[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Unfortunately it's the kids who pay the most, and they did nothing to deserve it.

The theory is, if you help someone, they may be able to help themselves later and not make the same mistake, or teach others (or their kids) not to.

However if you don't, you could have a larger problem.

Yeah it sucks having to fix someone else problem, but in not doing so, you could be creating a larger problem. Pretty soon you can add increased homelessness and crime to the list.

I guess you'd say, 'well we don't have to help those people either, it's still their problem'.

Only, eventually, it will become your problem. Whether you did all the right things or not. Eventually you'll be paying somewhere in society. Probably with your taxes, and maybe with your lifestyle, depending on how bad it gets.

Why not pay a little in the beginning instead of a lot later on down the road?

Even if you really don't care about anyone else (which I'm sure you do) a libertarian can at least see the sense in that.

Unfortunately, what happens to a large degree here in the states is that we help (financially) but don't help the kids either. There is an entire subculture of this country that multiplies in order to receive more government benefits. Some say we have to help them financially. The problem is, that money doesn't help anyone. It's pissed away.

This is a very real and maybe the single biggest problem in the US today.