From an e-mail:

SUBJECT: the $50 Lesson

Recently while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog.

During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, Liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what wouldbe the first thing you would do?"

She replied..."I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."

Her parents beamed with pride! "Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said. "Butyou don't have to wait until you're President to do that!" I told her.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

So I told her, "You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I'll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery storewhere the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a newhouse."

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight inthe eye and said,

"Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"

I said..."Welcome to the Republican Party!"

Her parents haven't spoken to me since.