The hottest Welfare Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

How Medicaid Work Requirements Betray Work and Waste Money

Can We Still Govern? • 172 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Health Policy Welfare Government programs Legislation Social Issues
  1. Work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP can create a lot of unnecessary rules that actually hurt people trying to find work. Instead of helping them, these rules can cut off health insurance and make things worse.
  2. Most people on Medicaid are working or in school, so the idea that they're not doing anything is not true. The new work requirements will lead to many losing coverage, which could be life-threatening.
  3. The way this law is set up seems to help government contractors more than it helps those in need. It's expensive to manage, and it could actually cost low-income people thousands of dollars each year.

Robodebt: When automation fails

Can We Still Govern? • 157 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy Government Welfare Automation Technology
  1. The Robodebt system in Australia failed because it used bad assumptions that caused serious mistakes, affecting many people negatively. This shows how dangerous it can be to rely on automation without fully testing it first.
  2. When the government tried to recover supposed overpayments, many vulnerable individuals faced harsh consequences, including stress and financial ruin. This highlights how automated systems can create burdens that hurt those who are already struggling.
  3. The lessons from Robodebt emphasize the need for human oversight in automated decision-making. Governments should listen to feedback and warnings from those affected to prevent future failures.

"Defining Deviancy Down" at 30: Reflections on Crime, Welfare, and Mental Health

Glenn Loury • 1706 implied HN points • 05 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Crime Welfare Mental health Social norms
  1. Moynihan's essay 'Defining Deviancy Down' explores the impact of shifting norms and incentives on society.
  2. Critics of Moynihan's work questioned his motives rather than engaging with the validity of his analysis.
  3. The redefinition of deviancy has implications for mental health, substance abuse, and social control in society, leading to complex outcomes.

Race, IQ and Immigration

David Friedman’s Substack • 206 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Race IQ Economics Welfare
  1. IQ is heritable and may differ among different races, but claims about the intelligence of Africans remain a topic of debate.
  2. The fiscal impact of immigrants is a complex issue, with data suggesting immigrants from countries with lower national IQ may have negative fiscal impacts in welfare states.
  3. Restricting immigration from low national IQ countries is debated, with considerations about the potential benefits and drawbacks in terms of societal contributions and economic impacts.
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Hayek, republican freedom, and the minimum income

Hypertext • 139 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Welfare Economics Libertarianism Income
  1. Milton Friedman supported unconditional cash transfers as a solution to poverty in a market economy.
  2. Hayek's republican freedom theory emphasized the importance of free markets and limited government as well as the need for a minimum income to safeguard individual freedom.
  3. Although Hayek did not endorse a Universal Basic Income (UBI), his principles offer a strong argument for a social safety net in the form of unconditional cash transfers.

The Case for Reparations

Something to Consider • 19 implied HN points • 12 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Reparations Welfare Income Inequality Economic Justice
  1. Redistribution of wealth based on race can be more effective than just helping the poor. Doing this focuses on addressing specific historical inequalities.
  2. It's better to provide support based on group averages rather than individual income, since people may change their behavior to qualify for help. Group averages don't change as easily.
  3. Using a DNA test could help define eligibility for reparations, which could also assist in solving some unsolved crimes.

Liz Truss is right – Britain has become more left-wing

Comment is Freed • 110 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Public Opinion Government Role Welfare Media influence
  1. The British public has shifted towards more left-wing views over the years based on surveys and data
  2. There has been a significant increase in support for government responsibility in areas like reducing income differences and providing a decent standard of living for the unemployed
  3. There is a noticeable change in attitude towards welfare recipients, with more people believing that many who receive benefits deserve help

A negative income tax for today’s America

Hypertext • 19 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Welfare Values Economics Reform
  1. Repackaging the negative income tax (NIT) for today's America includes starting from the current welfare system and considering path dependency.
  2. Introducing the NIT should focus on value frameworks appealing to both progressives and conservatives, emphasizing inclusivity, accessibility, opportunity, and cost-effectiveness.
  3. Implementing the NIT in steps requires reforms that are small enough to pass legislation, improve the lives of the poor, and align with both progressive and conservative values.

Instead of targeting welfare, charge after-the-fact

Splitting Infinity • 19 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Welfare Taxation Social programs Privacy Concerns
  1. Consider charging people for welfare aid after they have received it, managed by the IRS on tax day. This could streamline the process and save on administrative costs.
  2. Using the IRS to handle welfare targeting can provide a more cost-effective and efficient way to assist those in need, by utilizing existing data and payment systems.
  3. Implementing a retroactive welfare eligibility system could help quicken aid distribution and potentially increase tax revenue, while also maintaining accountability and transparency.

The Repugnant Conclusion Sounds Rather Nice

The Grey Matter • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Population Welfare Conclusion
  1. The Repugnant Conclusion in population ethics presents a scenario where a larger population with slightly lower welfare can be deemed better than a smaller population with very high welfare.
  2. The comparison between different universes demonstrates how the preference shifts from smaller perfect welfare populations to larger populations with slightly lower welfare, leading to a continuously increasing total happiness.
  3. Ultimately, in exploring extreme scenarios, the Repugnant Conclusion challenges our perception with mind-boggling numbers and presents a world where an astronomical number of people would find joy in their existence, highlighting the complexity of ethical dilemmas.

Innovative externality inclusion

Model Thinking • 19 implied HN points • 31 Dec 22
💼 Business Regulation Innovation Economics Welfare Globalization
  1. Regulation impacts economies with benefits like cleaner water but also drawbacks like slower innovation, affecting global progress.
  2. Small differences in economic growth rates have significant welfare implications, drastically altering living standards over time.
  3. The value of regulation changes when considering the impact on foreign welfare, potentially leading to a reevaluation of optimal levels.

Interview with Bob Fischer: Animal Welfare and Moral Weight

Moral Mayhem Podcast • 0 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Sentience Philanthropy Welfare
  1. Bob Fischer studies how animals feel and experience pain or pleasure. This helps us understand their sentience and moral significance.
  2. There is a connection between an animal's intelligence and how intensely they can experience life, like pleasure or pain.
  3. Fischer's work suggests that when deciding where to donate, we should consider the importance of both human and animal welfare as well as potential risks for the future.

Abortion Off-sets

Something to Consider • 0 implied HN points • 07 Aug 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Abortion Government Policy Welfare Externalities Taxation
  1. Having more children could lead to more ideas and innovations that benefit society. More people might help drive technological progress.
  2. Abortion can have negative effects on society because it reduces the number of potential new contributions from unborn children. This creates a cost to society, even if the immediate benefits are for the mother.
  3. Just like with pollution, we might consider taxing abortions to offset their societal costs. This could help fund programs that support more births and balance the effects of abortions.