4 ms·

I am empathetic, but my viewpoint is based on the math that it's cheaper to provide basic care from cradle to grave than to shoulder the cost of chronic disease

I am empathetic, but my viewpoint is based on the math that it's cheaper to provide basic care from cradle to grave than to shoulder the cost of chronic diseases - regardless of how you manage them. Even if you adopt the ultimate individualist position and decide everyone is on their own. Sick citizens make bad workers, bad workers have low output. Sick kids don't learn, don't gain skills, don't become the future. Hustlers spend all their time thinking about how to fleece people, while people like me bake that in as a cost of doing business. There is always some waste, because at some point it's cost prohibitive to root it out. I would argue your nature makes you far too cynical - you probably see other scammers everywhere because that's where you look, but don't seek out the vast amounts of good those programs do, so your priors are messed up.

monero-xmr 2y ago
And my counterpoint is that the lack of effective counter-measures to prevent fraud and abuse erodes the basic trust that society requires in order to support such societal welfare funded by taxpayer dollars. Biden trumpeted hiring 80,000 new IRS agents to audit taxpayers. The IRS is now auditing people who sell $600 on etsy and ebay https://www.cnbc.com/select/irs-600-reporting-rule-delayed/#:~:text=The%20new%20%22%24600%20rule%22,K%20for%20reporting%20the%20income. https://www.cnbc.com/select/irs-600-reporting-rule-delayed/#... Where is the outrage and indignation for people who make millions from government programs? Why not hire 80,000 agents strictly to audit NGOs, politicians, and anyone who sucks from the government tit? I believe you would find far more fraud, and it would be much more politically popular. Then hire 80,000 IRS agents to attack actual productive members of society
- arrosenberg 2y ago
  No, Fox News and right-wing media erode basic trust by heavily overemphasizing the waste aspect vs. the utility aspect, just like you are doing now. There is more waste and fraud happening with private insurers than Medicaid, so unless you have an alternative to health insurance, you are tilting at windmills. > Biden trumpeted hiring 80,000 new IRS agents to audit taxpayers. To audit wealthy* taxpayers. Working class people were already being audited because it's really easy to audit an incorrect return that only has a W-2 and Schedule A. > The IRS is now auditing people who sell $600 on etsy and ebay That's a lie and I'm assuming it is in bad faith since the article you linked doesn't support what you said. Having to enter a 1099-K is not the same as being audited. You are ridiculous.

monero-xmr 2y ago

And my counterpoint is that the lack of effective counter-measures to prevent fraud and abuse erodes the basic trust that society requires in order to support such societal welfare funded by taxpayer dollars. Biden trumpeted hiring 80,000 new IRS agents to audit taxpayers. The IRS is now auditing people who sell $600 on etsy and ebay https://www.cnbc.com/select/irs-600-reporting-rule-delayed/#:~:text=The%20new%20%22%24600%20rule%22,K%20for%20reporting%20the%20income. https://www.cnbc.com/select/irs-600-reporting-rule-delayed/#... Where is the outrage and indignation for people who make millions from government programs? Why not hire 80,000 agents strictly to audit NGOs, politicians, and anyone who sucks from the government tit? I believe you would find far more fraud, and it would be much more politically popular. Then hire 80,000 IRS agents to attack actual productive members of society

arrosenberg 2y ago
No, Fox News and right-wing media erode basic trust by heavily overemphasizing the waste aspect vs. the utility aspect, just like you are doing now. There is more waste and fraud happening with private insurers than Medicaid, so unless you have an alternative to health insurance, you are tilting at windmills. > Biden trumpeted hiring 80,000 new IRS agents to audit taxpayers. To audit wealthy* taxpayers. Working class people were already being audited because it's really easy to audit an incorrect return that only has a W-2 and Schedule A. > The IRS is now auditing people who sell $600 on etsy and ebay That's a lie and I'm assuming it is in bad faith since the article you linked doesn't support what you said. Having to enter a 1099-K is not the same as being audited. You are ridiculous.