No decent society should turn its back on those who can't help themselves. If people need food stamps, they need food stamps. I don't mind if the money to pay for something like that comes out of my taxes. Better that than spending for war or some other things.

But the news media in the U.S. has been merging this "charity" aspect of giveaways with what I described earlier, the programs we pay for through payroll deductions. The government takes money from our paychecks and TELLS us it will be invested in our Social Security retirement fund. So, I have a right to expect that money back when I retire. I am entitled to that.

Not so with food stamps. Those are paid for out of the general revenue taxes, dispersal of which is up to the whim of congress and the president. Actually I'm surprised anyone in America gets food stamps. Obama promised austerity, said he would "cut waste," and the other party is even more austere.