I think the governments should spend public money on economical activities which are beneficial for the people. Investing in Education, Culture, Health, etc, are obvious, since our taxes are designated for that. When a government gives money to a private industry, whose main objective is to make more money (disregarding the interest of the people, like banks for example), and then it refuses to help its citizens, the government is betraying its democratic principles.
A country with a majority of poor people (or sticken with poverty), without Education, with an uncertain employment future, and, the worst, without hope, it is a country without a future.
The politicians should remember that they work for us; we are their bosses. It is immoral that laws are designed to benefit companies, protecting them from taxes. It is immoral that in a country has many uninhabited, brand new houses which are uninhabited while there are a lot of homeless people.
I am Spanish and I do not believe I live in a democratic country, but I suppose the Portuguese, Greeks, Cypriots, Italians, Irish think the same.

Hope that helps a little :)