Acting for "Future Generations"

There is some kind of silly cult of 'the future' and 'the children'. I guess that is where the saying 'children are our future' comes from. We must save the children (No Child Left Behind!) and protect their future welfare. An important part of this for the liberal establishment is preservation of the environment and the planet - whatever that means.
Now the question to ask here is: why should we act this way? What do we owe to 'future generations'?
Personally, I couldn't care less about future generations. As I wrote in my post about social responsibility (here) I have no interest in acting on behalf of people to whom I owe nothing. Where, may I ask all these neo-libs and neo-cons, is the quid pro quo in me working for future generations? Are they going to pay me back somehow? Is a kid born 20 years after my death going to reciprocate my services in some way? How is this behaviour to my advantage? Again I emphasize - as long as I want to help (I will surely want to help my own children one day), I should be allowed to help. But I cannot be forced to help people who I do not want to help! Most public education and environmental protection programs are just about that. I should be forced to pay money for crazy plans like Cap and Trade in order for someone 100 years from now to reap the benefit? Over my dead body!
Secondly, there is an important thing the Lefties are overlooking. Their own actions are actually making the living standards of future generations decline. The crazy left (and neo-cons are definitely leftists) drive deficits and debt up so constantly making our children indebted before they are even born! They reduce future living standards (future consumption) in favor of current living standard (current consumption). And not only that! They also tax us to death making investment in the future nearly impossible. If I have to pay 50% taxes, I don't have enough money left to improve my house or my business, things future generations will at some point be using. Socialists focus on capital destruction instead of capital creation.

Following on from last night's elections I want to congratulate all the winners (especially all the Tea Party people!). Many times, of course, the voters chose wrong. I was hoping villains like Barney Frank might have to leave their cushy Washington posts. I am very pleased with the performances of real Tea Partiers like Marco Rubio and Rand Paul. Let's hope they do some good. I just wish the likes of Peter Schiff were there with them...