On or about June of 1968, when I was a private in the Marines, a sergeant basically told me that if I didn’t contribute to United Way, I would be put on mess duty.

It was against regulations for sure. I might have even been able to get him in trouble. However, he was a sargeant and I was not looking forward to washing a heap of pots and pans.

In theory, it was a voluntary contribution. However, logic tells the simplest that it was really involuntarily. By the way, as a private, that little bit I was forced to cough up meant quite a bit to me.

Even after I left the Marines, the United way drives continued. I am personally convinced I unofficially paid for the times when I said no to United Way. And so it is that even today people either involuntarily contribute or they are penalized under the table.

Recently, it came to my attention that we actually make billions of dollars of contributions against our will. We contributed to Iran, to HAMAS, to Palestinians and, of course, illegal aliens by the millions. Many of these aliens, legal or not, openly admit they hate the very country providing them a place to live, food to eat education and medical help.

Are we electing people that really are crazy nuts?

There is no longer a need for charities. The federal government has taken over that task and everyone is obligated to contribute, like it or not.