Congressman Crockett

During the Jacksonian era, a distinguished Naval Officer had passed away and a bill was introduced in Congress to give money to his widow. A number of moving speeches were given on her behalf, and the bill seemed destined to pass unanimously. Then a congressman from Tennessee named Davey Crockett gave an alternate suggestion. Instead of taking tax dollars from the public to give to the widow, he offered to give one week?s pay out of his own pocket to the widow and suggested the rest of the members of Congress do the same. Crockett believed that "we have the right as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money." After hearing the speech, almost all of the members of the House reversed their intended vote and the bill was soundly defeated. Crockett and the rest of Congress back then understood that there is absolutely nothing charitable or compassionate about taking taxpayers money and giving it to the needy. It is easy to be generous with other people?s money, but true charity is voluntary.

Marcus Epstein, "Dead 8"