>"And to imply that not being robbed in this way to give others an unearned benefit is somehow a "free ride" on your fellow citizens, ....If anyone is getting a "free ride" it's not the taxpayers."

Hold it Tom.....
Where's your sense of balance?
Who picks the oranges for your orange juice?
Who takes away your garbage?
Everybody has a place in this society and it is the job of every taxpaying citizen to put in a little extra for the social programs for these people who work the low level tasks FOR you...ones you would never do yourself, and ones that you would miss if there was no-one there to do them.

>"Incidentally, anyone who uses the word "society" in a phrase to make it sound like it is an entity in itself should set off alarm bells in your brain."

The fact that you don't consider YOURSELF a part of "society" sets off alarm bells in MY brain!

>"Who exactly is "society?" Apparently it doesn't include those people who, through their own struggles and efforts, have managed to provide their own health and welfare."

Of course it does.......don't give me that s**t!!
Case in point..the federal government allotted several million dollars to be given to needy Floridians for children's healthcare. Govenor Jeb Bush did NOT distribute it. It sat in an account for over a year and the Federal government TOOK IT BACK! Thousands of Floridain children were denied adequate healthcare because Bush refused to mandate the program as a priority. He was NOT doing his job!
These children were sons and daughters of the migrant workers or children from single parent homes on minum wages......because the Republicans have REFUSED to raise the minimum wage along with the increase in the cost of living.
May your orange juice be sour from here on.....and you garbage pile up in your driveway!!

>" In a free country, there are individuals, and groups of individuals who band together voluntarily for mutual benefit. "

Like Colin Powell and his "white brother" Richard Armitage??

>"....the totalitarians use to help them pretend that they are destroying you for the greater good".....

Sounds like you have a major personal chip on you shoulder Tom.
Quit complaining.
But if I were you, I'd be a little wary of your 401K plan, and any attempts by the Bush adminsitration to tamper (gamble) in the stock market with your Social Security.