Neurotic

This business of who does or doesn't "deserve" help when they need it is the ugly core of our paralysis.

And as more middle-class families like the Gulbransons land in the safety net in Chisago and similar communities, anger at the government has increased alongside. Many people say they are angry because the government is wasting money and giving money to people who do not deserve it. But more than that, they say they want to reduce the role of government in their own lives. They are frustrated that they need help, feel guilty for taking it and resent the government for providing it. They say they want less help for themselves; less help in caring for relatives; less assistance when they reach old age.

The poorer we get the more cruel our disposition toward the poor becomes. It's a brutal neurosis and a self-defeating vicious cycle that almost certainly guarantees ruin.

But at least we're keeping the medieval magicians who want to dictate what sorts of health care choices are available to women happy. So we've got that going for us.