LogFAQs > #959194378

60k for families is a joke number. That's basically a married couple both working at $15/hour.

I mean pretty much all of this has been mentioned one way or another, but pretty sure research has shown that means testing can, and has, cost more than the alleged savings beause of the administrative/bureaucratic overhead it creates in establishing the means by which vetting applicants are eligible now which it requires. Like SNAP and its associated programs was shown to basically have administrative overhead at 15 to 40 cents of every dollar of benefits.

It also erects barriers for those most in need who are also the ones least able to be able to expend the time and effort needed to jump those hurdles.

It all basically boils down to a moralistic argument from the conservative/right (and unquestionably adopted by moderate dems) that there are those people who "deserve" assistance and those who do not. And surprise, surprise research has shown that means testing creates a stigmatizing effect that also drives some away from programs which they would otherwise be eligible for. It's just another form of the absolutely grotesque worldview that gets drilled into us about "productivity" and "the dignity of work" where capitalism tries to tie self-worth to jobs rather than valuing a person as a person.

There's a reason why the participation rate in the food stamp program and Medicaid is substantially lower than in Social Security and Medicare.

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xp1337: Don't you wish there was a spell-checker that told you when you a word out?