[FIREdreamer]

I am a centrist. There are many arguments on both sides of the aisle that I just don't understand or agree with.

I just would like to point out that poor people exist even in socialist countries. They are given opportunities to rise up yet it's still not enough. They are being provided with cheap healthcare, cheap education, cheap lodging, cheap food, minimum living wages and yet they are still barely scrapping by. In some European countries, the poor are now asking for free vacations, "bonus" Xmas checks, etc... It's never enough, and the limit which defines "what is enough" keeps moving. At some point you have to stop propping people up. They have to pull themselves out of poverty. That being said I support social programs for people who cannot support themselves (because of disability for example). If socialism (or social justice or whatever you want to call it) truly worked, there would be no poor people in Europe...