

Tax and spend, or face the consequences (from the new unemployable) - queensnake
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080702043.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

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patio11
The threat that machines will make working at McDonalds economically non-
viable, resulting in a large number of people who prefer not to work, is
speculative.

The threat that generous welfare payments will make working at McDonalds
economically non-viable, resulting in a large number of people who prefer not
to work, is real. We have been there, done that, and gotten the T-shirt.

Given the option (which existed prior to the Clinton-era welfare reforms) of
living on government support supplemented by various economically marginal
activities versus having to actually show up 9 o'clock in the morning every
single day, many millions of people were content to choose to not work.

(If I had young kids, I'd rather spend time with them than work, too. It is
unsurprising to me that many people who had that option availed themselves of
it.)

