Why do Democrats think social programs work?
First of all, this is a moral question: do you want people to die because the US government refuses to help them - like, oh, maybe the stimulus plan that Republicans were blocking before three people went against the grain of their party to do something right - or programs that actually help people? Social Security, while failing, has worked since the Great Depression. Welfare, food stamps, government-assisted housing, medical care - we are not the only country who has these programs! We're one of many, many countries helping out people on welfare, food stamps, government-assisted housing, and medical care. Also, feel free to blast me out, but what's so completely wrong with the *idea* of communism? (PLEASE note that I'm say the idea, not the actual communist nations in the past.) Communism was a perfectly legitimate idea formed by Karl Marx, tried by more than one government - Russia being only one of these - that has repeatedly crashed in on itself. I'm not supporting communism under any circumstances, I don't personally believe in it, but if a person believes in the original ideas of Marx that were, at the time, unsullied by the failed USSR and other communist nations, what's so wrong with that? Please excuse my rant, but to stereotype as such is completely uncalled for, and without looking at the issues beforehand.
No doubt my answer will be “buried” under the plethora of opinions.Today, Friday, April 28, 2017 the Ontario government (Canada) published their “Budget Highlights 2017”.The “Hospital expenditure cost per capita” is $1702 CDN. That is, the cost for each of the 11M people of Ontario to staff and operate the hospitals in Ontario amounted to $1702 per person.Everyone, whether they are ill or perfectly healthy needs the infrastructure and skills afforded by a hospital at some time. The $1702 CDN per person is the cost of operating/maintaining that infrastructure.Would you, as an American, refuse to pay your taxes because you haven’t yet driven across the Golden Gate Bridge, received electricity from the Hoover Dam, benefitted from flood control of the Tennessee Valley Authority, driven on an interstate freeway, or have a child in public school?It is all infrastructure for the benefit of all citizens, or please explain where the “dividing line” is and, for whose benefit that arbitrary demarcation exists.EDIT: “Lack of Transparency” of Healthcare costs is the root cause of the opposition by the US general populace. The is an adage in business — “If you don’t know what your costs are — they are out of control.”The Province of Ontario’s 2017 Budget is available online. Please note, that the dollars quoted are in Canadian dollars (of course) so:“Hospital expenditure cost per capita”$1702 CDN x $0.73 = $1242 USDSimilarly. I often use the weekly updated “CIA World Factbook”, available online, as a primary, unbiased resource.The two categories available in the drop down menu per country that are relevant for this discussion:People and SocietyEconomy - overviewThe USA GDP per capita is $54,800. US Healthcare costs (2016) are 17.1% of GDP. $54,800 x 17.1% = $9,370 per person.The Canadian GDP per capita is $46,100 USD. Canadian Healthcare costs are 10.4% of GDP$46,100 x 10.4% = $4,794 per person USD.Canadians live 2 years longer than Americans (81.9 yrs vs 79.8 yrs). And, the “hospital expenditures” per capita ($1242 USD) are approx. 25% of the overall ($4794 USD) Healthcare costs per capita.I will not and do not have access to a computer for another week. I am reliant on the small screen of a Smartphone. So, I am unable to “spoonfeed” answers.
US: Should we cut Welfare before Social Security?
Your all right! lol but really the united states has a major spending problem. Welfare is not the only program that gets abused. My sister works at a teen correctional facility, and she says there teens bragging about how they got SSI by lying and acting crazy down at the SS office and how that's all there mom wants them for. Another thing that destroyed SS was the government. When SS started the government was not allowed to touch it, and that's why it got passes into law, well few years later the government passes a law that allow them to access the money cause they saw all this $$$. So one thing we need to do (i served in the Marines) is shut down overseas basses we don't need. At the very least bring those units back here and set them along the border and also will create jobs in the area. Time limit created on welfare just like unemployment, and at least well it was at first before they started to extend unemployment. Unemployment was pay for by your employer so you had a right to it. it's why it's called Unemployment Insurance. Stricter regs or at least a more detail background check on SS claims prior to retirement reasons. CUT politicians pay and pensions! There's no needs for it to be that high and they need to lead by example before they cut public job pay and pensions without there own. They need to decrease taxed on business. You have no idea how high taxes are for them, there's federal and state taxes and regulations fees. CEO's of compaines have stated it's not the so called "high" paying jobs why they stay away it's the insanely high taxes the government has. We will be number 1 as japan is about to reduce there's. I know there are tax breaks for big BIG corps and they do make a killing, but to create jobs they have to attract jobs, Illinois is losing jobs due to the recent tax increase. I mean the list just keeps going and going. It's not hard but remember the politicians will look after themselves. They want to divide the population on small matters. They love to play shadow games with laws. You think they don't know what to do to cut spending? to create jobs? they dont want to. If you want to push someone ever a edge or to an idea you can't just come 100% right away, slowly over time they will nudge the population till finally they get you where they want us and will land the final blow.
I think because the corporate media(left and right) has spooked a lot of people into believing that social democracy is on par with Stalinist Communism. Bernie Sanders like Trump stirred the pot and have corporate media scared. And they would be because they would lose some control.The pro establishment Democrats and Republicans fear social democracy because it limits their corporate lobbyists ability to screw people over. Like making laws that favor corporations over their workers. Social democracy also taxes corporations at a higher rate,would make them pay a living wage, and be accountable for taxes for once. Many different reasons why Social Democracy is feared in the USA.The mainstream media doesn't go over the positives of social democracy and instead automatically assume one is a staunch socialist or communist and hates America when it could be further than the truth. There are plenty of patriotic social Democrats.The MSM doesn't also come up with some comparison chart of Social Democracy vs Socialism. To simplify and explain the differences.In essence it's a big scare. A big scare propagated by the media and big business in order to divide and conquer the American people. When people are divided and in fear they are easier to control.
Would private charities be capable of fully replacing social welfare programs?
No, but I'll go out on a limb and state that demand would immediately begin to decline. A person's ability to survive on their own can change dramatically depending on the source of their assistance. See, many believe government to be a self-sustaining, revenue generating entity. They don't see the fact that hard working taxpayers are actually the only source of government's revenue, i.e. people... just like them. When confronted with a choice to work harder and try and make it or ask for help from individuals themselves and not an invisible bureaucracy, people tend to become more self sufficient. At the very least, we would see a return of more things like generational households and people helping their own more than we're seeing today. At some point, the demand would reach a low enough point at which private charity could more than readily accommodate the genuinely needy.
Why can't (or don't) Republicans court a larger percentage or African-American voters?
There are two very simple reasons that Republicans have failed to attract black voters: 1. There are a few rather famous republican bigots. Most republicans are of course reasonable and tolerant people, but their failure to distance themselves from hate mongers like Limbaugh damages the whole republican brand, particularly to minorities. 2. The republican message is about lower taxes and reduced government programs; it's catered to the rural voter that doesn't live near or want to pay for shared infrastructure. Blacks live in cities at a much, much higher rate than whites. Every urban dweller - regardless of color or class - wants to see better inner city schools, more pollution controls, and far better public transportation. They categorically disagree with the insinuation that such federal programs are over-funded.