First off, this thread rocks. It is thru intelligent debate that we grow as a people.
In my humble opinion, I blame many things wrong in this country on two things: Nazis and leasing. The two Great Wars (like anything is great about war) drained our country (and others of course) of our best and brightest. Sure many people were drafted but many volunteered as well. The same mentality behind volunteering is what gave our country such a strong core. People willing to get off their duff and give it all for what they believed in. A lot of these great people died leaving a lower percentage of "decent folk". Additionally, as evil as the Nazis were they ran a tight ship. Many of our leaders looked at the German government and took notes. Gun control in it's current form has definite roots in Hitlers Germany. So between the death of the best of us, the jading many others and people who think that Hitler had "good ideas" the Nazis left a strong impression on us.
Leasing is also a totally rotten concept from a civil point of view. Financially? Sure, it's ok. It's the mindless activity that leasing inspires I detest. To borrow a term from the quality buzzwords, ownership is of vital importance when it comes to giving a damn. People tend to only care when they have a vested interest in something. People that lease and know they are going to give the car back later has less incentive to take care of the vehicle. People drive the crap out them and don't maintain them. People have to feel involved in the events that surround them or they won't care what happens and when people stop caring is when everything goes down the crapper. Vested interest is what runs our economy, our country. I think a lot of problems come from people who think they are not part of things.
Please don't focus on leasing itself, I was just using that as on example of "ownership" leaving everyday life. I have a friend that takes great care of his leased vehicle, of course he also is a good father and has a great work ethic as well. Also, if someone wants to go off on gun control, start another thread, don't want to derail this one, a decent conservation is damn hard to find these days.
