Disturbing Poll Numbers - 44% Feel that Government Should Spend Money on Programs for Younger Adults

Wow.  I am blown away by this.  What is the most disturbing is the fact that 46% of those that describe themselves as Republican feel this way as well.  Now it didn't go into what those programs should be, but still I am sitting here shaking my head.

There are government programs that I feel are good ones.  I think the Small Business Administration backing loans for businesses is a good use of public funds.  It helps promote economic growth as well as improving employment for people around the country.  Now, I do feel that if people don't pay back the loans, the assets should be seized so the tax payers are not on the hook.  Although I do find some of the ways that grants are given out is suspect at best.  It seems that if you are a white man, you need not apply.  Shocker.  But the loan program is a good government program.  But that program isn't based on age.  While it is unlikely that seniors are going to be applying for these, it isn't based on age.

I also believe that as a country the majority of us agree that we need to make investments in educating our young.  The disagreement comes from what level of government should be doing it, but virtually all feel that we need an education system.  Now I personally believe that it is  in major disrepair and needs serious overhaul, but I certainly don't feel that it isn't a good use of public funds.

While this should come as no surprise, the majority of people who feel that young should get more public funds are between the ages of  18-29.  This of course is the group that put the least amount into the system, yet feels it should be the group that takes advantage of what is there, and to be honest the way we spend money in this country it isn't even using what is there, it is borrowed money.  I guess the reality that they are the ones going forward are going to pay the highest price for all this borrowing.  But it will hit them eventually.

I am not a huge fan of Social Security.  I would like to see a plan that is partially privatized and allow people to make a choice about how to invest their money for their futures.  Lets be honest here, it is difficult, at best, to live solely on that income and it is costing tax payers a fortune.  While that is due to mismanagement by our government officials (Thanks, LBJ), it doesn't change the fact that we all are going to pay higher and higher taxes to pay out what was promised.  We still have a generation of people who were not able to take advantage of retirement plans from day one of their adult work lives, they absolutely should be given the benefits that they have paid in to.  But today virtually any worker can take advantage of retirement savings plan.  I even had one as a part-time retail worker.

I honestly don't know what it is going to take to make people see that our government is too big, too intrusive and way too expensive.  Paying a great deal of money in taxes due to reckless spending is why people don't have money to do the things that they want to do.