Government programs and interest on the national debt were 38 percent in 1970 and now exceed 60 percent of the total federal budget. The welfare states in Europe are bankrupting their governments.
Demands on the U.S. government have grown steadily since 1870, as it has become an active redistributor of wealth.
Many people have become dependent upon the government to survive and human nature is predictable: No one wants spending to be cut for their programs and no one wants to pay more in taxes.
But nothing is free. For every benefit one person receives, another working person has to pay the bill.
Meanwhile, members of Congress care more about being re-elected and staying in power than the future of the country. If they cut spending or raise taxes, they don’t get re-elected.
Therefore, politicians tend to increase spending and to cut taxes — just the opposite of what needs to be done. How do we break this addiction to government programs and spending while setting priorities for spending a certain, limited amount of money?
These will be tough decisions and each person has a different opinion. A democracy involves objectively, not emotionally, discussing the facts and agreeing on the most optimal solution.
Dennis Lovejoy
Fairborn