4 ms·

Nobody doubts that Nordic countries have generous social safety nets, but I think rayiner is scoffing at the notion that the US's social safety net is "non-exis

by bhupy 6y ago

Nobody doubts that Nordic countries have generous social safety nets, but I think rayiner is scoffing at the notion that the US's social safety net is "non-existent", which is laughable. The US spends close to 80% of its Federal budget on social programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, EITC, SNAP/EBT. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget#/media/File:2019_Federal_Budget_Infographic.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget#/... And that's not even including State-level welfare. Each State has its own unemployment insurance, welfare programs, and subsidized state university. In Georgia (where my alma mater is), university is essentially free if you can maintain a GPA > 3.5. On top of all that, the government is currently debating another big round of welfare and stimulus. A Republican has proposed a massive overhaul of welfare to provide up to $15,000 a year in cash for parents: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22264520/mitt-romney-checks-parents-4200 https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22264520/mitt-romney-chec...

dualthro 6y ago
> In Georgia (where my alma mater is), university is essentially free if you can maintain a GPA > 3.5. Why do I always see that the GA Tech OMSCS is ~$10,000? This is a serious question. If it's essentially free with a good GPA I might actually enroll.
- rayiner 6y ago
  The Georgia program (HOPE) is for in-state high-school students getting their undergraduate degree, not people getting graduate degrees.
  - bhupy 6y ago
    I was referring to the more generous Zell-Miller scholarship. You get HOPE if you can maintain a GPA > 3.0.
  - dualthro 6y ago
    Interesting. Guess it would be cheaper to go to an in person graduate program in Europe: https://www.studyineurope.eu/tuition-fees https://www.studyineurope.eu/tuition-fees
radus 6y ago
I can see how you may read it that way, but I did not state that the US does not have any social safety nets - that would be as you pointed out, obviously false. To re-iterate, my point was that the US lacks very expansive social safety nets such as those present in Nordic countries, some of which were enumerated by cambalache. Were the US to adopt some of those policies, perhaps the minimum wage would be less important.

by bhupy 6y ago

dualthro 6y ago

> In Georgia (where my alma mater is), university is essentially free if you can maintain a GPA > 3.5. Why do I always see that the GA Tech OMSCS is ~$10,000? This is a serious question. If it's essentially free with a good GPA I might actually enroll.

rayiner 6y ago
The Georgia program (HOPE) is for in-state high-school students getting their undergraduate degree, not people getting graduate degrees.
- bhupy 6y ago
  I was referring to the more generous Zell-Miller scholarship. You get HOPE if you can maintain a GPA > 3.0.
- dualthro 6y ago
  Interesting. Guess it would be cheaper to go to an in person graduate program in Europe: https://www.studyineurope.eu/tuition-fees https://www.studyineurope.eu/tuition-fees

radus 6y ago

I can see how you may read it that way, but I did not state that the US does not have any social safety nets - that would be as you pointed out, obviously false. To re-iterate, my point was that the US lacks very expansive social safety nets such as those present in Nordic countries, some of which were enumerated by cambalache. Were the US to adopt some of those policies, perhaps the minimum wage would be less important.