Are poor, vulnerable of no worth?
By Larry Ellis Reed, Winona

Republican presidential candidate John McCain seems to have this belief that the poor, vulnerable and marginalized are of no worthwhile interest to the average person.

(In other words, they deserve nothing but contempt, aided and abetted by cuts in social welfare spending and their reallocation to “more pressing needs” — as in the ongoing misadventures in Iraq that some have suggested are breeding grounds for terrorism.)
If such be the case, then, what would prevent McCain from studying the potential of mutual self-help initiatives such as the English-friendly society model as ideal replacements for state welfare? Is it fear that such concepts might “perpetuate dependency” or otherwise “undermine morality and decency” perhaps?

Those interested in studying the friendly society model may want to start by reading the Wikipedia article.

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