[quote=eavesdropper]
The current entitlement programs were largely created or had their benefits vastly expanded during a time of unprecedented sociological change that, I believe, provided a fertile breeding ground for exponential growth of the rolls, and an accompanying change in attitude by the citizenry. As for the government, almost every large entitlement program becomes a proverbial “third rail” once it passes into law. There are almost no candidates, of any party affiliation, that will dare to touch it during their tenure in office.
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And I think its safe to say that the period of unprecedented social change corresponded to something of a one-off in terms of American power (economic and military). The period between 1945 – 1972 was the apogee of American power and, combined with the triumphalism of our victory in WWII and the sense of duty attendant to the Cold War, there was an attitude that we could, as a rich country, afford “Guns AND Butter” (personified in LBJ’s desire to finance the war in Vietnam AND The Great Society programs).
There are significant parallels in the rise and fall of General Motors and largely due to many of the same factors: A sense of hubris, driven by stellar profits and a commanding hold on US market share, led GM to a similar precipice, and then off.
