Here on Free Republic a few days ago a bunch of government-employee members were pitching a fit about possible cuts to government salaries or retirement benefits. It seems like the fastest way to turn a conservative into a liberal is to put them on a public salary and threaten to take a dime away.
Its just human nature.
You wean generations on welfare checks -- and it becomes an 'entitlement'. They expect it and they'll riot if it goes away.
People who have received promises that they'll get perpetual checks from the government money tree - without considering that a money tree doesn't exist - will riot when they're told that the money tree doesn't exist.
Reality is sometimes a cold bucket of water in the face - and I expect difficulty when it happens - but the sooner we face reality the better.