I am not confident that we will ever solve the entitlement problem without a complete collapse of the government and its ability to pay.
Here’s why: I have a friend who considers herself a conservative. She rails against the “entitlement mentality” and hates “socialized medicine”. She listens to Rush. She watches Fox. She supports Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachmann or Rick Santorum next year. She votes GOP.
Two of her own three children are severely disabled (they really are), and she’s paid to take care of them by the government.
Their health care is covered by the government.
Their day-to-day expenses are paid for by the government.
They’re in school until they are 21, paid for by the government.
If you want to raise your blood pressure, ask how she’s different. The answer you’ll get is that her case is “different”. Because her kids really “need” that money, those services, and all that.
She’s the problem. There are a lot of her. Millions of her. Maybe tens of millions of her. And many of them call themselves conservative.
And until there is literally no money to pay her and her kids and the millions like her, there can be no solution.
She’s the problem. There are a lot of her. Millions of her. Maybe tens of millions of her. And many of them call themselves conservative.
And until there is literally no money to pay her and her kids and the millions like her, there can be no solution.
I personally don't view people like your friend as the problem with entitlements. Although one can make the case that the states - and not the federal government - are a better bet to administer benefits to those truly in need.
Many believe this nation has an ethical and moral obligation to take care of the truly needy - the very young, the very old and the disabled - who cannot take care of themselves. The problem with entitlements is that healthy, able-bodied men and women find welfare and food stamps a more attractive lifestyle than working. Add to that the decimation of the nuclear family, out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and all of the other wonderful social ills wrought by liberalism.
There was a time when people like the children you describe would have been institutionalized. A moral and just society should provide for those truly in need. There is no reason that private charities, in conjunction with government funding, can't address this problem. IMHO
You're correct and could have added that it's not just a black thing, I know of too many white examples.
Sure, there are needy people but "deserving" people? Why does anyone "deserve" my money? There's no constitutional basis for government welfare of any kind but that has never concerned the liberal mind.
She’s the problem. There are a lot of her. Millions of her. Maybe tens of millions of her. And many of them call themselves conservative.