$500 for being born?

A new proposal would give all children a savings account at birth with $500 in it. Not only does this seem like an insane proposal of spending in a time where the government should not be looking to increase costs but it also seems to be saying something really scary about peoples dependance on the government.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/juniors-first-paycheck-500-dollars-at-birth.aspx

Call me old school but I just don't understand at what point the US mentality turned from people being responsible for their own children to the government being responsible for everyone's children? In theory I guess the plan sounds nice, but how much more taxes will these children be paying in their lifetime to fund stupid plans like this? Are there not federal and state grants and loans available to people who wish to get them to go to college? Are not low income children eligible for almost a free ride to any state college? This plan is to make people "feel better" knowing they have savings? They don't have savings, the government started saving for you. This would not make me feel better, it would make me feel worse, my parents didn't want to do the right thing and save for me so Uncle Sam had to step in as my parent. It sounds demeaning.

Is the whole point of these programs to have a generation so dependant on government that people no longer do anything for themselves? That is a scary thought to me. Uncle Sam, keep that $500, I already have more than that saved for my unborn daughters college education!