quote:

---

Father/Son Talk Politics

A young man was about to finish his first year of college. Like so many others his age she considered himself to be a very liberal Liberal and was for fairer distribution of wealth. He felt deeply shamed that his father was a rather staunch Conservative, which he expressed openly.

One day he was challenging his father on his beliefs and his opposition to higher taxes on the rich & more welfare programs. In the middle of his heartfelt remarks based upon the lectures he heard from his professors at school, the father stopped him and asked him point blank how he was doing in school. He answered rather haughtily that he had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain. That he had to study all the time, never had time to go out like other people he knew. He didn't even have time for a girlfriend and didn't really have many college friends because of spending all his time studying. That he was taking a more difficult curriculum. His father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Mark?"

He replied, "Mark is barely getting by," he continued, "all he has is barely a 2.0 GPA and all he takes are easy classes and he never studies." To explain further he continued emotionally, "But Mark is so popular. College for him is a blast. He goes skiing, goes to all the parties and very often doesn't even show up for classes, because he is too hung over."

His father then asked his son, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your 4.0 GPA and give it to your friend who only had a 2.0? That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA, and certainly that would be a fair equal distribution of GPA."

The son angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I worked really hard for mine. I did without, and Mark has done little or nothing. He played while I worked really hard! If he wants a 3.0 GPA, he should work for it!"

His Father smiled and said, "Welcome to the Conservative Party and my way of thinking. If you want it, you should work for it and earn it."

---