Are so called "Welfare States" so bad?

[eynon81]

[eynon81]

[Philly]

[eynon81]

[Dobby]

[spacemonkey]

America is fast becoming a welfare nation, in about 30 years it will probably be 3rd world status. As for sports, its ok and all, but beyond college level it has become a joke. A slap in the face to every man and woman with a REAL job.

[jimmyz]

[Indy]

That could happen. Which of course could probably be solved by revamping the system.

But that still doesn't change the fact that I paid into the system my whole life--pointing out that I may possibly outlive what I put in doesn't invalidate the original point.

We also pay into medicare too.

[exploited]

Most people are in favour of a "welfare state," when you take the time to make sure you are talking about the same things.

Social Security, for instance, is kind of a no-brainer. It just makes sense, economically and morally, to make people stop working at a certain age, and provide a decent salary for them to live on. Otherwise you incur all sorts of other costs, far outweighing what you've managed to cut. Not only that, but by giving people this option, we will be opening up positions for younger people to fill. And I think the majority of people in the West would agree that these sort of programs are important.

The problem is that alot of people think that a welfare state has to be accompanied by a nanny state. So along with great government benefits, you have stupid shit like zero tolerance in schools, an overbearing criminal justice system, etc. That's why, I think, most people are so hostile to the idea of a welfare state - because they think it implies greater social control elsewhere.

[Indy]

Yeah but where are these people? That want a nanny state?

Supposedly they're all out there, threatening our Capitalist Success Story, but I've never heard anybody support one.

In fact, when nanny state laws make news (no large sodas in NYC, many stupid ones here) they're universally derided.

Point: I'm guessing "nanny state" is purposely conflated with "social programs" to get people to actually vote for dismantling them, screwing themselves.