Does this PARABLE work?

Question

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat and was for distribution of all wealth.

She felt deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican which she expressed openly. One day she was challenging her father on his beliefs and his opposition to higher taxes on the rich & the addition of more government welfare
programs. Based on the lectures that she had participated in and the occasional chat with a professor she felt that for years her father had obviously harbored an evil, even selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

The self professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father.

He stopped her and asked her point blank, how she was doing in school. She answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain. That she studied all the time, never had time to go out and party like other people she knew.

She didn't even have time for a boyfriend and didn't really have many college friends because of spending all her time studying.

That she was taking a more difficult curriculum.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is your good friend Mary doing?"

She replied, "Mary is barely getting by." She continued, "She barely has a 2.0 GPA," adding, "and all she takes are easy classes and she never studies." "But Mary is so very popular on campus, college for her is a blast, she goes to all the parties all the time and very often doesn't even show up for classes because she is too hung over."

Her father then asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your 4.0 GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0." He continued, "That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."

The daughter visibly shocked by her father's suggestion angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I worked really hard for mine, I did without and Mary has done little or nothing, she played while I worked real hard!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said,

"Welcome to the Republican Party"

Answer 1

Ah but you fail to mention the fact that the school takes a grade point from EACH girl, not just the one with the 4.0 GPA, or are you suggesting no one earning half what the girl 'earns", pays taxes?
When you factor in "Corporate Welfare", not only does the 4.0 GPA female NOT lose any GPA, she actually gets a 4.7 GPA for all that "Hard Work".

Answer 2

First, liberal Democrats aren't for the distribution of wealth. The people who keep telling you that are lying to you.

Second, she got her grades through her own work, and, unlike the rich, didn't "profit" from the work of thousands of people she refused to pay a living wage to.

The taxes on the rich have been slashed and slashed and slashed and slashed.

The system we have no is one where the poor and stuggling pay most of the taxes, and the rich get most of the benefit of those taxes.

That's a sick system.

For a time, this country had a large and comfy middle class: people worked hard, and made decent wages. They could afford decent places to live, health care for them and their families, and when they retired they could live comfortably.

That middle class is rapidly disappearing.

So, what you support is a Feudal-like system where a very very few own almost everything and the rest of us are, in effect, their property.

You want a world were almost everyone lives in utter misery.

Because that's the direction people like you are supporting and trying to take us.

The rich don't earn their money. They profit from the labor of others.

The people who work for them are working more and more hours, and getting less and less for it.

That just ain't right.

The rich should pay their fair share of taxes, and should not be subsidized by the government, while the people who do all the work get little, pay most of the tax, and get no services for it.

Answer 3

coragryp is correct, this an ideal parable short of pointing out the fact that most taxation for social spending is forced on those who don't support the idea, this is stealing. The girl in the parable was offered the choice (selfishness, and unwilling) this is not conducive of ALL Republicans. If I where taxed less (less stolen from me for failing social welfare), I would have more to give freely and willingly to those in need. In reality the government takes without the majority consensus. These politicians who follow their own whim,need to be voted out in the next election.

Again many of the posts are liberals taking out of context something said. Mary is the young womans 'friend'. NO WHERE in the parable was a family member/relationship mentioned as someone having to give. My friend/neighbor is not my family. I does not take a village. And again it's about taking something from someone without consent and giving it to someone else. The difference between offering and taking has already been pointed out, Please liberals stay on point.

Answer 4

We demand that big business give the people a square deal; in return we must insist that when anyone engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right he shall himself be given a square deal."

Men with the muckrake are often indispensable to the well-being of society, but only if they know when to stop raking the muck." "An epidemic in indiscriminate assault upon character does not good, but very great harm." "There should be relentless exposure of and attack upon every evil practice, whether in politics, in business, or in social life. I hail as a benefactor every writer or speaker, every man who, on the platform, or in book, magazine or newspaper, with merciless severity makes such attack, provided always that he in his turn remembers that the attack is of use only if it is absolutely truthful."
Both of these quotes are from Theodore Roosevelt . "Teddy" was a republican of the people, when he lost out to the "money" section of the party he formed the Bull Moose party.

I disdain every thing political because that is all that is left that is the reason for such debacles as Pres. L. B. Johnson's "great society" or the complete moronic escapades of Pres. G. Bush's. "nation building"

Answer 5

I think it works perfectly. Obviously there are extenuating circumstances for different students, but the way to make sure everyone excels isn't for the school to "equally distribute gpa"; it's to help each other of your own accord withouth the involvement of the faculty and staff.

The same applies to economics. If we are worried about the economic status of others we should help them in and of ourselves. It is not the government's job, and to involve the government in forcefully distributing the money that we've earned.

Answer 6

Yes, it works!
Note to Edge Caliber: My taking care of my father and mother with my money was my choice. What the Democrats want would give me no choice. Sorry if you are unable to see the difference.

Answer 7

Awesome parable. It does work.

Edit:

I have two brothers (more than two, but this is about two of them).

In high school, they smoked pot, drank, had sex, stole, spent time in juvi, etc. I studied, did my homework, worked a job. They got fired from every job they had, quickly.

I went to college, they partied, sold drugs, countless DUI's, jail time, etc. I spent my time in the library studying. I graduated.

Now in our 40's, I have a successful career, lots of money, great wife, kids, etc.. They scrape by in blue collar jobs.

They accuse ME of being "lucky" because I have a degree and a good job.

I reply with, "Oh really? And when I was in the library studying, what were you doing???? Getting high, getting drunk, getting laid, getting arrested, etc?"

Now, I'm supposed to pay a portion of my hard earned money to support them while they're on welfare?

Where is the equity in that?

That is my reason why I think the parable is awesome.

Regarding my bro's...we love each other and we help each other all the time. We have great relationships. I wouldn't trade them for the world. We get together and laugh about the old days and have a great time. I would lay my life down for them, and they for me.

Answer 8

Yes, it works as a parable -- to illustrate that some people don't like what having what they have earned taken from them.

But it is not complete -- because the girl in the story had the option of helping someone else -- not having the govt force her to do so.

But it also doesn't accurately address the issues -- since the Republicans are just as much into control over the individual as the Democrats -- and spend just as much as the Democrats.

The difference is that Republicans borrow the money, and make someone else pay it back later -- through the national debt -- while Democrats make people pay now for services rendered now. And Republicans want to control personal choices, while Democrats just want to control they money.

Answer 9

Nope.

I've never heard such a lame bunch of rubbish.

Is this supposed to be amusing?

Maybe to a far right hate radio listener who spends their day lying on YA.

Answer 10

On the other hand, what if Mary's low GPA was due to the fact that she was working full-time while going to college because she didn't have the resources to dedicate all her time to studying. I'd give her a point off mine for that!