Well Norma, a Socialist government takes it out and calls it a tax. That's why I think our gov't has gone that way. Bush has been trying to cut our taxes. When people are less burdened with taxes, they tend to be more geneous in helping others, anyway. The gov't. wastes our money.
Gov't programs have become essential because the churches stopped doing many things to help others. Of course we need programs to help people who need it but it should be a temporary solution. And of course, if people treated each other properly, we wouldn't need so many of these programs.