[kabar]

Exactly. The primary duty of government, as outlined in our Constitution, is to keep the nation safe from foreign enemies.

Great nations and civilizations in decline always have this battle--Guns versus Butter. Because it has more constituents, butter wins. The welfare state is collapsing. It needs more revenue to keep it treading water. Once defense is eviscerated, the next step is to raise taxes on everyone to keep the spending going. We have seen this played out in Europe over the past 65 years.

Eventually, faced with the inevitable fiscal reality, the benefits of the welfare state must be cut. This causes people to go to the streets in protest demanding what the government promised them. Civil unrest and disorder are the result. Big government and the loss of liberty are needed to restore order.

The bottomline is that the American public wants all of the benefits of the welfare state but without paying for them. I say let's go over the cliff and present the American people with the bill instead of insulating them from the costs, which are passed down to their children and grandchildren.

[rodguy911]

The bottom line is that the American public wants all of the benefits of the welfare state but without paying for them. I say let's go over the cliff and present the American people with the bill instead of insulating them from the costs, which are passed down to their children and grandchildren.

I"ll second that.