AUTHOR: Chicago Sun-Times columnist Terry Savage
INTRODUCTION: "This column is a true story -- every word of it. And I think it very appropriate to consider around the Fourth of July, Independence Day spirit."
IMPETUS OF SAVAGE'S RAGE: Local lemonade stand manned by three little girls.
WHY SHE STOPPED AT STAND: "We follow the same rules in our family, and one of them is: Always stop to buy lemonade from kids who are entrepreneurial enough to open up a little business."
REACTION WHEN GIRLS ANNOUNCE LEMONADE IS FREE: "That really set me off, as my regular readers can imagine. 'No!' I exclaimed from the back seat. 'That's not the spirit of giving. You can only really give when you give something you own. They're giving away their parents' things -- the lemonade, cups, candy. It's not theirs to give.'"
BRAVE PUNDITRY: "I pushed the button to roll down the window and stuck my head out to set them straight."
UNAVOIDABLE CONCLUSION: "No wonder America is getting it all wrong when it comes to government, and taxes, and policy. We all act as if the 'lemonade' or benefits we're 'giving away' is free."
TEA PARTY-STYLE LESSON: "If we can't teach our kids the basics of running a lemonade stand, how can we ever teach Congress the basics of economics?"
PATRIOTIC SIGN-OFF:

If that's what America's children think -- that there's a free lunch waiting -- then our country has larger problems ahead. The Declaration of Independence promised "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It didn't promise anything free. Something to think about this July 4th holiday weekend.

And that's the Savage Truth!

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