Food stamps: Symptom or cure for slowdown?

This transcript is automatically generated

A top Democrat is saying food stamps and unemployment insurance -- stimulus.

And the president argues the really successful didn't do it on their own wondering aloud.

What's happening to us.

Welcome everybody I'm Neil Cavuto I just call me worry.

Worried for a country -- elected leaders to find the symptoms of a slowdown as the terrorists before slowdown would food stamps and welfare our goal.

And not improving the economy that should make them unnecessary.

Then I start to wonder whether or what made this country great is gone and whether we keep this kind of stuff up.

Maybe it's time to sell this new brand of capitalism shorts to Ben Stein is a -- -- down illicit scheme Charlie Gasparino.

But he today.

I think -- goes back to the argument that we've been talking about for several years now as what role does government play and our lives who makes this country great.

Is it the government or is that the private citizens and I think that we are right now at a pivotal moment in our country's history.

Where we are in danger of becoming as a nation so dependent.

On not only government money.

But the government making decisions for us as individuals that either we stop it in its tracks or we are going the way of Europe and I'm talking about.

Not just -- -- food stamps and government assistance not talking about Medicare and all of the above.

You know events that I always suspected the government is the reason why you're the success you are.

Now we know -- Well anyway they are -- -- -- when my parents got out of graduate school they both worked for the government why bother when -- world or do in the navy so in a way they are.

But government is incredibly important let's not sell that short that's not sell short the Baghdad taxpayers.

Favorite things firefighters military police -- -- a great deal -- Let Liz abzug every -- but let's also a great individual vision that is what America's all about is all -- a great food stamps are -- in.

You're entirely right assembly of a problem but necessary we don't want any Americans going hungry.

It's a -- obligated mess but let's let's not sell individual initiative -- That is a key issue I just think that we've gone in the hyper drive exaggerating things -- when we when we talk about.

The -- the need for food stamps were for certain that those desperate civilian -- for what is absolutely absent or welfare absolutely.

But it gets to the numbers and the glorification that worries me gets to the sweeping.

Comments -- about people who are successful that worries and.

Right and I -- I think the president did -- all big favorite he did the country a great service here by making that comment about you know you owe this to.

You know you vote you owe everything to the government getting quite -- -- like that he said something along those lines because I didn't what he did.

What I think he did and I think Adam will agree with me on this is he drew the the lines pretty stark.

You America have a choice.

And hats off to present -- like giving -- that choice we if you take my way and it.

And by the way -- little difference did it to -- he wasn't saying like listen you have to appreciate some points of government from pres Obama was saying.

The country.

That -- that the way out of this is government and if you really believe that you vote for this president and if you don't we hope.

Mitt Romney makes the opposite argument but don't don't I think the president did a great thing here he drew the ideological lines.

Very starkly and now you the American people have a choice would you want more government was absolutely -- a.

I agree -- you up tool off to a point I agree that he did draw stark political point Charlie where I disagree is.

The message is not that you need to rely on government government will do for you we need more government the message was.

Don't kid yourself that you were able to accomplish this without you know hit -- system -- -- FAA keeping your plane -- Without all the men I think -- government.

Does to -- -- -- nobody here is not in the Tea Party is outraged.

About police and firemen with their outrage is the massive encroachment of government.

In our lives and the fact that the solutions.

To our economic problems going particularly from this administration and often Republicans.

Involved taxpayer money and government and not the prime wary of this -- disagree with the president that is all great favor by seeing if you want that vote for me.

You don't want that.

-- -- -- -- Where I disagree as you and Neil raised the issue of the sweeping language that's going on part of the sweeping language that's going on is exactly this.

Denigrating of the government this attitude -- Get out of my way it's a libertarian concept I don't need you but and a -- but at all from what the -- don't usually on knowledge that the president is using the same sweeping language I mean he's coming out and this is the president unites states.

Who's about having this in this country -- this thing's been built not on socialism not capitalism.

With the safety net for people report he's coming out and -- you the small visit I don't like what a slap in the face -- small businesses that.

You know mostly small businesses actually go under overall without government help and he basically -- you small business you view week you would just because of me.

And we government all autos are all I know you Rosemary stark political choice although note it was a very revealing comment you did bill that.

My mother who never emails me about anything political sent me an email saying wait just to sack ahead.

This is completely foreign to my family that both of my -- grandfathers.

Built businesses just through sheer will with a little formal education.

That because they worked hard and they believed in this country.

And I'm not parents -- sit back listed in this thing about all that my grandfather's contributed to the community.

And the people who they hired.

And then they have to listen to this -- my mother in this email when she wrote to me she said this is a totally foreign on a -- -- I don't know what country that we live and by the -- It's it's completely inaccurate.

-- -- The taxpayer money that funds infrastructure projects well it's not like well I'd like to I understand you know when the president saying this I know we couldn't take -- two -- You when he sort of do the roads and bridges thing -- other words -- that we've I guess we -- little K -- to Steve Jobs.

I think they did that it right so they never had to go outside but but leaving that aside then here's what I worry about that the underlying message and the plan.

Is that stimulus is food stamps stimulus is unemployment insurance.

We glorify.

The welfare we glorified.

You know the kind of support you get.

-- Norman Rockwell type commercials.

To be in -- to the government now I'm not denying that there are those in need and benefit from that.

But now we take it one step further to -- that's what words.

Well I agree it's extremely worrisome there's a song.

Called something like I want might be -- here I don't have the exact title right.

There's a video -- goes whether it's extremely upsetting obviously we do not want to be able to be dependent on government handouts that's -- realm that help.

Bread and circuses we don't want that in America and I did incidentally by that lately -- an event that individual image a little bit stronger going to let.

It ended but the dangerous which we have seen with this fight over food stamps and also unemployment benefits.

Is when the government stepped in -- Tom of crisis and need and ramps up.

Say 70% increase in food stamps since 2007 as an example unemployment benefits almost two years when they try and start taking it away.

People act light.

That you are doing doing great harm to the entire nation that is the danger because it only gets bigger and never gets.

While the other danger is if you keep attacking small businesses you you forget the fact that they are paying for the infrastructure that he's saying that they should be happy that the government provided -- Paste what I -- the same infrastructure every -- you're right Steve Jobs did something with that that others didn't write.

Bill Gates to Democrats -- mentioned there so I guess I'm decision we all had the same type of course so some of us.

Leapt on that and some -- and and a lot and the people that paid -- where those small business owners employ people.

Well it is what it is and it's it's weird -- following are going to take a break here talking -- and up.

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Food stamps: Symptom or cure for slowdown?

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