Originally posted by: mooglekit
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: Specop 007
Democracy works until people realize they can vote themselves money from the public treasury.
But really, we've been doing that for decades. Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, WIC, etc etc etc.
Its getting to the point I wonder why the hell I even work anymore.
is there anything wrong with those programs you listed? without those programs our country would be a thirdworld country.
Lots of third world countries have strong central governments and social programs. It's the confidence and stability created by the equitable rule of law that keeps the US from being a third world country.
Agreed...I find it interesting when social security, medicare, medicaid and the likes are used as an example of something that sets the US apart from 3rd world countries. These programs are remnants of a period in American history (the Great Depression) when we essentially were a third world country in many regards (highly industrialized, yes, but a huge gap between rich and poor). When FDR put those policies in to place they were a fantastic idea and, along with numerous work programs and the employment push of a World War, managed to pull the US back into economic health. Problem is, the country became attached to the "benefits" in the process...these programs weren't meant to still be in existence 60 years later...
and now out of P&N and back to ATOT...
As much as I empathize with these people in their difficult times, this is something self inflicted; self inflicted by the homeowners upon themselves when they realized they couldn't afford the loan and took it anyways, and self inflicted by the businesses upon themselves when they chose to provide a loan knowing full well the persons receiving the loan would, in all likelihood, default. I refuse to feel sorry for or subsidize such a blatant example of financial irresponsibility.