Andrew Tytler writes:

‘A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.’

Bread and circuses.

If you have to pay as you go along, you probably will make good decisions. If the decision making is done by those closest to the decision (v. ‘subsidiarity’), the responsibility for the decision and outcome is clear.

Of course the state and federal governments have roles to play. But we are paying the price now for their overplaying their roles and encouraging us/inviting us to live beyond our means.