Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It

Fantastic reporting from the New York Times about the delusions suffered by conservatives in the United States. The piece, Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It, documents stories of people who think that government spending on entitlements has gotten out of control, including video and supporting interactive charts. The delusion becomes apparent when watching the subjects of the story talk. These people decry the government and governmental programs while they themselves have been, or currently are, recipients of the United States governmental programs:

Many people say they are angry because the government is wasting money and giving money to people who do not deserve it. But more than that, they say they want to reduce the role of government in their own lives. They are frustrated that they need help, feel guilty for taking it and resent the government for providing it. They say they want less help for themselves; less help in caring for relatives; less assistance when they reach old age.

via Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It — NYTimes​.com.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D7XTWLMLYCOSAUUESXIPDBXUMU Michael M

    Fascinating. And why are we so increasingly dependent on government? We have allowed businesses to put profits before absolutely everything. It used to be possible for one spouse to work and provide a good income, medical benefits for the whole family, and receive a pension that would provide for a decent retirement. Now, we have to fund our own retirement, we have to patch together health insurance with larger contributions and co-pays, both spouses usually work, and one bad year in the market can destroy our plans.

  • Anonymous

    My husband points out that very often these people believe OTHERS are unjust recipients. They, themselves are just honest Americans, not those freaks you hear about .… yeah. You get the idea. This election cycle scares the bejeezus out of me. Obama isn’t perfect, but he’s a damned sight better than the other options, and a doubledamned sight better than the last man in office.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/JIXMZMOO764AJ5LOXZKYF2XG5Y Tami S

    This is a really interesting topic. I just tried to have this convo with ditw republican hubby.  Thinking and praying for you during this tough time.

  • Kim Funk

    I’m a conservative. Fiscally, anyway. And I have people who qualify and use government entitlement programs. Of course I’m going to use any program that the government has out there that I’m qualified for. And the stuff I don’t qualify for, I won’t use. I also believe in taking care of my own. So when my daughter was a very young un-wed mother, she lived with us and didn’t use the welfare program that she qualified for. She also didn’t use food stamps because we kept her and her son fed and housed and clothed. But a close relative who shall remain semi-anonymous, when in that same situation, moved out of her parents home because she could with welfare and food stamps and other programs out there.

    Taking care of your own and allowing yourself to be taken care of by family isn’t as fun as living on your own can be. But I believe it would happen more if the programs weren’t out there.

    And I do think we need to have safety nets out there. Because there are members of our society who don’t have the family safety net. I don’t have the answers. But I believe the first step to the solution is for those who are able to take care of their own so society can be freed up to take care of those who really need the help. 

  • Michael Steele

    Ayn Rand towards the end of her life accepted government assistance.. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R23VN6QNWPJEC65N5VOZPOZT24 Liv Dogeso

    Thanks for the recommendation. It’s a fascinating look and read and with laser precision gently points out the fact that many of our countrymen/women often vote against their own self-preservation. Normally pieces like this make me feisty and even more motivated to keep Obama in the WH, but this one just made me sad.