Benjamin Franklin on Welfare

I was looking for a quote by Benjamin Franklin for an email discussion I'm having on gun control.

(By the way, I really, really hurt the feelings of a Progressive Liberal in that discussion. )

In the process, I ran across this quote by Franklin that I don't recall reading before and thought it worth posting.

It's an outstanding and correct statement against the Welfare State IMHO.

It is...But didn't old Ben have a touch of the syph?

Oops...Upon further research...

Franklin was not only a man of letter and science but one possessed by a lusty nature. He was without a doubt a ladies man. His penchant for ‘low women’ a politically correct term in the 18th century for prostitutes and ‘easy’ young ladies, Franklin wrote that he was thankful for not contracting a venereal disease. This fear may have manifested Franklin but is did little to deter his enthusiasm for the gentle gender. His unconventional ways manifested often in his person life as evident by his common law marriage to Deborah Read. Here was a man that felt life was for the taking and he grabbed at it with both hands.

Muad, that is a wise commandment. I often chastise people for not following it.

I don't need some superstitious incantation to teach me that, Benny boy.

But I bet you didn't read what Franklin or any of his peers had to say about corporatism or capitalism...

Enlighten us.

Franklin don't need no fuckin' welfare. Every time he sees a hundred dollar bill, he's all like: See that picture on there? That's mine, bitch!

Well, I can't hurt the feelings of a conservative Republican because they have no feelings.

Wherein lies the problem.

Hey, who hasn't enjoyed a good, cheap whore every now and then?

Independent Libertarian Conservatives like myself do have feelings. One of them is anger. I feel it every time I look at the devolution of the nation.

LIAR!

I didn't know Ben waited on a gubmint check? No wonder he was so fat

Actually...

So what does that say about Barack Obama?

Muad, why do you hate the poooooorrrrrr!!!!!!!!

Because I'm a bad, bad man.

This is merely a dream. A fantasy. Soon see a change in their manner. Right. And not for the better either.

Their circumstances will mend. Right. You can only hope. Hope that they don't come knocking on your door. Fuck em!!

Actually, there's an interesting book out on Jefferson called 'Flight from Monticello.' It covers Jefferson's time as Governor of Virginia - and how he was completely ineffectual in dealing with the British invasion. When an initial fleet was spotted off the coast he didn't call up the militia, reasoning it might be the French and then there'd be no need. When it turned out to be the British he sent a letter to the legislature asking for advice. When they sacked Williamsburg without a fight and headed to Richmond he finally called out the militia - who seeing that the invasion was in full force and already had the capital largely didn't come out.

Indeed, he later resigned as governor of Virginia with foreign troops on the soil without a process in place to be replaced.

Smart man, but actions such as these are why he almost wasn't President.

No, it would change their behavior. For one thing, they'll stop having babies when it ceases to be profitable. For another, some of them will actually try to get a job.

For the ones who resort to thievery, lock 'em up, keep 'em there awhile, and make prison a harsh place where they don't want to be. Take away their TVs and internet access, and give them a few garden implements so they can work at raising their food or go hungry.

You seem to think there is only one kind of person that gets welfare or any kind of public assistance.

There are 2 kinds. Those who CAN help themselves and those who CANNOT help themselves.

We are a compassionate society. As such, we should help those who cannot help themselves. To those who just want to ride the gravy train, we owe nothing.

FAIL!
Churchill never said that.

these folks would know.

I have read several Franklin Bios. He wouldn't like either of our 2 lame ass parties.

Ask not what your country....oh wait wrong democrat. How things have changed .

You mean the ones that use it the way it was intended to be used? to help them over the bad hump and get off the dole and get a job? Those folks?

How many of them are there these days?

Well, if anyone's going to do a proper head count, it's not going to be any Rush-listening conservatives, it'd spoil the show for 'em.

Or those who listen to Air America. Oh, wait!

Thought you said you had already won that discussion? If it is ongoing I assume you corrected the person sending you spam fw:fw:fw:fw:fw emails full of inaccuracies.