A Government that can do all things for you is the same Government that can take away everything from you. The Government at its worse is pure force, which will usurp everything from you, and at its best Government follows a quid pro quo philosophy. They say there is no such thing as a free lunch and particularly when those benefits are provided by the Government; you can be assured that this is indeed so. The Government provides us with retirement benefits, health care benefits, student loan benefits, food benefits, housing benefits, and all sorts of benefits not specifically enumerated, and in return Government expects total loyalty from its subjects when it comes to the ballot box, when it comes to war, and when it comes to compliance with Governmental needs.
Citizens that believe that their shelter, nutrition, and health needs will continued to be met by their Government without any sacrifice or obligation on their part are missing the big picture. There is always a price to pay for the receiving of benefits from Government agencies. Always! This price depends upon your stage in life and your capacity to serve the Government. You will, for instance, be incarcerated by the Government for failure to adhere to certain standards or you will instead be the enforcer that makes sure that those recalcitrant citizens know their place. Your children and your children's children will 'voluntarily' join the military or paramilitary or intelligence agencies or other agencies as needed for the Government or your benefits will be wrested away from you. Obedience to the State will be rewarded with the necessities of life, and disobedience will be punished with the lack and access to those very necessities.
The Government has the capability of co-opting nearly everyone because their status is protected and upheld by legislation, law, and the power of arms. Those that believe they are independent will find out soon enough whether they truly are independent, because without gainful employment, without access to money, without credibility and status, your ability to ply your trade is severely compromised. Virtually all public companies that engage or contract with the Government are compromised and are willing to bend to the dictates of their pay-master. Privately held corporations and individuals may or may not have freedom, depending upon how far up or how far down they are on the food chain, but when the law and the power that supports the law are felt like boots upon their supine neck, they will understand the true meaning of words like "freedom" and "subservience".
The bigger our Government gets, the stronger the chains are that bound and contain us. When the Government knows our business, monitors our personal life, controls our educational and later our employment opportunities, the battle is effectively over. A country once known as the land of the free and the home of the brave is a shadow of that once proud past. True freedom comes from the autonomy of the individual in which we have the opportunity to do the things that we ought to do, and true bravery is the strength of character to fight for right in the face of wrong. Those worthy patriots have for the most part been swallowed or eliminated or compromised by the State.