Totally agree. Short-ish term unemployment is (beside pensions) the only social program I can think of that pays out depending on what you payed in. Thus I also

Totally agree. Short-ish term unemployment is (beside pensions) the only social program I can think of that pays out depending on what you payed in. Thus I also have a real problem with the sentiment of "you have contribute to get taken care of" in GPs original comment. Social programs take care of you based on needs, regardless what you payed in. Healthcare (the public program) gives the same service to everyone while having you to pay a % of income. You won't get neither more housing nor child benefit by having payed in more. Yes, unemployment is a bit of a special case since its goal is to minimize disruption on peoples live in case of sudden job loss. Not just being a basic safety net... those are available to everyone.