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Make-work is the stupidest idea. If we want people to have an income why don't we just give it to them rather than making them do work that is useless (or somet

Make-work is the stupidest idea. If we want people to have an income why don't we just give it to them rather than making them do work that is useless (or sometimes harmful, see coal) to the public? > There is no free money. When you are talking about the MTA budget no. But at the higher government levels there often is. Lots of lower-income people's income ends up right back in the economy or reduces other costs (like healthcare of people on government health plans). Plus it oven gives people the resources (time and money) to get a job that is valuable to society. (From things like going to a education course to something like being able to have a shower before your interview and a phone to receive job offers on.) There are of course "losses" like money exiting the country or consumption of raw resources (which is likely going to happen whether they have a useless job or are just given some form of welfare) but it isn't nearly as expensive as the critics like to pretend it is.

const_cast 1y ago
> Make-work is the stupidest idea. I don't know, it got the US out of the Great Depression. Work programs can be great, if you're doing valuable work that helps the public and strengthens your nation. The US, to this day, has the largest public work program - the military. If you think about what the military actually is, it's a work program.
- Ericson2314 1y ago
  We're not in a great depression. I'm not against make-work per se, but we are currently in an era where we need to improve public sector administrative capacity. It's really hard to do that while saddling agencies with make-work, because the latter is so bad for esprite de corps. It would better to e.g. expand peace corps / Americorps. And if they want to staff do-nothings on subways, they can, but it needs not involve the MTA.
- rangestransform 1y ago
  the made up work should benefit society at large instead of a small group of unionized and politically connected employees. maybe we could spend the second operator's salary on, for example, building elevators for ADA compliance.

const_cast 1y ago

> Make-work is the stupidest idea. I don't know, it got the US out of the Great Depression. Work programs can be great, if you're doing valuable work that helps the public and strengthens your nation. The US, to this day, has the largest public work program - the military. If you think about what the military actually is, it's a work program.

Ericson2314 1y ago
We're not in a great depression. I'm not against make-work per se, but we are currently in an era where we need to improve public sector administrative capacity. It's really hard to do that while saddling agencies with make-work, because the latter is so bad for esprite de corps. It would better to e.g. expand peace corps / Americorps. And if they want to staff do-nothings on subways, they can, but it needs not involve the MTA.
rangestransform 1y ago
the made up work should benefit society at large instead of a small group of unionized and politically connected employees. maybe we could spend the second operator's salary on, for example, building elevators for ADA compliance.