This country was founded by genius. It is now being run by not idiots but progressive genius. The current ruling class (the politicians) are not idiots. They are well aware of what they are doing and what it will do to the country. They have been working and planning for this since the late 1800’s. They tried under Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Johnson and Clinton and now under Obama. Each president move the progressive bar further down the road.
These men kew what they were dong and how to get it down. Each blurred the line a little. Obama is setting things up for the final push into socialism or perhaps even communism. These are men of genius and vision. I would call them evil geniuses having warped vision, but there are other who see them as bright and shining lights of genius, just as Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin were viewed both ways, depending on which side of the Revolution you stood on.
The people have been trained to expect more and more from there government, just as Pavlov trained the dogs. Given treats when performing the way the trainer wanted, punished when they didn’t. There are now multiple generation of families who are on welfare. They have been trained to accept this as there natural state and to accept it as a proper way of life. Most have little or no comprehension of what the rest of the world lives like. If they did they wouldn’t stay in poverty and waiting for government handouts. That is not the natural state of people. The government has created this state, it gives them power.
It is not just the United States. Look around. Great Britian, Spain, Greece and many others. The government has created a dependent class one they hope keeps them in power. There is a genius in this, and evil genius but genius no the less
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Never under estimate the opposition. If you do they will crush you into duct.

Wasn't it Reagan that said, "If you subsidize something, you're going to get more of it."
America is living proof of that idea. Every bad thing that gets money thrown at it, only ends up getting progressively worse and worse: hunger, sickness, drugs, obesity, poverty, take your pick. Besides, there is way more money to be made in 'treating' problems than 'curing' them.

We have gotten away from our roots. I really don't think feeding the needy is our problem though.