The Nanny State

[spare_change]

Over the past 40 years (since Johnson's Great Society initiative), we have seen an increasing reliance on the federal government to take care of us.

From Social Security to FEMA, from Medicare to socialized medicine, from affirmative action to No Child Left Behind, we have increasingly abdicated our responsibility as parents, citizens, and adults and allowed, even demanded, that the federal government step up.

Is that right? Should we do that? If so, how far should we go? If not, how do we reinvigorate the individual?

I'm not the least bit interested in a political discussion -- frankly, I don't care that it's all George Bush's fault. I'm more interested in the sociological impacts -- have we become a bunch of little children sucking at the tit of the federal government? Has the state government become useless? How do we restore individualism?

[Shiane]

Over the past 40 years (since Johnson's Great Society initiative), we have seen an increasing reliance on the federal government to take care of us.

From Social Security to FEMA, from Medicare to socialized medicine, from affirmative action to No Child Left Behind, we have increasingly abdicated our responsibility as parents, citizens, and adults and allowed, even demanded, that the federal government step up.

Is that right? Should we do that? If so, how far should we go? If not, how do we reinvigorate the individual?

I'm not the least bit interested in a political discussion -- frankly, I don't care that it's all George Bush's fault. I'm more interested in the sociological impacts -- have we become a bunch of little children sucking at the tit of the federal government? Has the state government become useless? How do we restore individualism?

Years ago when a natural disaster wiped out a family's home, FEMA wasn't there, the Red Cross wasn't there, however your neighbors were. They were the ones who helped rebuild the house, had barn raisings, dropped food and supplies off for families who fell upon hard times. I look back and I wonder what changed and when. When people got old their families took care of them. It seems we're all so busy trying to get ahead we've forgotten about family and friends. We're all too consumed with succeeding that we're failing in the areas that matter the most.

We all work hard and we expect to be compensated for things that happen that are out of our control. And when your friends and family are all too busy to notice we expect the goverment to step in because afterall we do pay for the goverment with our taxes.

[PunkyBob]

Over the past 40 years (since Johnson's Great Society initiative), we have seen an increasing reliance on the federal government to take care of us.

From Social Security to FEMA, from Medicare to socialized medicine, from affirmative action to No Child Left Behind, we have increasingly abdicated our responsibility as parents, citizens, and adults and allowed, even demanded, that the federal government step up.

Is that right? Should we do that? If so, how far should we go? If not, how do we reinvigorate the individual?

I'm not the least bit interested in a political discussion -- frankly, I don't care that it's all George Bush's fault. I'm more interested in the sociological impacts -- have we become a bunch of little children sucking at the tit of the federal government? Has the state government become useless? How do we restore individualism?

In our so-called "modern" world (a phrase I use with no belief in it whatsoever, but that's another thread) individualism begins at the workplace. Unless you're Grizzly Adams ekeing out a living on pine park in the Yukon, you live in a cash economy. We all know where the jobs are going: elsewhere. Some of us are working two jobs to make ends meet, trying to keep the bills juggled. How can independence even begin unless one has the means to stand up financially? We are bombarded all day long with ads telling us we need to buy this, we need to buy that. We are urged to spend, but not given sufficient means to earn.

Also, individualism begins when one feels capable in one's world, able to navigate freely and without fear. Our society (I speak as an ex-colonist acress the pond) tosses so much fear at us we do not, as a nation, feel able to realize our potential. I won't go into the numerous things thrown at us, but the end result is one that we are under attack from all sides.

I do believe in the gov't aiding us in our lives to some degree. Where that starts and ends...needs more discussion. Personally, I would as much control over my own situation as I can get, at least financially. But I do feel that most Americans feel "disempowered," that too much is out of their hands or they have no ability to make a significant change in ther own lives.

[snowflake]

Over the past 40 years (since Johnson's Great Society initiative), we have seen an increasing reliance on the federal government to take care of us.

From Social Security to FEMA, from Medicare to socialized medicine, from affirmative action to No Child Left Behind, we have increasingly abdicated our responsibility as parents, citizens, and adults and allowed, even demanded, that the federal government step up.

Is that right? Should we do that? If so, how far should we go? If not, how do we reinvigorate the individual?

I'm not the least bit interested in a political discussion -- frankly, I don't care that it's all George Bush's fault. I'm more interested in the sociological impacts -- have we become a bunch of little children sucking at the tit of the federal government? Has the state government become useless? How do we restore individualism?

My mother has worked as a "food stamp social worker" for 38 years, she is retiring this year... Her decision to retire rested on one common scenerio, she has a family with 5 generations on food stamps, AFDC, and medicaid. Great-Grandma, Grandma, Mother, Teenage daughter, and new baby are all on a government assisted program, when she asked the Mother if she was interested in a job at Wal-Mart she said "NO, why would I do that, my mama didn't work and I am not either".. It is acceptable to them to live off government assistance. I can see a family or single mother using it to get on their feet, but not for 5 generations...

[IMaLady]

My mother has worked as a "food stamp social worker" for 38 years, she is retiring this year... Her decision to retire rested on one common scenerio, she has a family with 5 generations on food stamps, AFDC, and medicaid. Great-Grandma, Grandma, Mother, Teenage daughter, and new baby are all on a government assisted program, when she asked the Mother if she was interested in a job at Wal-Mart she said "NO, why would I do that, my mama didn't work and I am not either".. It is acceptable to them to live off government assistance. I can see a family or single mother using it to get on their feet, but not for 5 generations...



That's pretty sad. I think they should make some type of rules that forces those families to look for work. I do think its great to have that assistance if you really need it but if you are able to work than you should instead of expecting someone else to take care of you.

[GaMan]

Spare...I personally think that we have become a society that puts too much responsibility on the government. I work in the human service area of government within my state. I run across individuals constantly who have the ability to fend for themselves, but choose not to because they would rather be sucking of the preverbial tit. I think we make it too easy to get assistance in this country. Those who can, but choose not to work, can normally get assistance if they try hard enough. And we wind up paying for it in the long run.

Before long, we wind up becoming a society that lives solely off of the government. Humm...I don't think we would be considered a democracy anymore at that point!

[Wil]

...the situation is embarrassing, yet our elected officials do not have nor never will grow the nads to legislate it away..workfare rather than welfare has been tossed around but no one has the balls to do it...

[UltimateNaneki]

Back in the 20's, 30's and 40's, when people needed something they went out and worked. I have a cousin and when he turned 18, he ran to the gouvernment for welfare. Welfare....that is the working person that is paying for him to sit on him ass and do zero all day!
I would love to take all those freeloaders somewhere and give them some tools and make them work. I work!

[duanehofner]

I'm not the least bit interested in a political discussion -- frankly, I don't care that it's all George Bush's fault.

It's always been a common habit to blame the current administraton for everything that's wrong with the entire worlk. From wars to some cat getting rum over in Shri Lanka! Each new guy builds on the crap he was left with weather we like it or not

[spare_change]

In our so-called "modern" world (a phrase I use with no belief in it whatsoever, but that's another thread) individualism begins at the workplace. Unless you're Grizzly Adams ekeing out a living on pine park in the Yukon, you live in a cash economy. We all know where the jobs are going: elsewhere. Some of us are working two jobs to make ends meet, trying to keep the bills juggled. How can independence even begin unless one has the means to stand up financially? We are bombarded all day long with ads telling us we need to buy this, we need to buy that. We are urged to spend, but not given sufficient means to earn.

Also, individualism begins when one feels capable in one's world, able to navigate freely and without fear. Our society (I speak as an ex-colonist acress the pond) tosses so much fear at us we do not, as a nation, feel able to realize our potential. I won't go into the numerous things thrown at us, but the end result is one that we are under attack from all sides.

I do believe in the gov't aiding us in our lives to some degree. Where that starts and ends...needs more discussion. Personally, I would as much control over my own situation as I can get, at least financially. But I do feel that most Americans feel "disempowered," that too much is out of their hands or they have no ability to make a significant change in ther own lives.

Is the problem in our expectations? Could you have "financial individualism" if you didn't want so much? If you settled for a used car, or a smaller house, or fewer nights out at Pizza Hut, would you be better off?

You blame your own greed for the omnipresence of government -- does that mean you need to decrease your greed? Or, are you trading personal freedom for stuff?

Why do you believe in the government aiding you? Are they just the safety net in case you screw up? Or, are they the benevolent parent who takes care of you, pats you nicely on the head, and sends you upstairs to safely snuggle into bed, content that no matter how bad you are, big daddy will love you, anyway?

[spare_change]

Back in the 20's, 30's and 40's, when people needed something they went out and worked. I have a cousin and when he turned 18, he ran to the gouvernment for welfare. Welfare....that is the working person that is paying for him to sit on him ass and do zero all day!
I would love to take all those freeloaders somewhere and give them some tools and make them work. I work!

There are programs out there -- they fall under the term Workfare -- that demand performance by those receiving government aid. They have been very successful in 1) reducing the number of people getting government assistance, and 2) reducing the cost of government assistance. It seems that the greatest victim of welfare is a person's sense of self-worth and pride. Once they believe that they need the government's help to survive, they demand the government's help to survive.

Each time, workfare programs have been wildly popular and very successful, but are shortly replaced by welfare, and it's done by politicians trying to curry the poor vote in order to get elected. They can't get elected without something being broken (that is the basic tenet of the liberal approach .... more government involvement in order to fix the ills of the world) -- so, even if it isn't broken, they will say it is.