Someone replied to my facebook status, and this was my reply to her

I'm not saying that some government-funded programs don't get abused. However, we have a problem when we're wanting to discontinue ALL of them or greeting any proposed programs as being Socialist and/or Nazi. Should all those who really need the healthcare suffer for the portion who abuse it?

And, what about the other factors which contribute to those people "on their porches" waiting for a check? Where are their quality school systems; where are the programs that encourage socio-economic betterment, that help "at-risk" and lower socio-economic children actually learn (as opposed to meeting quotas and barely passing)? How are they to go to college? I have an issue with there not being enough grocery stores in poorer areas. A little off subject and dependent on free enterprise store CEOs, but how can people in these areas eat healthily without access to fresh fruit and vegetables? Many of these people only eat convenience store and fast food because that's what's around.

There's a disadvantage for these people, whether we chose to acknowledge it or not. We're fortunate to have grown up in suburbia. For so many others--which I see in New Orleans on a daily basis these days (I work for LSU testing preschoolers for early literacy)--their daily environment is quite different. And, it's not that their parents don't want to provide them a good education and a good upbringing (though arguably some don't care as much), but it's a lot harder when generation after generation, these families have lived without, have had to struggle to make ends meet, without sufficient education and resources that are civic necessities afforded to other living on the right side of the railroad tracks or the good part of town.

I believe that everyone should have healthcare. I believe that it's a human right. Maybe it's idealistic to have this belief in the US (though I know several European countries and Costa Rica definitely have it; whatever, those are those countries, and this is the US). Government is for the law and governance of all people, by our elected officials, yes. But, it's also for the well-being of all people. We pay taxes to share among all constituents in our jurisdiction, parish, city, state, or federal. Sorry that my reply was so long, but I feel pretty strongly about this.