[charlie22]

Count me as a Hoot supporter. I believe economic collapse can and will be avoided. But it will take the average American voter doing the right thing and voting for politicians that will make the tough decisions to reduce our devastating national debt. No person, no company and no country can indefinitely survive huge amounts of debt. That's Economics 101.

While I've never philosophically agreed with the welfare state in this country, I'll admit that most in favor of big welfare programs due so out of a good heart. They want to help the poor and disadvantaged. That's great. And when our country was more prosperous, it was easier for me to stomach.

But we are not a prosperous nation at this time in our history. We are far from it. What we used to be able to afford, we can no longer afford. We have to drastically cut spending to nothing but the bare essentials. And welfare is not a bare essential for the federal govt. Those needy are going to have to look to their families and churches to get by. That will probably be a good thing. I think such will strengthen the family unit as well as the churches because they will once again become necessities in the lives of many. Much as the federal govt (through all of it's employment regulations) has undermined the need for unions, the federal govt (through all of its welfare programs) has undermined what used to be a big role of the family unit and the church.