Quote Originally Posted by daihashi
Peccimist much? There was a time when the citizens of the United States did make responsible fiscal decisions. When people would save to put 20% down on their home, when people would put aside money for medical emergencies. Ask anyone from the Great depression Era. There was no sense of entitlement because there was no room for it.

There is a difference between creating backstops, insurance, buffers or whatever you want to call it to try to cushion blows in times like these and creating programs that give a sense of entitlement such as subprime lending; 100% financing and handing out money to people who could honestly never pay back the loan that they took out.

For a great deal of time people did things for themselves without the government's aid. Personally I think this false sense of entitlement came about during Ralph Naders consumer advocacy days... with Nader's Raiders (look them up if you don't know what I'm talking about.). After Nader's big win over the automotive industry to put seat belts into cars people began writing to him for everything and anything; most of which Ralph Nader pursued to try to get changed for the benefit of the consumer. Many of which were genuinely needed and beneficial and we probably owe thanks to him; but because of his unconditional willingness to take on cases I believe a great sense of American's got the Idea that it was the governments Job to do things for them, to regulate for them, to take care of basic needs they were previously doing for themselves.

There was a time when American's empowered themselves instead of handing over their choices to the government. With lack of choice comes lack of freedom. Choice in any situation is equivelant to freedom.

I for one am not willing to hand over my choices/freedom to the government.
Americans used to. They don't anymore. And I believe it IS the governments job to do these kinds of things. We as citizens are the children of this country and as such, they need to take care of US. Perhaps not to the level of complete socialism where EVERYTHING is in the hands of the government, but I honestly feel that MOST of what we know should be in their hands. I think a lot of people would back this too, IF we had an honest government, IF we were a democracy and not a republic. I don't like it, but I also think it's inevitable. What we need to do is make sure the people making these choices think like WE do, instead of like they want to. Government needs to get bigger, and it needs to be run by regular people, not Harvard-educated elitists who've never REALLY worked a day in their lives.