Government

It is generally assumed that conservatives prefer less government and liberals more, but this is often exaggerated to the point where you are either for or against government. If the government does nothing you have lawlessness and if the government does everything you have socialism and most people want neither of these extremes. My idea of how much government should do, will likely be different than your idea and the country has vacillated around the middle of the road. I voted for Bill Clinton for a number of reasons but one was when he said that welfare should be a helping hand and not a way of life. During my time I have received government help from various sources. For example when I worked my company was allowed to deduct payments to me which indirectly means that the government was instrumental in paying for my salary, my pension and my health insurance. When I deduct the interest on my home loan the government is paying for part of my house payment. I attended a state university which means that the government paid for 3/5ths of my education. If a person loses their job for reasons beyond their control it is OK to help them with unemployment benefits but should they last for 26 weeks like they used to or up to 99 weeks as they do now. How about 5 or 10 years? When does the helping hand become a way of life. What about the 16 year old mom who lives off the government because her mom did it when she was 16 and her grandma did it when she was a teen? After three generations is this a way of life? Does the fact that I worked and paid taxes all my life make my government benefits different than 40 years of moms living on welfare and never working. What about moms on welfare who work?