The meaning of entitlement in Merriam Websters is:
1 a : the state or condition of being entitled : right b : a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract
2 : a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program
3 : belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges
See entitlement defined for English-language learners »
Almost everything the federal government does is an entitlement. Consider for example defense. Do US citizens have the right to be defended from invasion? Sure we do. So defense is an entitlement. Do people in the US have a right to justice? So justice is an entitlement. Do holders of US bonds have a right to collect interest? So interest is an entitlement. Do senior citizens have a right to receive medical care? Yup, the entitlement is called Medicare.
So what has happened. In the glossary of political terms the meaning entitlement shifts. The following quote defines the change in meaning:
The most important examples of entitlement programs at the federal level in the United States would include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, most Veterans' Administration programs, federal employee and military retirement plans, unemployment compensation, food stamps, and agricultural price support programs.
Somehow entitlements like trials, defense, interest on bonds, . . . conveniently are left out. Now one need only say say entitlement programs to refer to social security, Medicare, Medicare, pension benefits, . . . Everything else is omitted. The truth is almost every dollar spent by the federal government is spent on an entitlement program. We just do not think of the programs that way because we have changed the meaning of entitlement.
Thus when President Obama Pledges Entitlement Reform we all know that he does not mean reforming all federal programs, only spending cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, most Veterans' Administration programs, federal employee and military retirement plans, unemployment compensation, food stamps, and agricultural price support programs. Because most of the money is in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, you can guess where most of the spending cuts will be.
So guess what, seniors get ready to eat cat food and die.
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