Who do you think you are, you 47%?

What Romney said wasn't a total surprise to me.  I assumed he thought like that, the same with most conservatives.  I have been seeing a lot of comments on this issue from conservatives saying they agree with what Romney said.  They think that those people, that Romney refers to as the 47%, are leaching off the government instead of trying to better their lives by themselves.  They think the poor liberals don't want to work hard, they just want everything to be handed to them. 

Conservatives tend to believe that people should be rewarded for working hard, and those that don't work hard should suffer the consequences.  It's only what is just and fair.  I don't think liberals so much disagree with that.  I think they just want everyone to have a chance to work hard and that there are also some consequences that no one should have to suffer. 

Currently, there are people not working hard who are being rewarded, and there are people working hard who are not being rewarded.  Conservatives focus on the people not working hard and Liberals focus on the ones working hard and not getting rewarded.  This difference has polarized both sides, one fighting for more government support and one fighting for less. 

Politics has turned this into a black and white battle, but it doesn't have to be like that. One comment I saw referenced the sang "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."  He went on to say that our government is just giving fish to people day after day, so why would any of them try learning how to fish when it keeps getting handed to them every day.  This was from a conservative perspective, and for the most part, I agreed with what he said. 

This is not a black and white issue.  We can teach people how to fish. This debate shouldn’t be on whether or not we take from the fortunate and give to the needy but on how we give.  Taxpayers' money can go into programs that help give people the opportunity to better their lives.  Right now, many people want to work hard and have a good life, but they just don't have the opportunity to do so. 

Because even getting to a good point in life when you start off bad is so hard to achieve and many who try still fail, it discourages people from even trying.   It then leads to people looking for the easy way to make some money, or the way to make all the pain of reality go away.  The tools needed for success must start at an early age and be provided to everyone. 

We need to make sure no one is at a disadvantage to having a good life because of education.  As long as anyone is willing to go to school and study and stick with it, they should be able to do so, and not be hindered by a financial burden.  Everyone deserves a good education, and making schools successful learning environments should be a priority.   

No one should be at a disadvantage to having a good life because they were born with an illness, or physical handicap, or developed an illness or suffered in an accident.  There should be no financial burden on these people making it impossible for them to get the care they need, or to have enough money to feed their family.  People who suffered from traumatic experiences or struggle with depression should have access to the therapy they need, so they can recover and have a chance at a good life. 

All communities should have opportunities for children to develop and flourish.  After-school programs, weekend activities, safe neighborhood parks, libraries, and museums should all be at the disposal of children so they have they have a supportive environment needed for success. 

People should be able to focus on working hard to better their lives, and not on where they are going to sleep for the night, or what they are going to eat for the day.  How can they look at what is best for them in the future if they are struggling with surviving in the present. 

Victims of substance abuse deserve a chance at recovery, and everyone who has made mistakes deserve a chance at rehabilitation.  Doing so will benefit society as a whole. 

I believe it is a civic duty to help out our fellow Americans.  We are all a part of one nation, one society, one community, one family, and we must protect our family.  We must give our family members every opportunity to succeed.  What kind of a nation are we if we just give up on the weak, the damaged, and the poor.  We need a President that cares about all the people, and wants to give everyone a fighting chance at a good life.  Things might not be perfect under the current administration but at least Obama is trying and will continue to do so.  Romney has told us in his own words that he will not do so. 

(Not an endorsement for Obama.  Vote Rocky Anderson!)