America's leaders haven't failed the American people. America's citizens have failed themselves, and their country. One big factor in how we ended up in this situation is that even many "conservatives" support limited government but insist that their pet programs or the government programs that benefit them must be protected at all cost.
If you have any doubts about this, just browse through any thread on this subject and see how many truly principled conservatives here on FreeRepublic are adamantly opposed to any reductions in entitlement spending.
>>>If you have any doubts about this, just browse through any thread on this subject and see how many truly principled conservatives here on FreeRepublic are adamantly opposed to any reductions in entitlement spending.<<<
That list doesn’t include me. It’s been my good fortune to have been broke to the point of almost nothing twice in my life, and my wife comes from a coutry with very little in the way of entitlement spending - no food stamps, no unemployment insurance, no welfare. Together we have lived within our means, and when the system collapses, we will still have a roof over our heads and food on the table. We are teaching our son the same skills.
I fully expect to have nothing at all when I’m at retirement age, frankly, and as a teacher, I expect whatever pension has been promised will either be looted or worthless. I’m not looking forward to that, but I’m doing my best to be ready for the eventuality.
If I’m wrong, no harm done. If I’m right, at least the fall won’t crush me.
However...
I think you’re right, too. I live in Alaska, and there’s a reason Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski were and are in the U.S. Senate. Alaska, sadly, depends heavily on federal largesse - in part because we’re unable to develop our own resources, but in large part, as you say, that people have developed a taste for suckling on the federal teat.
Be well and God help us.