The role of government, to them, is to maintain the military and law enforcement, and to maintain the economy. Both primarily to the benefit of the wealthy and powerful. All the rest is catering to the weak and unworthy.

They, of course, see themselves as belonging to the former class. The owners, the managers, the CEOs. The important people whose fortunes must be faciltated. They're who government is for.

And so disaster relief is given when expedient, with a firm "don't expect this a second time" warning. Education? The well off can have it. The rest, well, it's your fault you can't afford it. Sucks to be you. Ongoing economic equality? You're on your own.

And a nigh-unprecedented public health emergency? Let 'em die, the strong will survive.

Helping isn't what government is for.

@Nezchan
What was that about a government of the people, by the people, for the people?

@jens

Well now, it depends on how you define "people", doesn't it?

@Nezchan
Well, when I learned English as a second language, I understood "people" to mean "folks", but "the people" to mean the entire population.

@jens

Lots of situations where marginalized folks were not considered "people", and in fact much of the early US only gave white male landowners the vote.

@Nezchan
Oh absolutely. Makes that line even harder to swallow.