I have a serious question that I really don't know the answer to and would appreciate some comment from those who might be able to quote some references.
You hear all the time from the Regressives on the Right(as well as a few the so-called "Conservative" Dems) that it is not the role of Government to help people who are unemployed or who need healthcare or anything when it comes to social services. That kind of Government assistance is commonly demagogued as being "welfare."
Yet, those same people never seem to have a problem with Government doing everything it can to help corporations and businesses, whether it be through trade legislation or regulations (or the non-enforcement thereof), and in fact, it seems like it is accepted as common knowledge that "creating jobs" is the No. 1 priority of Government. At every level, whether local city councilman to Governor to President. You always hear that concept: "we must do this to spur job growth."
My question is: where in the Constitution does it say Government's job is to help spur job growth? Or further than that, where did that concept arise and why is that not seen as Government intrusion? I know the reality is that it is most likely because government is corrupt and corporations have armies of lobbyists, but from a philosophical or historical point of view, just where did that idea that the U.S. Government's job is to help business begin or evolve from?