Should Government Pamper Its Citizens?
Apropos of yesterday's item that touched on public expectations for what government should do, apparently among the things we as Americans expect government to handle for us is diaper rash.
I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing--we have a Consumer Product Safety Commission for a reason. But it's just one more piece of evidence that for better or for worse, we're at a stage in the United States where the range of issues we expect government to handle ranges very far and wide. And unless people actually get serious about actively demanding less out of government, by necessity we're going to have a very large federal apparatus that will be very difficult to manage centrally.
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The government pampers non-citizens...so the govenment should pamper citizens even more. According to a recent report by the Pew Research Center: "The report, based on Pew's analysis of the Census Bureau's March 2009 Current Population Survey, also found that the lion's share, or 79%, of the 5.1 million children of illegal immigrants residing in the U.S. in 2009 were born in the country and are therefore citizens." Taken one step further, 79% of 5.1 million is 4 million babies born here in the US to illegals in 2009. 4 million times $10,000 (average hospital cost per birth) is $40 BILLION, just for births, per year, paid for mostly by Medicaid (YOU AND ME). Factor in all the other annual "free" emergency room health care visits per year and it can easily be $100-$150 BILLION PER YEAR, over ten years equals $1-1.5 TRILLION, or the current federal budget deficit. Keep printing money! Add tens of trillions of dollars to the deficit! Who cares?!
ejj Posted Friday, September 3, 2010 9:25 AM"...we're going to have a very large federal apparatus that will be very difficult to manage centrally."
If our nation is going to remain a leader, a shaper of our world, and expect others to follow... we cannot shy away from missions that are difficult.
Is governing America difficult... YES... always has been... the rearview mirror is always rosy. However, this is one difficult task that Americans MUST commit to being the best at. Things may get more difficult before they are ever easier. Its called reality. Folks on TV try to sell us an "alternative reality". It only exists on TV. Ask any Fed, especially anyone in Law Enforcement.
We've avoided the daunting task of governing effectively too long. Its time to grind ahead with our eyes open instead of coveting the option of complaining and blaming others.
TGIF
Don Posted Friday, September 3, 2010 9:56 AMIf you mean border security and control of crime, I'd sleep better at night with that "pampering". The government could also stop it's "Let's all be ashamed of America" program. If our country is so horrible, why are people willing to break laws to live here?
Herb Posted Friday, September 3, 2010 10:38 AMWhat a stupid question...I suppose by that you mean provide such benefits as Social Security, Medicaid, unemployment ....wow what pampering...why don't you ask how pampered all Vets feel..you guys make me puke.
dahhuh Posted Friday, September 3, 2010 11:47 AMSeeing as how families have a lot of 26 year olds still living with their parents its a real BIG problem
dan ketter Posted Friday, September 3, 2010 12:30 PMI was told a democracy the government feared the people. Do we really want the people to fear the government? So in that respect it won't be a democracy. Are we leading toward a more Socialist government?
Lydia Posted Saturday, September 4, 2010 9:22 AMPamper? I suspect that if these citizens actually had to PAY for the services they get they would lose interest rather rapidly.
Cicero Posted Saturday, September 4, 2010 2:07 PMHa, ha, ha, and ho, ho, ho. The Pamper Index? No, fellow concerned citizens; the focus needs be on the Harvard Law School Big-Bag-O Rights. Who'll next get a turn to put a hand into the Bag and fish out a brand new right for a course of delicious litigation? Oh, I can see him, in the back row, the talented one, a seer beyond mere words; surely he'll be the one to birth the next shinny new right from state to Supreme Court. Can I get a 5-4 here, can I get a 5-4? Oh professors of our future laws, honored keepers of the Big Bag, we humbly ask: How high must we build the new palace, fit shelter for our next new right slouching down Potomac road. Can I get a 5-4 here? Papa wants and Mama wants a 5-4 and this table is hot. Plus ca change.
Concerned Retiree Posted Tuesday, September 7, 2010 7:15 AM"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your contry" I swear I coulda heard that somewhere... We have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The pursuit implies an action "to chase", but does not guarantee the result "happiness".
AMS Posted Tuesday, September 7, 2010 1:13 PMJust so every understand who the Pew Research Center is and who controls it. The Pew Research Center is controled by the Pew Charitable Trusts of which the almost entire board of directors is one family named Pew. The stated objective of the Trust is to "acquaint the people with the evils of bureaucracy and values of the free market". To give them statement some flavor, one of Pew family members stated that the New Deal was an "gigantice scheme to raze U.S. Business to a dead level and debase the citizenry into a mass of ballot casting serfs." The trust provides a majority of the funding for the Pew research Center. So with regard to the data provided by this organization, I suggest that you judge for yourself.
wastatejack Posted Tuesday, September 7, 2010 2:38 PMCitizens are paying for what they are getting...at least some of us are. Fact is, I would like to pay for less...a lot less. I am not "ENTITLED" to social security, nor am I entitled to health care. I am entitled to what I earn and work for. That is not to say that charity is a bad thing...but let’s distinguish between the roles and responsibilities of charities and the government. We are all entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...beyond that, it’s not the Government's responsibility. If you flitter away your life and your earnings, you have the liberty to do so...and I hope in doing so, you are happy. But it makes me happy to not have to pay for others folly. When will my unalienable rights protected?
MaxPower Posted Wednesday, September 8, 2010 8:34 AM