I know it's a bit of a libertarian viewpoint but it is not the government's job to be my nanny. If I wish to throw all of my money down the toilet on some hopeless start-up I should be allowed to do so.
However in reality, some people do need protecting and the easiest way to do it is to "protect" everyone.
Why is the most important piece of information Kickstarter shares with you the amount already pledged? You can see this in their page layout and in their various widgets.