Is this what the 21st century is going to be like?

[helios]

Besides what jonnin has already said, welfare lends itself to a corruption of democracy. If you're a deadbeat who leeches off the state, who are you going to vote for? The guy who belongs to the party that instated your welfare program, or the guy who promises to cut back on crippling and unsustainable public spending? Then doesn't that mean that the former is basically buying your vote, with public money no less?

[George P]

buying your vote, with public money no less

40 Acres and a Mule

[zapshe]

I agree a bit with the unemployment argument. I actually thought it was an average of 3 months, it seems to be too long. But I think what they do is they calculate how much you "should" get and they spread it over X amount of months.

Then doesn't that mean that the former is basically buying your vote, with public money no less?

Can't be helped. Everyone votes for the person who's backing the policies they want.

[helios]

I feel like creating policies that directly route money towards specific socioeconomic strata that you want to appeal to is a step too far in cynicism.

[jonnin]

yes. its a big issue. some places force you to join organizations that force you to pay dues that are rerouted to the party that made those rules just to have a job. Others give out welfare as noted. Promise of 'free' healthcare and education is more of the same. Im an at-cost guy. If government wants to provide an extra service, it needs to provide it at cost to the recipient, whether in the form of a loan or goods and services. Membership in political orgs should be optional. So many abuses that are just taken as normal now.