There's a lot of hoopla about the federal government's "cuts" of food stamps, Medicare, etc. In fact, my very soul was threatened with damnation by a certain "Colonel" who is apparently also a clergy with a direct line to God. But the hoopla ignores the facts.

First off, these cuts aren't "cuts", but reductions in INCREASE. Ironically, the same entity that is blasting these cuts has been blasting away at our burgeoning national debt. Fiscal responsibility demands that if we're to look at reducing our national debt, we need to look at ALL areas where we can reduce, even when those areas happen to include our pet projects. There simply isn't enough money to make this country into a welfare state, without SEVERELY taxing the upper class and removing completely all incentive for achievement.

The most compelling reason to cut food stamps (even though, once again, this is not an actual CUT) is not because of the national debt, however. The reason to cut food stamps is because we're giving away FAR TOO MUCH to families. That's right; the reason you see welfare moms buying TBone steaks with food stamps is because they simply can't spend down all of the money the government allots them without spending it extravagantly.

During the six months we received food stamps, we were receiving an obscene amount of money. I won't tell you how much, but I will tell you that we had food in our cupboard in storage for several months after the six month time period during which we received food stamps. Because we are frugal and spend wisely, spending all that we had meant that we could barely find space to PUT all the food in some cases.

Programs that help the poor shouldn't be part of the government, in my opinion. But when and if they are, they should be as barebones as possible, to encourage thriftiness. After all, as several others on this site have pointed out, being poor shouldn't be comfortable. If poverty becomes comfortable, then there's no reason to improve your lot.