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Poll Confirms America's Entitlement Culture...Even Among Tea Partiers
Big Government ^ | March 13, 2011 | Brad Schaeffer

Posted on 03/13/2011 8:02:16 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

The anti-government “throw-the-bums-out” crowds have had their chance to speak out on how to curtail the deficit and what to do with those hated entitlements that are the antithesis of the America they pine for. A recent WSJ/NBC News poll provided a glimpse of just how dependent on big government entitlements Americans have become–even among the Tea Party. Not that this should be a surprise to anyone watching the slow shift of the American mindset from citizen, to consumer, to ward of the State over the past century.

According to the Wall Street Journal who co-sponsored the poll, “Americans across all age groups and ideologies said by large margins that it was ‘unacceptable’ to make significant cuts in entitlement programs in order to reduce the federal deficit.”

No wonder President Obama in his State of the Union speech only paid lip service to Social Security and Medicare reform, mentioning each by name only once in over 7,000 words of text. He knows what Americans are really about as summed up in the old adage: “It all depends on whose ox is being gored.”

And the poll exposes a potentially discrediting hypocrisy within the Tea Party movement who claim to be for smaller government and a return to a libertarian Nirvana. Consider: by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, self-described Tea Partiers declared significant cuts to Social Security “unacceptable.”

In fact, as the poll reveals, less than a quarter of Americans support making significant cuts to Social Security or Medicare to tackle the mounting deficit about which they cry warnings of impending doom.

Before Tea Partiers accuse me of trashing them, although I am not one of them, I have defended the movement many times when I felt it unfairly attacked by the left. You see, I agree whole-heartedly with their deficit concerns. But, unlike them, I am willing to give up my benefits to set things right. They clearly are not, Gadsden flags and tri-corn hats notwithstanding. So I find myself in the minority…even among my own kind it seems.

Despite the fact that such entitlements are already in the red, when asked directly if they thought cuts to Medicare were necessary to “significantly reduce” the deficit, 18% of respondents said yes, while 54% said no; the rest were not sure or had no opinion. On Social Security, 22% said cuts would be needed, while 49% said they weren’t.

Well then…now what guys? What’s your plan then?

Ah, the poll goes on to say that there are two solutions that more than half of those responding would support. And they reveal that many Americans are, in fact, quite selfish.

Solution one: More than half support extending the retirement age to 69 by 2075. Or as I like to call it, the “deal with it after I’m dead” solution. Of course a person in their 40s and above in 2011 would have no problem with this. I am 43, in good health, but I am not Methuselah. The odds of me being anywhere but with my Maker in 64 years are pretty slim. So, even though many Americans rant against saddling the future generations with a deficit, they’ll be damned if they don’t first cash in all their Social Security chips before they check out. Very noble.

Solution two: Over 60% of those polled support reducing payments to wealthier Americans. In other words, when it comes to their benefits at risk, it’s time to what? Spread the wealth by reducing my benefits so theirs will remain intact because I made more money. Penalize the rich? Honestly, it matters little to me as I expect reduced benefits anyway. It’s just the principle…and the Tea Party and similar movements are very much about “principle.” Until it comes down to sacrificing their precious benefits, that is. Then they suddenly gravitate towards that very wealth redistribution model over which they crucified Mr. Obama during the campaign as personified by Joe “The Plummer.”

So what this latest poll shows is that when it comes to putting their money where their mouths are, most Americans, even Nobamanauts, show their true colors and demonstrate that we are hopelessly mired in an entitlement culture that in the end will only be solved by one guy: Mr. Mathematics. An American retiring today will have put roughly $114,000 in contributions into Medicare but will receive over $355,000 in services throughout their ever lengthening retirement. If left unaddressed, this formula will eventually collapse anyway so one way or the other, austerity is a comin’. Tick-tock.

More than seven in 10 tea party backers feared GOP lawmakers would not go far enough in cutting spending. “It may be hard to understand why someone would try to jump off a cliff” to solve the debt crisis, said pollster Bill McInturff of his fellow Republicans, “unless you understand that they are being chased by a tiger, and that tiger is the tea party.” Yet, as his own survey shows, this is a false premise as only one in three will be waving pitchforks. The other two-thirds, suffering from an astounding case of cognitive dissonance, will be cashing their checks. Certainly, the Tea Party verve and libertarian ire that demands “brave measures” from the new Congress to get the deficit under control dissipates dramatically when the firing squad of benefit reductions is trained on them. Then, suddenly, they propose to kick the can down the road to their kids, and to spread the wealth. Sound familiar? “Oh…and keep government out of our lives!” Riiight.

Hypocrisy is not an exclusive property of the far left it seems. So good luck to the GOP in their quest to make significant cuts in the deficit…If they’re serious, I hope they like being one-termers.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: conservative; cuts; debt; deficit; entitlements; hypocrisy; libertarians; madoff; medicare; noway; poll; ponzi; pyramid; scheme; socialsecurity; teapartiers
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To: mia
It's not pretty, and I have no magic solution that I can lay before you and have you say, "Hmmmmmm, that just might work!"

The key thing is to make it very clear to anyone 50 or younger that they will get nothing. Not a thing.

People between 50 and 65? I dunno. I wouldn't expect much.

People over 65? I'm guessing community living that would be unpleasant. But, 3 hots and a cot. Or move in with relatives.

Bottomline: drastic decrease in standard of living, coupled with (hopefully) a profound understanding that government does not keep its promises, and has no business "giving" anyone anything. Any politician who talks that kind of language is just going to screw you -- so don't vote for the guy with all the promises.

41 posted on 03/13/2011 8:47:14 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: ClearCase_guy

Let us out of Medicare and SS, its the only way.

Pray for America


42 posted on 03/13/2011 8:48:18 PM PDT by bray (Hey Country Club, hold your noses this election.)
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To: businessprofessor
Unfortunately, the math is inescapable but there will be plenty of dollars. Unfortunately, the dollars will not buy us much after the great decline.

The government is going to try this approach, devalue your dollars, so you end up with far less real value. Right now it appears that people are on to their scheme, the price of commodities, oil and PMs are screaming no way.

One problem that is going to be VERY difficult to overcome relates to the financial system “bailouts”. The lack of accountability (how many bankers have gone to jail?) and large bonuses paid to the folks in the financial sector (paid $140B in 2010) does not resonate that well with Joe Six Pack.

There will be significant resistance to austerity being thrust on the middle class after what has transpired on Wall Street for the last 3 years. This all but assures a financial collapse when the bills come due and the dollar loses most of its value.

The die is cast, IMHO, it is simply a matter of when and the details of what form the collapse takes.

schu

43 posted on 03/13/2011 8:49:03 PM PDT by schu
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To: I see my hands
You wish to argue that my phrase is not "le mot juste"?

Fine. But the economic problem still remains, even if I use words to describe it that you like better than "con".

44 posted on 03/13/2011 8:50:20 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
“It all depends on whose ox is being gored.”

Other than living under the umbrella of protection provided by the DoD, using an interstate Highway every now and then, and perhaps using the USPS maybe twice a year, you could gore every federal ox out there and the total impact on my life would be fewer taxes and more freedom.

45 posted on 03/13/2011 8:50:28 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
58% Entitlements!

So, Now What?

BTW, the Primary purpose of the Federal Government is to provide for the National Defense. So, they get 20% of the Budget?

46 posted on 03/13/2011 8:52:06 PM PDT by Art in Idaho (Conservatism is the only hope for Western Civilization.)
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To: mia

> Those in subsidized housing are also receiving food stamps
> because even with all their “benefits” they have no money
> for food. Sometimes they end the month with about $1.50.
> These individuals are also in very poor health.

> So, how are you going to pull the plug. . . death panels?

Death Panels would be a more humane thing to do, rather than letting them die of disease and starvation on the streets. We euthanize sick and old pets, don’t we?

/extreme sarcasm off


47 posted on 03/13/2011 8:52:22 PM PDT by JadeEmperor
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To: ClearCase_guy

“I’m amazed at the number of freepers who think government spending should be drastically cut — just so long as they keep getting their own personal benefits. After all, they paid for ‘em.”

Excellent words. I haven’t read past this post yet, but I can only imagine what you will hear.

I’ve reached the point that we are going to be driven to an Argentina-type meltdown...if by no one else, than by the FReepers who will not let anyone touch their government transfer payments.


48 posted on 03/13/2011 8:52:32 PM PDT by BobL (PLEASE READ: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2657811/posts)
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To: trapped_in_LA
"So if you start drawing SS sometime in the future it really is a welfare payment because what you paid in is long gone and they’re paying you from someone else’s taxes or from money printed up by the Fed."

Great whole cloth argument, but in paying into what was touted as a "forced savings, to be returned upon reaching Retirement Age", just pointing out that the money was mis-used, pilfered, and spent elsewhere doesn't change the factual basis for the claims.

If you donate to United Way, and DESIGNATE a Specific entity to recieve your donation, they just re-apportion OTHER DONATIONS to fill the quota to the groups you don't support, so, using YOUR logic, you are supporting the goofy "charities" anyway?

49 posted on 03/13/2011 8:54:50 PM PDT by traditional1 ("Don't gotsta worry 'bout no mo'gage, don't gotsta worry 'bout no gas; Obama gonna take care o' me!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
So nobody wants to give up their freebies. Swell. I guess that the coming collapse of these entitlements will be real eye opener for the uneducated.


50 posted on 03/13/2011 8:55:16 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

ExActLY....and not only worked, but saved, scrimped, didn’t live high on the hog...


51 posted on 03/13/2011 8:59:23 PM PDT by goodnesswins (Unlike the West, the Islamic world is serious.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

We’re doomed.


52 posted on 03/13/2011 9:00:39 PM PDT by Fledermaus (As long as John Boehner is Speaker, conservatives are screwed. He's a coward and a crybaby.)
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To: Bronzy

/sarc tag?


53 posted on 03/13/2011 9:02:36 PM PDT by CommieCutter (Promote Liberal Extinction: Support gay marriage and abortion!)
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To: CommieCutter

oops!


54 posted on 03/13/2011 9:05:19 PM PDT by Bronzy (We Remembered In November.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Looks like a push poll by NBC for the purposes of pushing means testing for SS.

Some will buy into it.

55 posted on 03/13/2011 9:06:19 PM PDT by FreeReign
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To: Lazlo in PA
So nobody wants to give up their freebies.

Some want equal value out of ss as they put into it.

Those people are not asking for freebies.

56 posted on 03/13/2011 9:09:00 PM PDT by FreeReign
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Just give my Wife and I the Half Million that we paid into the SS system and we’ll call it square.

As a gift, we will let the Government keep the Millions in investment income that our money would have earned over the past 45 years.

I know, when Pigs fly and an Illegal Alien becomes President, oh wait...


57 posted on 03/13/2011 9:09:00 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (They bring a Bible to a Memorial, we bring a T Shirt - Long Legged Mac Daddy)
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To: ClearCase_guy

I’ve said it before. Cut 20% from everything. No exceptions. Soc. Sec., medicare, Defense, Dept of Commerce - all get cut the first year. Let each Dept, agency, etc... figure out how to do with less.

Then, in the next year, start killing specific programs.

20% from everyone is the only way that most Americans will accept - if they see that cuts are being made in all areas, without exception, then they may agree.


58 posted on 03/13/2011 9:09:12 PM PDT by PGR88 (I'm so open-minded my brains fell out)
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To: traditional1

“If you donate to United Way, and DESIGNATE a Specific entity to recieve your donation, they just re-apportion OTHER DONATIONS to fill the quota to the groups you don’t support, so, using YOUR logic, you are supporting the goofy “charities” anyway?”

I’d never use united way for any charity, just donate directly otherwise yes you are supporting other charities with your donation and all the crooks running united way. Also, yes the US government lied to you, what a surprise!


59 posted on 03/13/2011 9:13:50 PM PDT by trapped_in_LA
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To: ClearCase_guy

Are you saying that Franklin Delano Roosevelt, that New Yorker with the magnetic personality, is still conning the uninformed American people? If so, I think you are on to something.


60 posted on 03/13/2011 9:16:14 PM PDT by Theodore R. (John Boehner just surrendered the only weapon with which he had to fight. What does OH see in him?)
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