08.11.09, 07:18 AM 48 replies
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If the govt subsidizes my housing, my food and my healthcare, what incentive do I have to work?

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08.11.09, 07:18 AM Flag ]
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  • If the govt subsidizes my housing, my food and my healthcare, what incentive do I have to work?

    48 replies [ Reply | Watch | More
    08.11.09, 07:18 AM Flag ]
    • b/c eventually you're going to want more than what the gov't is going to give you. although i think you are right to a certain extent. signed, btdt.

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      08.11.09, 07:19 AM Flag
      • np Depends on how much the govt gives. In the UK, they give quite a bit, and there are many council house dwelling families that haven't worked in generations.

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        08.11.09, 07:49 AM Flag
        • ANd ours gives cr*p and there still is the generational poverty problem.

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          08.11.09, 08:33 AM Flag
          • Doubt there are families where no one's worked since the 40s, though. And there are plenty of these in the UK. Hell, you can say you're depressed, go on freebie anti-depressants and get out of working COMPLETELY! Half of UB wouldn't have to work in the UK.

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            08.11.09, 09:21 AM Flag
          • np The dirty little secret that no one every mentions is that some people aren't all that smart. And neither are their kids. And on it goes.

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            08.11.09, 09:23 AM Flag
    • The veiled point you are trying to make is weak.

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      08.11.09, 07:23 AM Flag
    • b/c you dont want to just live in projects and eat govt cheese

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      08.11.09, 07:25 AM Flag
    • why don't you ask a farmer or a large corporation that same question?

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      08.11.09, 07:26 AM Flag
      • np: That's a problem too. Why would corporations behave differently than they have if they beleive they'll get bailed out when things go bad.

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        08.11.09, 07:28 AM Flag
        • they have been getting bailed out all of your natural life -i'm not referring to the tarp. it's just silly to me that people are willing to subsidize all sorts of other stuff, but not basic healthcare for all. I think the argument is being framed improperly.

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          08.11.09, 07:30 AM Flag
          • Not all of them. Lots of corporations have failed over the years. The S&Ls in the 80s, Eastern Airlines, and last year Lehman Brothers. One of the reasons sited for not rescuing Lehman was moral hazard -- the concept that if buisnesses expect to be bailed out they will behave more recklessly. The same concept can be applied to individuals.

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            08.11.09, 07:34 AM Flag
            • by virtue of the fact that most of them avoid corporate taxes, they get bailed out. don't even talk about halliburton and all it's subsidiaries. if you want to be outraged, talk about the $ spent on the war. if they can do that, they can immunize some children and care for the poor. pigs.

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              08.11.09, 07:49 AM Flag
              • You're really lumping a lot of things together there. First off, there are free immunization programs in this country available to all, even you. Nobody was talking about Halliburton or the war so I'm not sure why you're bringing it up. And nobody has said (on this thread) that the government is spending 100% of the taxes the right way. I doubt you could find anyone anywhere who would say that. But please stick to the topic at hand if you'd like to have a meaningful discussion. If you would like to rant instead go ahead.

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                08.11.09, 07:57 AM Flag
          • ITTTA. The argument is totally inverted and without merit. You can't own a car or a home in the US without ins., yet we cry that our *rights* are being taken away if we are required to have health ins. We confuse right with privelege at an alarming rate. I really think a civics course should be mandatory but then again, ppl have the right to be stupid.

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            08.11.09, 07:40 AM Flag
            • i hear what you are saying and think you have a good point. but there's a big difference between health insurance and car insurance. in one, the bill being picked up if you are negligent will fall on another individual, in another, the bill will fall on the collective public.

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              08.11.09, 07:45 AM Flag
              • it will fall on the other ind. ins. And with the current sysytem of HC, when an unins. person needs care, those of us with ins. still pay. They sysytem is broken and the two most to blame are ins. co.s and big pharma.

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                08.11.09, 07:49 AM Flag
            • What a dumb analogy. If I don't have car insurance and wreck your car and injure you, you're screwed (unless I'm wealthy--in which case I wouldn't be driving without insurance). I I don't have insurance and break my arm, I'll have a bill to pay.

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              08.11.09, 07:52 AM Flag
            • Car insurance is one of the prices you pay if you want to have a car. You can't say the same about medical insurance. You don't get to opt out of not having a body.

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              08.11.09, 07:59 AM Flag
              • The point is, IMO, if you don't have ins. someone else has to pay for you. ppl should be made have some ins.

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                08.11.09, 08:48 AM Flag
                • Its completely different than car insurance IMO. Having a car is a privelege. Having a body is inherent to being born. You can require car insurance for the privelege of driving. Its not the same as requiring health insurance. If people don't have it they should have to spend 100% of their money before any medical bills are picked up by someone else.

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                  08.11.09, 08:52 AM Flag
      • Because they ain't (for the most part) black and latino.

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        08.11.09, 07:29 AM Flag
        • and there's the rub. (and btw, the majority of the recipients of subsidies in this country are white, some are even hasidic).

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          08.11.09, 07:33 AM Flag
          • i'm betting that's not true anymore - that the majority of subsidy recipients are white.

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            08.11.09, 07:36 AM Flag
          • or: yep. But we live in a post-racial America!! Remember???

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            08.11.09, 07:36 AM Flag
            • i didn't get that memo - sorry.

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              08.11.09, 08:08 AM Flag
        • I once had to go on Social Services when I was going through a bad time. I am white. All the workers there are black. They were rude to me and had this attitude like, "why should you be here, you're white." Everyone in the waiting area was non-white. Not only are most people on Social Services non-whites but so are those that work there.

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          08.11.09, 03:05 PM Flag
      • Touche'! Love this comment.

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        08.11.09, 10:34 AM Flag
    • The government already subsidizes food, moron.

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      08.11.09, 07:28 AM Flag
    • in a city like NY some of the hardest workers need programs like gov. subsidized housing otherwise they would need to move elsewhere. Minimum wage or slightly above does not go very far.

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      08.11.09, 07:36 AM Flag
      • guess what percentage of people earn minimum wage. and guess what percentage of workers over the age of 21 earn minimum wage.

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        08.11.09, 07:36 AM Flag
        • 3 percent. but that's not the point there are lots of people who make barely more and live paycheck to paycheck because the cost of living in NY is so high. gov. subsidize allow these people the opportunity to stay in NY.

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          08.11.09, 07:46 AM Flag
          • np: The problem is that the hardest workers don't live in government housing, they live out in Queens in a small studio for family of 5. Government housing (aka the projects) has alarmingly low percentage of people who do have full time jobs (legal ones, anyway).

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            08.11.09, 07:55 AM Flag
            • why is that a problem? there are good schools in queens, their kids are learning good work ethics, and the next generation of that family is going to see some college graduates and some professionals. and they'll be thrilled.

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              08.11.09, 09:12 AM Flag
              • I did not say the former is a problem, the latter is however, because the next generation there is least likely to produce college graduates (or even HS graduates) and professionals. So our subsidy is really not helping much. The housing projects near us are a total hellhole, too.

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                08.11.09, 11:25 AM Flag
    • none if it all gets cut the minute I start to make even the most minimum of salary.

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      08.11.09, 08:16 AM Flag
      • That's the problem that needs to be fixed. People should get a small percentage reduction in benefits for earning some money, and increase it as the salary goes up.

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        08.11.09, 08:19 AM Flag
    • Ask J.K. Rowling.

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      08.11.09, 08:16 AM Flag
      • Yes. Because most welfare mothers end up like her.

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        08.11.09, 09:25 AM Flag
        • doesn't matter if most do or don't. the welfare system allowed her to become who she is.

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          08.11.09, 11:20 AM Flag
          • LOL. So the govt of every western country should pay up because being on the dole enabled JK to become a billionaire. Good plan.

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            08.11.09, 11:30 AM Flag
            • are you this much of a slow dolt irl? the govt should do it to give people the time and ability to get on their feet professionally and financially. some will go on to be wildly successful. others, not so much. but there are significant reasons to provide a safety net.

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              08.11.09, 11:42 AM Flag
    • The governement already subsidizes your health care, unless you are self employed. Probalby, you will end up paying taxes on your health care and then you will be able to go out and start your own business if you choose to!

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      08.11.09, 08:27 AM Flag
    • It makes me so sad that people are unwilling to guarantee basic standards of living for their fellow human beings. The US is FAR from being a nanny-state. This argument is weak.

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      08.11.09, 08:45 AM Flag
    • Have you ever heard of the common good, compassion, sharing with the not so fortunate...? People who have a good education, are healthy and well feed WANT to work in general. People who sick, hungry and uneducated are more likely the ones who might be without energy to live a self sufficient life.

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      08.11.09, 08:49 AM Flag
      • There's this little problem called ENTITLEMENT. The more freebies people are given, the more they demand.

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        08.11.09, 09:27 AM Flag
    • i'm on my second round of unemployment in the past few years. i realize this isn't exactly the same as subsidized housing or food but i think it has certain similarities. i think that if there was some sort of work requirement where i had to show up and be doing something instead of getting unemployment for "free", then i probably would be looking much harder for a job and would be more likely to take a job than wait for the perfect situation. i think they tried to do this with welfare in ny, that after a certain point you had to show up for work in order to get the welfare. i don't htink it would be a bad idea. at the very least, they'd be able to keep the highways more clean, they'd have people working in soup kitchens, etc.

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      08.11.09, 09:34 AM Flag
      • Only difference between UE and welfare is that you paid into your unemployment benefits while you were working and you are supposed to be using your time looking for a job. Your new job is finding a new job. Thats how I looked at it when I was on UE. I ended up taking a position for less money but at least I am back at work.

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        08.11.09, 03:10 PM Flag
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