I normally abhore forwards.  However, I recently received one that I thought was magnificent.

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FATHER AND DAUGHTER

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 among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self- professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no 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 she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter,

'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. 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's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican party.'

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If anyone has a better explanation of the difference between Republican and Democrat I'm all ears.

*UPDATE*

Ok. So, after a day of politically inspired tweets & conversations with friends, I don't think that I am really a republican per se.  I am conservative no doubt, but I honestly don't think I am as staunch as some of the card carying republicans out there like my father.

I recieved the following from a good friend (who was apparently unable to post a comment to my blog... I need to investigate that)

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The largest logical problem with that post, and coincidentally one of the most fundamental problems both parties have with complicated issues like welfare, is that it breaks down such a complicated issue into a simple moral dilemma.  Welfare isn't about morality, though its implementation may be immoral.  Whether a child has enough to eat isn't the same as whether you get a good grade in school.  In fact, to suggest such is quite insulting, though I'm sure that wasn't the intent by the OP.  Welfare, fundamentally, is disaster insurance.  You pay into a group fund when you can, and when you need it, the fund is available to you.
 
A far more appropriate comparison would be the following discussion between the same father and daughter.  We pick up the story where she's talking about her friend.  She's the same party girl as before, but this time, instead of the discussion pointing out that her grades were low due to her lifestyle choice, she had instead been assaulted at such a party.  When asked by her father how she handled herself at parties, she responds that she would never go to such places and if she did she'd mace a guy trying anything like that.  When asked if she'd give up her mace to her friend, she replies in the same way as before: why would I suffer because I am prepared, she deserved it since she didn't prepare, etc.  Of course, her father replies, "Welcome to the Republican Party".
 
The point is that both parties indicate that you don't know how to run your life.  Democrats want to provide for those who can't provide for themselves.  Republicans want to act as examples for those who have fallen.
 
I have a different view, and, yes, I'm a libertarian.  There should be no welfare, nor any judgement - at least not by the state.  When a wealthy democrat was told the libertarian ideal, he replied, "Who will care for the homeless."  "You will," came the response.  "You mean, people with money will get together and..." he was cut off.  "No, YOU will."  There is no welfare in a libertarian state, just concerned citizens.
 
This country has never been libertarian, and likely never will be.  We're far too full of ourselves to accept responsibility without structure or recognition.

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A good point that is going to lead me off on a tangent.  I believe that as a general rule, people should not be given hand-outs.  However, if you are making an effort to get ahead in the world and are simply not able to do it, no matter how hard you are trying, then I will give you my assistance.  I am not heartless, but I do think that people who make no effort whatsoever to better their situation and similarly do nothing but sit and complain about it, are not deserving of my sympathy.  Personal accountability is becoming more and more infrequent in today's world.  There is a definite sense of entitlement.  News flash people. Nobody OWES you anything.  If you want something, go out there and bust your butt.  99 times out of 100, if you try hard enough, you are going to succeed.  On some level, life is fair.  The people who say that life isn't fair simply stopped trying and let their gaurd down.   There is a saying, "you get out of life what you put into it".  If you keep a positive attitude and give every day your best, then you are going to live a happy and successful life.  Just don't blame anyone else for your choices.

I realize that this post started off one way and has devolved into something COMPLETELY different.  This is my blog though.  If you do not like my chain of conciousness, then go read somebody elses blog.