thanks for that study citation; adding it to my corpus for Part Seven of the new tome...You correctly mention that morally castigating the poor costs MORE than offering a universal basic income (UBI) at the federal level. I'm a big advocate of this cost-cutting strategy, and I'm positive all 50 states would love it, if they could just give up the desire to punish the poor for exposing the absurdity of an individualist standard of self-sufficiency that precisely no pre-modern culture ever endorsed.
Doubling the child care tax credit and sending it directly to people's checking account really eased life for a lot of people and we should have continued it. Can't wait to read your new book, James. Thank you for reading!
Yes, Maura, I have felt and heard the contempt in the voices of many who are so willing to put a squeeze on people who are already working hard to make ends meet. I am sure there are people in our society who don't want to work, like many faculty and others who have just stopped going to their offices now that the pandemic has cooled. I am not convinced that a lot of the folks who are now "working from home" are really working, but past privileges are affording them this new leisure time. Look at the "data" on social determinants of health and study the zip codes related to longevity. And now even more "sick and deprived" is the idea that we want to diminish or remove child labor laws.
Not sure your heritage has anything to do with poverty in your different land. Neither country can boast perfection. Perhaps you need to rethink your focus and vote to tax all in YOUR country in a more reasonable manner.
Rick, no country is perfect, of course. And I agree with you on taxes. My point was that making people in need work for healthcare or food seems less a desire to help than it is an expression of contempt. Thank you for reading!
Rick, your comments are fine. I have the deepest appreciation for anyone who reads my columns, so thank you! Whether you agree or not doesn’t change that for me.
This column paints the present state (and perils) of our nation. So well done!
Thank you, honey!
thanks for that study citation; adding it to my corpus for Part Seven of the new tome...You correctly mention that morally castigating the poor costs MORE than offering a universal basic income (UBI) at the federal level. I'm a big advocate of this cost-cutting strategy, and I'm positive all 50 states would love it, if they could just give up the desire to punish the poor for exposing the absurdity of an individualist standard of self-sufficiency that precisely no pre-modern culture ever endorsed.
Doubling the child care tax credit and sending it directly to people's checking account really eased life for a lot of people and we should have continued it. Can't wait to read your new book, James. Thank you for reading!
Yes, Maura, I have felt and heard the contempt in the voices of many who are so willing to put a squeeze on people who are already working hard to make ends meet. I am sure there are people in our society who don't want to work, like many faculty and others who have just stopped going to their offices now that the pandemic has cooled. I am not convinced that a lot of the folks who are now "working from home" are really working, but past privileges are affording them this new leisure time. Look at the "data" on social determinants of health and study the zip codes related to longevity. And now even more "sick and deprived" is the idea that we want to diminish or remove child labor laws.
I've been watching that trend on child labor for a while and it is so disturbing.
Not sure your heritage has anything to do with poverty in your different land. Neither country can boast perfection. Perhaps you need to rethink your focus and vote to tax all in YOUR country in a more reasonable manner.
Rick, no country is perfect, of course. And I agree with you on taxes. My point was that making people in need work for healthcare or food seems less a desire to help than it is an expression of contempt. Thank you for reading!
Thank you for your kind reply to my clutzy comments,so many would have been more aggressive than you.
Rick, your comments are fine. I have the deepest appreciation for anyone who reads my columns, so thank you! Whether you agree or not doesn’t change that for me.