. Nuff said for now.
Again, thanks for your comment.