"Entitlements", not war, are the highest and best use of government. That really shouldn't be debatable. The biggest threat, the only threat, to the American democracy comes from within, comes from shutting out more and more people from any stake in the system.

The disparity between rich and poor, the number of people in prisons, the growing underclasses, are all grave threats, far more than, say, Iraq or Afghanistan.

If there isn't opportunity any more, then another way must be found to provide basic services, such as health care. If there aren't jobs, let alone jobs providing health insurance, are we to watch people die because of a lack of preventative care? Would we rather see the government buy a wealthy person's bad investments so as to keep that person wealthy while watching babies health care neglected? What kind of priorities are that?

Provide "entitlements" or a way to obtain them or the country will collapse. it will not survive long as a banana republic.

I don't understand how middle-class people have been persuaded to work against themselves, but it's happened. "Animal Farm" and "1984" didn't tell the half of it.

Arf