U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, a Democrat representing North Carolina’s 12th congressional district (which is drawn sorta funny), recently met with constituents in Rowan County to discuss the stimulus bill.

The Salisbury Post reported this anecdote from the Q&A:

One woman said she and her husband had been conservative with their finances over the years, paying off their house and putting their children through college.

She asked how the stimulus package was going to help them.

Watt said he was glad to address any question thrown at him, but said he couldn’t throw out blanket statements, noting that everyone in the room would be affected in different ways.

“I’d have to analyze your entire situation,” Watt told the woman. “I don’t think we can address that in this situation.”

You see, according to Keynesian economic theory, fiscal responsibility, either for individuals or the government, is a big no-no. Saving? Avoiding debt? Thoroughly un-American concepts!

In fact, if you played by the rules, this stimulus bill punishes you. If you paid your bills and avoided insane sub-prime mortgages, you get short shrift. Your neighbor, who over-extended, gets rewarded.

Last time I checked, that’s called moral hazard.