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Yes. Of course, there are native born citizens who suck the system dry, too. But a sovereign nation can dispense with illegal aliens. (And should.) Then we must

by malchow 10y ago

Yes. Of course, there are native born citizens who suck the system dry, too. But a sovereign nation can dispense with illegal aliens. (And should.) Then we must turn to, you know, growing the economy fast enough to support this massive welfare state for the people who are constitutionally entitled to it -- both native born and legally immigrated. Or we could eviscerate the welfare state and be richer, freer, happier, and healthier! [1] [1] Gratuitous Milton Friedman plug: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Choose-Statement-Milton-Friedman-ebook/dp/B004MYFLBS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489087033&sr=1-1&keywords=milton+friedman+welfare https://www.amazon.com/Free-Choose-Statement-Milton-Friedman...

arcticbull 10y ago
Richer, freer, happier and healthier than the Norwegians, Swedes, Finns and Danes? Those are among the most extensive welfare states in the world, proividing: "[A] national system of free health care and education for everyone, job training, subsidized child care, a generous pension system and fuel subsidies and rent allowances for the elderly." [1] And on top of that, better healthcare (#11, 14, 23 are Norics, 30 is Canada, 31 is USA [3]), low wealth inequality, low income inequality, low gender inequality and high happiness (#1, 3, 4, 5 are Nordics [2]). By all metrics, those people in the welfare states are happier, freer, richer and healthier than your average American -- some of the most in the world -- and they live longer too (#15, 18, 20, 30 vs. US at 43rd [4]). Americans in my experience tend to equate socialism with Venezuela not Canada and the Nordics, etc. Sounds like based on empirical evidence the way to improve these metrics is to expand the welfare state not cut it back. There's a reason nobody in Canada is itching to repeal single-payer. [1] http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/how-denmarks-welfare-program-has-narrowed-its-wealth-gap-to-one-of-the-smallest-in-the-world http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/how-denmarks-... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_rank... [4] http://www.infoplease.com/world/statistics/life-expectancy-country.html http://www.infoplease.com/world/statistics/life-expectancy-c...
- krrrh 10y ago
  Additional stats that makes this even more interesting are rankings of economic freedom from places like the Heritage Foundation.[1] Canada and the Nordic countries are on par with the US, and on many important factors ahead. It doesn't follow that a comprehensive social welfare system requires state ownership of the means of production, arduous regulation on business formation, weak property rights, weak rule of law, or anti-business labor laws. All of these countries do very well when on these factors; the citizens simply choose government services (through voting) in areas of the economy where the government performs well (health care, social insurance). Sweden was capitalistic enough to refuse to bail out SAAB during the financial crisis, you can't say the same for the US and GM. [1] http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking

by malchow 10y ago

arcticbull 10y ago

Richer, freer, happier and healthier than the Norwegians, Swedes, Finns and Danes? Those are among the most extensive welfare states in the world, proividing: "[A] national system of free health care and education for everyone, job training, subsidized child care, a generous pension system and fuel subsidies and rent allowances for the elderly." [1] And on top of that, better healthcare (#11, 14, 23 are Norics, 30 is Canada, 31 is USA [3]), low wealth inequality, low income inequality, low gender inequality and high happiness (#1, 3, 4, 5 are Nordics [2]). By all metrics, those people in the welfare states are happier, freer, richer and healthier than your average American -- some of the most in the world -- and they live longer too (#15, 18, 20, 30 vs. US at 43rd [4]). Americans in my experience tend to equate socialism with Venezuela not Canada and the Nordics, etc. Sounds like based on empirical evidence the way to improve these metrics is to expand the welfare state not cut it back. There's a reason nobody in Canada is itching to repeal single-payer. [1] http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/how-denmarks-welfare-program-has-narrowed-its-wealth-gap-to-one-of-the-smallest-in-the-world http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/how-denmarks-... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_rank... [4] http://www.infoplease.com/world/statistics/life-expectancy-country.html http://www.infoplease.com/world/statistics/life-expectancy-c...

krrrh 10y ago
Additional stats that makes this even more interesting are rankings of economic freedom from places like the Heritage Foundation.[1] Canada and the Nordic countries are on par with the US, and on many important factors ahead. It doesn't follow that a comprehensive social welfare system requires state ownership of the means of production, arduous regulation on business formation, weak property rights, weak rule of law, or anti-business labor laws. All of these countries do very well when on these factors; the citizens simply choose government services (through voting) in areas of the economy where the government performs well (health care, social insurance). Sweden was capitalistic enough to refuse to bail out SAAB during the financial crisis, you can't say the same for the US and GM. [1] http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking