re: Now we're talking
Personally, I believe there is too much government cash giveway myself, although I tend to be most upset by subsidies to business, insurance plans for industries, tax cuts, bail-outs for banks and propertied interests, or guaranteed markets and profits and price supports. Pork barrel and corporate welfare.
But I draw the line at medical, educational and retirement benefits. These are national expenses with national benefits, there should be national responsibilities. Who get's what and how much is negotiable, but it should not all be written off a priori.
Quite a reasonable view, although I would dispute a tax cut being defined as a "subsidy."
Now, are you aware of the monetary amounts each of these categories tally up to?