The problem, as a liberal turned libertarian reverted to liberal (in other words having no particular ideological allegiance) is that government makes promises that it has no intention of keeping. Take for example my experience in getting disability for a recognized disabling balance problem,
…it took the Social Security administration nearly 5 years to approve my benefits. The government will use any technicality ANYTHING THEY CAN COME UP WITH to deny benefits to someone who has paid taxes on time for his entire life. That is the US government in a nutshell. They finally are paying me the benefits I was owed, so I’m sure some people will say “quit your bitchin'” but who can wait 5 years for benefits? Very few people. I was lucky and had retirement that I had saved to draw on, and generous family willing to help me through.
They knew within weeks that I had paid my taxes, that I had a disabling illness, and that consequently I should be paid benefits. But they spent years dragging their feet until it was clear that I wasn’t going to give up. Then they capitulated. It simply isn’t right that government acts this way. If a private insurance company acted this way they would be brought to court over the injustice. They’d probably win because they have better lawyers (so that isn’t really a viable alternative) but at least there would be recourse. Where is the recourse when your own government hopes that you will die before it has to pay you? When they hand out billions annually to profit-making corporations? It just makes you sick thinking about it.
