A responsible (federal) government is not necessarily a "big" government

I just watched the story on 60 Minutes about the Stand Down organization that helps homeless veterans over a three-day period. They are given food, shelter, medical care, and clothing. Some, after interviews and counseling, make it on to further care. Most do not and are forced to return to the streets. Understandably, the ones most eligible for further assistance are those with the most severe crises such as addiction and serious medical conditions. But this leaves the remaining homeless with little options but the streets once again.

The conservative mindset is that the role of the federal government needs to be extremely limited. Small. Less. But the words "limited" or "small" or "less" are all too general and vague. As a result, these words often translate into non-existent. Though I am not a proponent of war unless absolutely necessary (for example if one's country is directly attacked by another nation), what is maddening to me is the fact that because the American attitude toward the federal government is to try to over-limit it, this translates into not enough services for our citizens in need. In this example, we offer the soldiers respect and support for enlisting and serving, but disregard and even ignore them when they return from duty. It is an example of where the conservative mindset of shunning "big government" can be so damaging. In other words, it's not "big government" to spend money on defense in order to fight a war, but it is "big government" to spend money on resources to provide for the comfortable transition and continued care of the same soldiers after they have served. That is simply irresponsible and inhumane. It is also selfish...like wanting someone to fight your battle for you, but unwilling to assist them with their wounds when they return. I'm afraid that this is consistent with the conservative attitude that assisting someone might make them lazy. But there is a big difference between providing for someone permanently and giving them temporary and necessary help. If our country is going to accept a volunteer soldier and deploy them into combat, we as a country need to be equally prepared to provide services for the safe and effective transition of those soldiers in reentering civilian life.

We should be mortified with embarrassment and shame that any of our veterans are homeless after they have served for us in any military capacity. A portion of our tax dollars should go toward offering the best V.A. care money can buy.