Time and time again, I hear the good little Republicans say, "I did it on my own so everyone else should, too." This is what they say when they attempt to justify a vote that ignores the plight of their fellow citizens.
My response: Bullshit. You didn't do it all on your own. Nobody did.
Let's say you were born into a poor family. Lots of children are, but they end up quite successful. Did they end up that way on their own? Not by a long shot. Let's take a look, shall we ..... ?
If, as a young child, you needed medical care but your parents couldn't afford it, taxpayers helped out.
If you went to public school, others paid taxes so you could attend. If you went to private school, someone else helped fund your tuition.
If you were awarded a college scholarship, someone else donated to make sure that money was available.
Someone paid taxes to pave and maintain the roads you drove on to get to your job.
Someone paid taxes to make sure your property is secure through law enforcement and fire protection.
Someone paid taxes for you to use a public park for your softball tournament. And someone paid taxes for you to use the public library for research when you were writing your Master's thesis.
Maybe you're my age now. Someone else is paying into Social Security so your benefit can be maintained. And someone is paying into Medicare so you can get that cataract surgery. Because ... come on, let's face it ... even though you paid into Medicare, what you paid in will not cover all the health costs you are now accruing.
Don't tell me you made it on your own. You didn't. You depended on the kindness of strangers (apologies to Tennessee Williams, but the phrase fits).
Hillary Clinton is right: It takes a village. It's too bad you don't see yourself as part of that village. And you are clearly delusional if you don't accept this entire post as being the truth. You did NOT do it all on your own. Nobody does. Nobody can.
