[webdood90]

> The vast majority of Americans deserve more money.

This is pedantic but I strongly dislike when people say anyone deserves anything.

I support an equitable system that allows citizens to move up in economic class (which we don't currently have) but I don't subscribe to the idea that everyone inherently deserves anything.

[sterlind]

That puts you at odds with the tradition of natural rights. The Declaration of Independence says everyone deserves life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

[abduhl]

The Declaration of Independence doesn't actually say that. It says that everyone is endowed with certain unalienable rights including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness whether they deserve it or not. Just like people have the right to free speech or a jury trial in front of their peers, whether they deserve it or not.

The distinction is important because whether someone deserves something is a normative statement while having the right is a descriptive statement.

What you deserve because of your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is up for debate.

[ekianjo]

Does not mean that they deserve a specific fixed income...

[knowitnone]

its "have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", not "deserves" which is entirely different. Go to your boss and tell them you deserve a pay raise.

[webdood90]

I think it's an intellectually dishonest interpretation of my reply

[sterlind]

No, I don't think so. You specifically rejected the idea that everyone inherently deserves anything. Objectivists would agree, but I don't think Ayn Rand would have been popular with Jefferson.

Perhaps you could clarify - what do you mean by "everyone", and what do you mean by "anything?" Does everyone deserve UBI? Do workers deserve disposable income? Do the homeless deserve housing? Healthcare? Food? An attorney, if arrested? Do children deserve college? High school? Primary school? Orphanages?

You can't say that nobody inherently deserves anything, then say I'm intellectually dishonest when I take you at your word.