5 ms·

This is what generally kills me about a lot of public policy in the US. I think people need to be helped and assisted when down and out without removing agency

This is what generally kills me about a lot of public policy in the US. I think people need to be helped and assisted when down and out without removing agency or deincentizing upward mobility. Too many policies create an awkward situation where you are incentivized to not work or improve your situation in the short term because you may actually worsen your financials by doing so. For example, if you are laid off you are better off just taking unemployment then taking a lower paid job until you find something more suitable. Section 8 housing is also a great example of bad public policy. Since landlords are under no obligation to accept the vouchers, and even when landlords are they will find another reason not to accept the vouchers, it segregates poor people into specific apartment complexes that do accept the vouchers. These properties are usually terrible and not worth the market value cost. Years ago I lived in a very nice apartment that was cheaper and in much better condition than the apartments that accepted section 8 housing in my town. Perhaps a universal basic income makes the most sense as it would provide choice without labeling someone as poor. I suspect this would simply lead to an increase in housing and commodity prices across the board, but at least people have the agency to decide what they need most. I also suspect it would be a much more efficient and effective form of public assistance.

6gvONxR4sf7o 5y ago
The education is just as hard as the incentives. With a complicated system, it’s hard to get people to understand their incentives. For example, I’ve known people who have turned down raises because it would put them into a higher tax bracket. They thought it would result in less money overall (which is not how it works, in case anyone reading finds themselves in this situation). That’s a benefit of something like UBI. It’s easy to understand your incentives.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  There was a complete lack of education about how taxes, governments, zoning, city planning, or any of that community type stuff in school when I went through it 30 years ago. I do not see why kids cannot be taught how the system works, including marginal tax rates which is a one day lesson in 5th grade math.
  - Nkuna 5y ago
    > I do not see why kids cannot be taught how the system works, including marginal tax rates which is a one day lesson in 5th grade math. No government, more so democratic states, wants their citizenry to know and understand the system that subjugates them. Think of all the things you learned after high school, then reflect on the things you were taught. Refer especially to the history of one's country. Now do you see?
    - lotsofpulp 5y ago
      Yes, I wanted to avoid being cynical, but I did have that thought. Although, the US does do a decent job of making all this information available via the internet.
    - buu700 5y ago
      I grew up in the US and was taught very well about my country's history in public school, as far as I'm aware. Are you implying that non-democratic governments are somehow more transparent?
- etempleton 5y ago
  Yes, I agree. People do not have the time to learn all of the nuances of all of these complicated government policies. It is not that any of them are hard to understand, it is that no one has the bandwidth to worry about one more thing in their life. There is a reason most people pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars for someone else to do their taxes for them.

6gvONxR4sf7o 5y ago

The education is just as hard as the incentives. With a complicated system, it’s hard to get people to understand their incentives. For example, I’ve known people who have turned down raises because it would put them into a higher tax bracket. They thought it would result in less money overall (which is not how it works, in case anyone reading finds themselves in this situation). That’s a benefit of something like UBI. It’s easy to understand your incentives.

lotsofpulp 5y ago
There was a complete lack of education about how taxes, governments, zoning, city planning, or any of that community type stuff in school when I went through it 30 years ago. I do not see why kids cannot be taught how the system works, including marginal tax rates which is a one day lesson in 5th grade math.
- Nkuna 5y ago
  > I do not see why kids cannot be taught how the system works, including marginal tax rates which is a one day lesson in 5th grade math. No government, more so democratic states, wants their citizenry to know and understand the system that subjugates them. Think of all the things you learned after high school, then reflect on the things you were taught. Refer especially to the history of one's country. Now do you see?
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    Yes, I wanted to avoid being cynical, but I did have that thought. Although, the US does do a decent job of making all this information available via the internet.
  - buu700 5y ago
    I grew up in the US and was taught very well about my country's history in public school, as far as I'm aware. Are you implying that non-democratic governments are somehow more transparent?
etempleton 5y ago
Yes, I agree. People do not have the time to learn all of the nuances of all of these complicated government policies. It is not that any of them are hard to understand, it is that no one has the bandwidth to worry about one more thing in their life. There is a reason most people pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars for someone else to do their taxes for them.