This long article from Nicholas Eberstadt at nationalaffairs.com is better skimmed than read. Although Mr. Eberstadt is badly in need of a more ruthless editor, the article is a good take on the entitlement state, and the American populace’s growing dependence on the government. From the one-graph-is-worth-a-thousand-words file:
http://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/american-exceptionalism-and-the-entitlement-state
For the graph and article: American Exceptionalism and the Entitlement State