For those of you who believe Barack Obama is going to solve all your problems, it's time to sober up.

John Stossel, the libertarian columnist (and host of ABC's "20/20") throws some cold water on the face of anyone who believes government can solve problems.

Stossel uses the recent example of the Bernie Madoff fraud scheme to argue that what Madoff is accused of doing to investors, the government continues to do to taxpayers.

The government basically runs Ponzi schemes known as Social Security and Medicare, Stossel argues.

From his column:

The government will either stiff us outright or, more likely, cowardly politicians will pretend to honor their promises by printing so much extra money to write the checks that the dollar will be worth pennies.

If Bernie Madoff tried to foist Social Security and Medicare on us, he'd be arrested, prosecuted and thrown in the hoosegow.

There's one thing I can say on behalf of Madoff: He never forced anyone to participate in his scheme. That's more than I can say for the government. Through taxation and inflation, it forces us to pay for all its schemes.

Read his full column, "Government promises are merely lies" here.

For more by Stossel, visit his Web site.