Whenever someone appeals to my charity, four questions pop into my head:

1. Aren’t you at least partly to blame for your problems?

2. Can’t someone closer to you help?

3. Isn’t there someone else in the world more deserving of my help?

4. Aren’t you a complete stranger?

When someone actually demands charity via taxation, a fifth question occurs to me:

5. Even if you think you have answers for Questions 1-4, are they so convincing that you think it’s OK to take my money without my consent?