Question: if you are successful, or even moderately so, did you become that way through your own initiative, or because the government helped you? I’m not talking about college loans backed by the government; I mean welfare, food stamps and other government assistance programs. And if you did receive those services, did any of them help you out of poverty and into a career where you could stand on your own? I doubt it.

We have as many poor people now as we had when the so-called great society began. If all of these government programs are so good, why haven’t they reduced the poverty level and caused more people to fend for themselves?

The truth is that liberals addict people to their programs in order to gain their votes. If they were ever to succeed, they would no longer need government. That’s the dirty little secret behind liberalism. The choice on Tuesday will be between more expensive and overreaching government and more freedom. Don’t be fooled.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.