The 20th century was the American century. America solidified itself as the most prosperous, powerful and influential nation ever to exist. Sadly, America lost its way.

The role of government in all aspects of life increased. Politicians decided the best way to help the elderly and the disadvantaged was not through our communities and families as it had been in the past, but through behemoth government programs.

These shortsighted federal programs and a flawed philosophy of government bring us to where we are today. We are still the most prosperous and powerful country in the world. But even with our power and wealth we cannot pay for the government that has been built for us. This is truly a tragic accomplishment.

Republicans are not blameless for our current fiscal problems, not even close. At the turn of the last century, the federal government was running a surplus. During the presidency of George W. Bush, two wars, a new Medicare prescription drug entitlement, stimulus programs, TARP and crash of the American economy caused the national debt to expand drastically.

Today under a new president we find ourselves even deeper in debt with larger deficits than we have ever seen. In the first three years of President Barack Obama’s tenure the national debt has expanded as much as it had in all eight years of Bush.

Our entitlement programs are expanding at dangerous rates and will bury our country in the near future if nothing is done to fix them. In 2011, the federal government spent $2.2 trillion just on entitlements, and in the president’s proposed 2012 budget, entitlements accounted for 58 percent of total spending. In comparison, foreign aid accounted for 2 percent and national defense accounted for 19 percent.

Those who are now in college and younger will bear the brunt fiscal irresponsibility of their parents’ generation. This situation is not fair, but it is the situation that the country finds itself in. The millennial generation has to realize the programs their parents were promised will not be around in the same capacity for them. There is no reason a safety can’t be available for the next generation, but bold decisions must be made before it is too late, and it is out of the control of those who will be affected.

These will be tough and painful decisions to fix our current fiscal problems, but the United States has faced similar decisions before. It’s not a matter of if we can deal with our fiscal situation, we can. It’s if we have the strength, courage and poise to do it.

Patrick Mocete is senior political science and policy studies major. His column appears occasionally. He can be reached at pdmocete@syr.edu .  

Published on December 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm