"it seems like the american people lack the self discipline to really be given control of all the money they earn.... do you think the average american living paycheque to paycheque is going to put money in a savings account in the off chance they might have a heart attack in 15 years, or will they use that money to buy a new plasma TV."
What kind of insane thinking is this? An individual on this planet cannot be allowed to keep the works of his labor because he's "too stupid."? A very intelligent and responsible individual, havs to be taxed at exorbitant rates (and they are and will become even more exorbitant) because another individual has less discipline? I have to be forced to be generous? What kind of insanity is that?
Do you know where my taxes are going right now? To corporations like Haliburton. To a war in Iraq so that oil companies can get rich. A war that had been planned for YEARS BEFORE 9/11. Why are my taxes going to CORRUPTION and WARS? Because that is what individuals in power do. Power corrupts people. And the free market is 10000x more intelligent than a bunch of people with law degrees planning everything at the top. Governments CANNOT CREATE anything. All they can do is take money from one group of people and give it to another. They usually spend it on wars, defense, etc. It is always the common man, under the guise of safety, defense, respect for the poor and unprivileged, and alarming fear for his or her own personal way of life that is told, "You cannot keep the fruits of your labor. Though you are smart enough to earn your wage, you are not intelligent enough to spend it. It is your responsibility to work 4 to 5 months out of the year FOR THE GOVERNMENT."
As far as the obesity epidemic in America, in my estimation, it has already been shown that HUGH CORN SUBSIDIES are responsible for a huge portion of Obesity in America. When 1 food is subsidized for soooooo long and EVERYTHING on the American plate is now or has been raised on CORN (colas, sugar, ketchup, pop tarts, chickens, eggs, cattle, pig, milk, etc.) the human body simply stores fat because IT DOESN'T WANT MORE CORN. High Fructose Corn Syrup is evil (and it makes Coca-Cola not taste as good as when it was sweetened with sugar cane) and its existence is due to Americans being too "Dumb" to spend their own money, giving it to some "Smart" politicians, who then give it to corn farmers who then make soooooo much corn than it's in EVERYTHING. Subsidies are some of the most evil transferences of wealth an ill health that there ever were.
If Americans are too dumb to spend their own money, why do you want to give it to our politicians? Do you really think these individuals are so much more enlightened and nuanced then the rest of the populace?