Steve, if you knew any Libertarians personally (i.e. if you knew what you're talking about), you would see the hate-mongering blind error in uttering such drivel as Libertarians wanting "all the useless mouths to starve".

Speaking as a Libertarian and one who has helped a number of friends see the Libertarian light, we most assuredly do not wish to see even the "useless mouths" starve. Libertarians, as you would learn if you knew any, are often a very altruistic bunch.

We do take great offense at anyone parasitically subsisting on the backs of unwilling hosts. We reject all forms of theft, including Robin Hood-style theft on behalf of those less fortunate than the thief's victim.

However, we fully support anyone's choosing - of their own free will - to make voluntary contribution to the charity of his choice, whether via written cheque to the organization of his or her preference, or the donation of one's time and effort to a local cause.

We also agree, religious implications aside, with the axiom most often quoted of that Jesus guy:

"Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and feed him for life."

Modern government-operated charity programs typically fail to recognize this aspect of human nature, taking the short-sighted and simplistic road of dolling out regular cash like a drug dealer keeping his clients hooked. We prefer the superior, though tougher, road of teaching, promoting, and encouraging self-sufficiency.

How many times have I heard someone state "Why would I want to get a job when I already get just as much money on welfare/Workman's Comp as I would get paid"? Many of your so-called "useless mouths" are not useless, but they are unwilling to make themselves useful so long as Robin Hood is handing out the spoils of his life of crime.

Sadly, too many Americans quite simply lack the far sightedness, grace, dignity, and responsibility to take the adult road of self-sufficiency, prefering instead the childish road of dependence.

Even if, like common criminals, they must resort to the thuggery of coercive taxation. Worse, at least the mugger on the street does his own dirty work and pretends neither innocence nor moral superiority as he picks our pockets.

But even these "useless mouths" we do not wish to see starve. We'd rather see them trained within their abilities to be productive members of society, or at the very least taken under the wing of whatever and whomever cares most for them, be that friends, family, or a local organization.

Some of us do donate to such organizations. Some even support the sick and indigent directly, in the form of our own family members.

Please, Steve, try to see your political opposition with open eyes. The goggles of partisan prejudice are blinding you.

Anyway, most Libertarians are well aware of the corruption in Bush's proposal. They sound the trumpet of privization, but the devil is always in the details and a close examination of Dubya's proposal shows that it is privatization in name only. Instead of the Fed using the cash to make low-interest loans to big business, they'll be "investing" it in government-selected stocks. i.e. those same big businesses.

In reality, the money still stays under government control both before, during, and after drawing "benefits".. exactly as your precious Big Brother policies have always done.

Same shit, slightly different horse.

Libby