The beauty of Democracy is anything can be changed at any time by a vote of its people. You don't take that right away just because a particular group fears a bad outcome.
Gen you have been at times, how do I put this, let's say less than civil. I fight in kind. You have every right to disagree with anything I say. But when you cross that line, yes I will be standing there to confront you. I hope you at some point give us a chance to work together on something, anything... America needs that and President Obama has stressed that he wants to work together.
Some serious Rescissions & Depressions would take too long to turn around on their own causing needless pain and suffering to too many people when government can and should be there to help.
There are times when helping real people isn't a political philosophy thing... it's just helping people who need help. The fact that a Fascist or a Socialist did things in some way or another has no bearing on what helps people in a particular situation at a particular period in time. All things don't have to be permanent to help.
That's the problem with your labeling ideology. If you are starving you don't care if the guy giving you a piece of bread is a Capitalist or Socialist or Facist... he's just giving you a piece of bread. In the past plenty of hurt & wrong was done by the Robber Barons of Capitalism so even the good guys are less than perfect.
Capitalist systems have both prospered and failed. Often changes must be made to prevent an overthrow of the whole system if things deteriorate to greatly. Robber Barons, Monopolies, I could go on... history scholars would tell you totally unchecked capitalism is no utopia I assure you.
As we plan to reduce the war hugely and pull out of Iraq. Slightly different then when just going in.
That "skyrocket" quote is a partial quote taken out of context and you know it... this is why we don't get along. If the grid needs help... it needs help. If there's a valuable and needed long term goal... there's a valuable & needed long term goal.
As far as your "smokes" I wish they'd tax them to about $10 a pack... or better yet just outlaw their sale for health reasons. I've seen to many people die because of them and they raise everyone's healthcare cost while providing no good effects whatsoever... they only feed their own dependence.
ALL GREAT IDEAS! Our military should be tech driven not boots driven. We should be in the military business of always being able to repel any force but not occupy entire countries. We 21st century tthinking... not Cold War thinking.
And the means testing for S.S. is another great idea. If the choice becomes say raising everybody to collect any benefit to 70-75 or have some income restrictions on benefits for people that say bring in 100,000K or 150,000K per year without it... I'm fine with that. It's still there if they need it.
Somethings are needed and justifyable... some things are not. Finding the balance is the hardest part. Doesn't make everything government spends on bad. Things evolve, needs change and many things are much better today than in the past.
It's not like most people live back in the hollers in log cabins with a little garden a couple cows and chickens or even on a farm.
Give this new administration a chance. 
