Had to go repost a link to this article on my own blog, along with this:
By 2010 [entitlement payments] accounted for just about two-thirds of all federal spending, with all other responsibilities of the federal government making up barely one-third. In a very real sense, entitlements have turned American governance upside-down.
Eberstadt is making the case that the increase in entitlements went hand in hand with a shift in american culture.
“Although many Americans in earlier times were poor, even people in fairly desperate circumstances were known to refuse help or handouts as an affront to their dignity and independence. People who subsisted on public resources were known as “paupers,” and provision for them was a local undertaking. Neither beneficiaries nor recipients held the condition of pauperism in high regard.”
If Americans are willing(and if it is possible in modern society) to make support for the poor a local responsibility we might have a solution.
It has become a matter of doing the “right thing” and helping the poor and the needy by taking away from those who own “more” than they need. If the government won’t create incentives for those receiving massive amounts of entitlements to earn what they want and need instead of having everything given to them, then why work? I rather enjoy the good life and live off others too. Easy.
You are very right, Dr. Goodman. This is scary…and discouraging to all those individuals who do pay for their goods and services, and don’t get resources transfered to them.
The U.S. is a very wealthy society. If it so chooses, it has vast resources to squander.
It should read…”It has vast resources, that if it chooses, can put them to use to meet the basic needs of those less fortunate.” Instead of transferring money, resources, goods and services from those who earn them to those who will never appreciate them as if they were their own.
It seems everyone is perfectly aware of how rich their country is…yet noone does nothing about it and let the government drown us on monumental debt..
Oh, how I wish the X-axis on that graphic was the proportion of Americans paying their own way by the fruit of their own labor!
Had to go repost a link to this article on my own blog, along with this:
Eberstadt is making the case that the increase in entitlements went hand in hand with a shift in american culture.
“Although many Americans in earlier times were poor, even people in fairly desperate circumstances were known to refuse help or handouts as an affront to their dignity and independence. People who subsisted on public resources were known as “paupers,” and provision for them was a local undertaking. Neither beneficiaries nor recipients held the condition of pauperism in high regard.”
If Americans are willing(and if it is possible in modern society) to make support for the poor a local responsibility we might have a solution.
August: Eberstadt is also implying that this transition to an “entitlement society” is negative.
If the government can efficiently transfer resources I would count that a worthy goal.
And odds are that percentage will only increase.
This is another great example of the expansion of the nanny state.
It has become a matter of doing the “right thing” and helping the poor and the needy by taking away from those who own “more” than they need. If the government won’t create incentives for those receiving massive amounts of entitlements to earn what they want and need instead of having everything given to them, then why work? I rather enjoy the good life and live off others too. Easy.
@Baker,
“Efficient” is the key word on your statement. Although not very promising..
You are very right, Dr. Goodman. This is scary…and discouraging to all those individuals who do pay for their goods and services, and don’t get resources transfered to them.
The U.S. is a very wealthy society. If it so chooses, it has vast resources to squander.
It should read…”It has vast resources, that if it chooses, can put them to use to meet the basic needs of those less fortunate.” Instead of transferring money, resources, goods and services from those who earn them to those who will never appreciate them as if they were their own.
It seems everyone is perfectly aware of how rich their country is…yet noone does nothing about it and let the government drown us on monumental debt..