As a former mayor of Cincinnati, and the former Treasurer of Ohio, let me assure you that cities and states can wield far more power than any corporation or union. The mayors and governors who run them have enormous influence, and presidents standing for reelection and members of Congress seek the favor of such individuals. Each of the three cities named above are in swing states, and California is a massive source of campaign cash for both parties.

I was always taught when growing up that when you reward bad behavior all you get is more bad behavior. From the mortgage meltdown to the automaker debacle to cities and states going under, it’s all bad behavior. It should not be rewarded.

The problem here is that our culture of debt—both personal and corporate—has created a culture of dependency. Everyone is calling out to our central government to give them money. And horrors of horrors, many are willing to let the federal government take ownership stakes in these entities and have a hand in their management.

That is the road to socialism.

The first step to ending the culture of dependency is to tell these corporations, cities and states they need to start taking responsibility for their actions by dealing with the consequences they have created for themselves.

If not, then we could accumulate a national debt that even our grandchildren will never pay off.