Subject: Re: Trumps Anti-Robin Hood Tax...

In any government dole program I expect 5% fraud, waste, and abuse. If it's higher than that, that's too much and we have to look at it.

I knew I was taking a chance at being misunderstood if I entered this discussion. The point is that cash can be repurposed. SNAP can, indeed, enable the purchase of liquor and smokes, by allowing people to use the cash that otherwise would have gone to food, for non-qualifying goods instead. I don't see any practical way to prevent that, other than having a minder follow each SNAP recipient around 24/7 to make sure they never buy any liquor or smokes, or lottery tickets, or any of the myriad other things Proles can throw their money away on.

He couldn't handle the responsibilities of being a Dad, paying the bills, showing up for work every day, etc., etc..

Another thought crosses my mind, in the case of people like that, who refuse to shoulder any responsibility for anything: put them in a labor camp. There, they would be provided with housing, food, medical care, and issued clothing, but little to no money. Each day, they would be rousted out of bed, and minute to minute, told where to go, and what to do. Do we, as a society, want to go there?

There is a good line in "The Sand Pebbles". As Candice Bergen, and the minister she is traveling with, watch Jake walk away from the steamer they took up river. she asks the minister why people like Jake join the Navy. The minister says something along the lines of "as long as they do as they are told, and stay out of trouble, the Navy takes care of them".

Steve