Our bloated gov’t. that seeks to correct every perceived ill needs to go. We need to get back to a basic gov’t. that leaves us free enough to come up with our own solutions.

I’m tired of a nanny state that wants to tend to every scratch we have. I prefer a gov’t. that tells me to forget about my skinned knee and get back on the bike (helmet optional) cos I–all of us actually–can do most things ourselves.

That is CHANGE I CAN BELIEVE IN!!!

Unlike in 1775 we have elected officials who do what we desire (except for the 650,000 un-represented Americans in DC). I actually agree with you in many respects, I get very frustrated when I see the government bail out those who were irresponsible and didn’t purchase flood insurance, etc. (though, I am of the opinion that a national healthcare system is worth having – but, my argument is based as much on the future health of our economy as it is on taking care of the needy). But, regardless, it is our elected officials who are making these decisions. We vote for them and they spend the money rightly or wrongly, it is up to us to keep an eye on them. That is how a republic works.

If we have a problem with what they are doing we have a patriotic solution – complain to them and vote for someone else. To hear someone elevate his wallet over love for country is disturbing, unpatriotic, and unAmerican. Moreover, any one who makes a veiled call for revolution should spend a little time in Africa and see what endless violence and revolution will do to a national economy…

Freedom cuts both way. We should be free to make our own decisions. More and more our gov’t. is taking away our freedoms, saying we are not smart enough to make our own decisions.

Sometimes we make decisions that cause us pain. In the past we learned from that pain, and we made better decisions in the future. Today the gov’t. comes in bails us out, and we dig our hole deeper. Gov’t. then pours money and resources into these holes, encouraging self-destructive behaviors. Believe me as a social services worker I know this firsthand.

I have no problem with repairing roads and supporting the military. But that’s not where our problem is fiscally in this nation. We need to take a long hard look at our social welfare programs.

It should not be the job of gov’t. to raise and care for families. Gov’t's job is to keep the streets safe so we can raise our own families. That is the debate we should be having in this country.

Instead, we want to pay everyone’s doctor’s bill. And Loyalists like you believe that is the function of gov’t. Some of us disagree.

A REAL patriot is willing to give to support his nation – give military service, give your life, and yes, give financially for those things your nation has decided are worth funding. No real patriot watches his national infrastructure crumble and does nothing but grumble about how much he has to pay – or claims to support the troops, but doesn’t want to pay for body armor to save American lives – and would rather borrow from the Chinese than be fiscally responsible today.

True, we need the patriots from back then – we NEED an Alexander Hamilton who will return our nation to fiscal sanity. But, what we don’t need is someone with the false patriotism of placing a wallet above our nation.

In honor of July 4th and my 7-year-old daughter, my family watched “Felicity: an American girl adventure” this weekend. This movie has as much or more to teach us the Wall-E, but I think maybe Rich does not want to acknowledge those lessons.

As I watched the movie, I could almost hear today’s “Loyalists” saying we are not taxed enough. Unfortunately, today’s “Patriots” are no where near as active as the Patriots back then. Maybe soon.

As a side, I took my son to see Wall-E and really enjoyed it!

Yeah, I look to him for insight!