A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so
Many others her age, she considered herself to be a very Liberal
Democrat, and was very much in favor of the redistribution of wealth.
She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch
Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures
that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a
professor, she felt that her father had for many years harbored an
evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.
One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher
taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare
programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors
had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded
by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered
rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was
tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult
course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time for a
boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she
spent all her time studying.
Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"
She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy
classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so
popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited
to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for
classes because she's too hung over."
Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's
office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your
friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and
certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."
The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily
fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I have worked really hard for my
grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey
has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked
my tail off!"
The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the
Republican Party."
