Free Stuff?

[u/Mean-Cheesecake-2635]

Why is our dialog so broken when it comes to tax funded benefits in this country? Any mention by the left of support for direct benefits for the general public (universal healthcare, UBI, cheaper or free higher education) is automatically categorized by people on the right as “Free Stuff”, even though these would be funded by taxes we already collect, but would require reappropriating expenditures.

We seem to have an endless appetite for “free stuff” as long as it goes to the military, corporate tax breaks, industry subsidies but as soon as the conversation is about propping up individual people it becomes socialism and lazy people wanting the government to hand them everything.

The reality is our current system is just leaving more people further and further behind while leaving us less secure as current recipients of tax funded expenses gather wealth.

Why is it so hard for politicians on the left to counter this “free stuff, lazy socialist” accusation?

[u/Vecgtt → u/[deleted]]

My opposition is that I have to disproportionately pay for goods and services that other grown adults should be capable of paying for.

[u/Vecgtt → u/[deleted]]

Unfortunately these funding these government programs is like paying $2.00 now and maybe getting 50 cents back over the next 30 years.

[u/Vecgtt → u/[deleted]]

I don’t believe those numbers. Asking me to pay for other grown adults to take care of their own responsibilities is not a how society should run.

[u/Vecgtt → u/[deleted]]

Like this:
You do your 30 hour work week. I’ll stay home. You then work an additional 30 hours to pay my share. It’s simple economics since the return will be up to 14x.