Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for May 06, 2009

I love ten year olds. I’ve got seven daughters and eight to ten is my favorite age.

Maybe they’re not from south of the border.

I’m really starting to remember why I should just enjoy the comics without reading the comments of other people.

*The point to Alix’s story is:Look in the mirror, she COULD be talking about you. So next time you see that person in shabby clothes, take half of your tuna salad sandwich and say “HERE!”so enough snide poltical remarks,save em fer Doonesbury

I have no problem with charity, when it is given voluntary, such as in this case. I have a major problem with the government trying to pretend it is a charitable organization and taking my tax dollars, or causing inflation to perform the “charity” they deem desirable.

RRAmom Agreed. I give money and my time through my Church.

Remember, there is ALWAYS someone worse off than you!

humormehere 7 daughters? You’ll go broke with wedding bills!! LOL!

RRAmom: The preamble of the Constitution includes the phrase “in order to … PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE.” Providing for those who cannot (I do not say “will not”) provide for themselves is one of the founding justifications for a government.

Instead of giving time and money to your church, why not give it directly to those in need? When you contribute through your church, the church keeps a cut, just like the government keeps a cut.

God bless the child…. Thanks for reminding us we can all help one another. Kudos, Jan Eliot!

Not if humormehere can get each wedding done for under $3,000 (adjusted to 2006 price) Drystyha.

(btw, I have pictorial and video proof that such is indeed possible)

Promoting the general welfare does not include the continuous defining down of entitlement programs - which are absolutely necessary for helping indigent or compromised parents, hurt people, or sick people on a temporary basis for the vast majority of those recipients. Promoting the general welfare was not meant to help guarantee huge voting blocs for life for certain parties or candidates. I have a feeling that that kind of abuse and waste - from any party - is what many pluggers here are most concerned about.

hello, prasrinivara - I left you a reply in yesterday’s ‘For Better or for Worse’ hope you got it!

Hi arceedee

Hi DRY!!! hey we’re posting close enough for a high-five =D

If you don’t care for socialist ideology, how about Christ’s ideology? The parable of Lazarus and Dives? “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven”? “As you do unto the least of my brethren, so you do unto me”?

If you can afford a computer to read these words then by the world’s standards YOU are Dives. Yes, one must have “enough” money for oneself, but how do you define “enough”? Is “enough” always going to be defined as “just a bit more than I have now”?

I AGREE awfulhorrid!! I have never felt compelled to comment before, but now I do. All of you Monday morning quarterbacks who think you can run the government better from your couch, go to some other comic and get on your wobbly soapboxes there. Face reality that both parties are full of cr@@ and that unless you are willing to throw your hat in the ring and do something about it, then you need to SHUT UP or talk to a willing audience in your circle of friends (if you have any with the bitterness that some of you have, SchmoozeMinkey).

The rest of us are here to enjoy ourselves, have a good laugh and forget about our worries for 20 minutes, so keep your comments focused on the comics and enjoy!!

It would also be nice if you kept your religion to yourselves.

fritzoid and lighte up Take it over to State of the Union! Not here on a family strip!

For crying out loud! This is a really good comic strip that is currently teaching a wonderful lesson! Lighten up!

Jan, excellent work showing how little scary things pile up into big scary things, and showing that kids can help us do and see things that as adults we ignore.

As far as any social commentary on welfare is concerned, if more people like Alix were willing to help their neighbors get back on their feet we might not need the welfare system we have today. And for those totally against it, I can’t tell you how delighted I am that none of you have ever lost the job that paid your bills and provided insurance, or lost your spouse and main breadwinner through death or divorce, or were injured badly enough that you couldn’t return to your old job or to the workforce at all, and that you’ve never had to go through the painstaking, soul crushing, and utterly humiliating process of requesting government aid, and I hope you never have to because I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Good series Ms. Eliot! I enjoy your strip a lot.

Socially responsible! That’s why Stone Soup is my favourite comic strip.