Are Americans becoming a bunch of "whiners," as Phil Gramm, one of John McCain's advisers, suggested? Note that McCain promptly rebuked Gramm for saying it.

I don't know whether most Americans are whiners, but I have this sense that about half of us are. At least half have come to expect the government to solve all our problems -- economic or otherwise.

When that doesn't happen, disgust with politicians rises. The president and Congress are nearing historical lows in approval ratings. According to some polls, the disgust isn't because government is doing too much. It's because government isn't doing enough -- whatever that means.

Whining isn't really a response to negativity. It's more a manifestation of expecting someone to do something for you that he or she simply isn't able to do. Children whine because mommy or daddy won't do what they want. Adults whine because "big government" won't take all their problems away.

Yet, the facts remain:

Government can't lower oil prices.

Government can't increase stocks or real estate values.

Government can't make medical care free without fundamentally changing the practice of medicine as we know it.

All government can do is get out of the way.

If there's a rational basis for whining, it's the fact that government won't get out of the way. But in a society where many people don't want to take care of themselves, it's not clear what the next step should be.