> Naturally I tend toward libertarian hands-off opinions on things like this now as a result, but not because I don't think food assistance or satiation of basic healthcare needs could be helpful. Quite the contrary, they could make a huge difference if done in the right balance and the right way.
They can be done the right way, but aren't because politicians deliberately sabotage them. Every confusing and unnecessary form that is put in the way of getting assistance is put there deliberately to make the institution less effective and punish the people who need it. This is not an accident or some emergent, inevitable quality of government. It's not that the government just happens to hire incompetent or callous people to run these programs. It is sabotage by elected officials who oppose helping poor people. We DO have a handful of institutions that are still competent and effective. This also is not an accident--they're the ones not being deliberately hamstrung by Congress.
The solution is not to throw one's hands up and declare "Government doesn't work, I'm a libertarian now!" The solution is to stop electing asshats whose purpose in life is to dismantle institutions and hurt the poor. It's not like these politicians are hiding their views. They proudly talk about things like "means testing" and "promoting market-based solutions (transparent code for sabotaging institutions)". Astonishingly, in many States, the poor tend to favor this team and vote for them, (presumably) knowing they are voting for politicians who are against the very things that would help them.
They can be done the right way, but aren't because politicians deliberately sabotage them. Every confusing and unnecessary form that is put in the way of getting assistance is put there deliberately to make the institution less effective and punish the people who need it. This is not an accident or some emergent, inevitable quality of government. It's not that the government just happens to hire incompetent or callous people to run these programs. It is sabotage by elected officials who oppose helping poor people. We DO have a handful of institutions that are still competent and effective. This also is not an accident--they're the ones not being deliberately hamstrung by Congress.
The solution is not to throw one's hands up and declare "Government doesn't work, I'm a libertarian now!" The solution is to stop electing asshats whose purpose in life is to dismantle institutions and hurt the poor. It's not like these politicians are hiding their views. They proudly talk about things like "means testing" and "promoting market-based solutions (transparent code for sabotaging institutions)". Astonishingly, in many States, the poor tend to favor this team and vote for them, (presumably) knowing they are voting for politicians who are against the very things that would help them.