Suppose that the welfare state, with its promise of cradle to grave entitlements and its promise of wealth redistribution, “social justice,” and “benefits,” ceased to exist. Suppose that the welfare state, constructed during the progressive and New Deal era and afterwards, ended totally and permanently. What would happen? If we are to believe the progressive philosophy, old people, the unemployed, the weak and the needy, children, the disabled and others would suffer immensely. The progressives, along with “moderates” and “compassionate conservatives” would claim that the streets of every town, hamlet and city would be littered with a sea of human misery and awash in human tragedy. I believe otherwise.
If the welfare state were to end, the following would transpire:
- States and local governments would take responsibility for the welfare of their citizens that reside in their jurisdictions.
- Churches, Synagogues, Non-Profits would provide for the weak and the needy not only financially, but moral and emotionally as well.
- Disability would be handled also by the private sector giving these individuals a great deal of moral and emotional support.
- Programs that were once the responsibility of the federal government-i.e. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, would be handled by the private sector.
- The U.S. Budget, which 90% is used to interfere in a majority of the affairs of all men and women, would dramatically be trimmed down.
- A new era of freedom, responsibility and liberty would take root.
With the welfare states cracking and crumbing in Europe, particularly in Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, and the growing realization that it cannot at all be sustained, the U.S. is similarly realizing this fact as well. Though there are a great many in the American populace that fear the welfare state’s ultimate demise, there is a great many more that are realizing a new way of thinking and a new resolve that liberty is preferable to statism. Is it worth it all? I say that it is.