Does the American government see its citizens as its children?

With all the great life-saving technologies and programs, it's hard to imagine that America would actively treat its citizens like children. Here are just a few recent examples of how America loves its children:

-The FBI maintains a list of "SUSPECTED CHILD PORNOGRAPHERS" for use in undercover operations

-An early 2000s experiment found that prison inmates were 34 times less likely to reoffend than those who were released on parole or probation, leading many states to increase the length of their prison sentences

--Despite having more than 1 million prisoners in 2016, California still has no law prohibiting people from being arrested simply because they are homeless.

--President Obama signed the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in 2009, which required states to develop "individualized plans to assist juveniles with finding and completing a course of study leading to a high school diploma."

--The government authorizes 48 programs at the state level that provide free tutoring for low-income students, from pre-K through 12th grade.

--Texas law requires all children ages 7 to 10 to spend 20 hours per week in "academic instruction" at school.

--In 2015, the state of Texas passed a law that requires all middle school students in public schools to learn CPR.

--There are even organizations that exist to help parents teach their children how to be financially responsible.

--The Federal government has appropriated more than $10 billion since 1998 for programs specifically designed to "prevent, reduce, or eliminate problems associated with lead-based paint in public and other off-campus housing" for low-income families.

--All states have laws that require drivers who injure a child to pay all of the child's medical bills, regardless of fault.

--In 2013, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that Mississippi spent approximately $234 per child on education compared with $1,728 per child on correctional facilities. Incarceration costs 3x as much as education.

--Since 2008, the federal government has spent approximately $385 million on programs to reduce lead poisoning in American children. These programs include funding for kits to test for lead in schools, grants to help workers clean up old paint, and a program of professional training and support for environmental health professionals.

-The CDC has spent more than $1 billion since 2012 on multiple programs designed to "prevent, control, and eliminate traumatic brain injury among athletes." These programs have been largely ineffective at achieving their goals.

--Programs designed to "build better communities" have provided nearly half a billion dollars since 2000 to the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium (DVCC). The DVCC has distributed more than $500 million to 2,500 domestic violence organizations, of which roughly half are faith-based.

--The CDC has spent $400 million on the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories Network since 2010. The network's purpose is to detect, prevent and control emerging infectious diseases among military personnel, first responders and children in school-based settings.

--Since 2008, the government has spent more than $200 million on a program that provides teenage girls with "community education and mentoring" designed to "build self-esteem and self-confidence. 

--There are at least 15 federal grant programs, totaling more than $2.5 billion, that provide funding, equipment and training to state and local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of teaching children how to avoid criminal activity.

-The government allocated $7.6 million in 2010 to a program that provides grants to youth organizations in low-income neighborhoods so they can hire "mentors" who will serve as role models for children.

--Since 2012, an independent commission has provided several grants totaling more than $650K to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network so it could "develop evidence-based interventions for child victims of military families." A recent study found that these spending programs have had very little impact on child outcomes.

--Since 2009, the CDC has provided $2 billion to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides heating assistance to low-income households.

--In 2016, the state of Mississippi awarded a $622,000 federal grant to an organization called "My Brother's Keeper Alliance." The organization's purpose is "to improve opportunities and outcomes for youth of color from birth through college." The state of Illinois spent a similar amount on grants that year.

--An investigation by Think Progress found that several nonprofit groups receiving federal grants have explicit goals to work with children. One group described its mission as helping "boys who have been traumatized and hurt by sexual abuse participate in healthy relationships with adults. Specifically, this program serves all boys ages 11 to 24 who have been sexually abused by a man, has been offended by pornography, or is in need of assertiveness training to deal with issues of sexual orientation."

--In 2015, the government launched a new program called the Promoting Safe and Supportive Communities Initiative that provides funding to states so they can implement "community-based interagency collaboration" to reduce domestic violence and juvenile delinquency.

--The CDC provides more than $21 million annually to programs designed to prevent violence against law enforcement officers across the country.

--For at least 20 years, every state has had a child-pornography prosecution unit that sends warning letters to individuals who are accused of viewing child pornography.

--In 2010, the CDC began funding a program called "Violence Prevention" that provided $3.3 million in grants to "intervene at the intersections of childhood trauma and substance use."

--Texas' Children's Protective Service makes more than $180,000 per case it handles in child welfare investigations.

--Since 2008, a program called the National Automotive Task Force has provided $4 million in federal funding for states to implement training programs for teachers and staff working with children.

--Over the last 15 years, Washington D.C.'s Office of Victims Services has distributed nearly $36 million in federal grants specifically designed to intervene with juveniles who possess or purchase sex toys or pornography depicting minors engaged in sexual activity.

--A New York City program called "Catch a Predator" hosts sting operations in bars, parks and other public spaces. The purpose is to "arrest adults who are seeking to engage in sexual contact with minors." The program has cost local taxpayers nearly $3 million since it was launched in 2004.

--The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded more than $2 million in grants for groups dedicated to combating human trafficking over the last ten years.

--Since 2012, the government has provided $19 million to fund programs that discourage alcohol consumption among adults and adolescents. These programs include "enhanced enforcement, collaboration with community partners, alcohol-free events and sober driving campaigns.

Conclusion

The federal government has become a vehicle for transferring money from hard-working families to politicians, bureaucrats and crony capitalists.

-- $800 billion in farm subsidies.

--$500 billion in defense contracts and grants.

--$500 billion in bank bailouts.

--$300 billion in tax credits and tax deductions.

--$100 billion in student loans.  

--$100 billion in direct payments to individuals not eligible for Social Security or Medicare -- more than $1 trillion total since 2008.