tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3621026.post8964500706211367300..comments2024-03-29T06:05:04.162+01:00Comments on Robert's Stochastic thoughts: Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455788499385673507noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3621026.post-34068299224825057272012-04-14T01:19:15.180+02:002012-04-14T01:19:15.180+02:00I absolutely agree with every word in this comment...I absolutely agree with every word in this comment but "But". I agree that taking care of young children is hard and vitally vitally important work. I think everyone who has run the numbers agrees that making all single mothers work is costly and the only way to spend even less than old AFDC is to just leave some families in severe poverty.<br /><br />But political realities are what they are. Cruel costly pointless make work for mothers which is also bad for their children is what our countrypeople demand in exchange for an end to extreme severe poverty. <br /><br />If you can't fight them, then at least give them what they demand in exchange for ceasing to inflict extreme poverty on children.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14455788499385673507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3621026.post-5351758832378076672012-04-13T21:35:27.267+02:002012-04-13T21:35:27.267+02:00You may be right. But when I used to analyze poli...You may be right. But when I used to analyze policy for a living and make budget recommendations to a former governor, one of my colleagues said the most effective thing would be for lots of folks to just stay home. So they could take care of their kids, as you say. If not, then the costs of daycare, transportation, work clothes, etc., have to be covered. Much cheaper just to pay at least one parent to stay home.<br />Not unlike home health care - much cheaper to send a home health aide to someone's home, rather than to put that someone in a rehab center or SNF - and, hey, that someone is almost certain to prefer staying at home too. Probably because many someones would prefer to just stay home is why our elites <br />can't possibly consider that as a policy option. Sigh.<br /><br />This is not to say that such persons would live a life of luxury if such policies were adopted; so I am somewhat less concerned about the moral hazard. Rather, I think if you take very good care of children, they do tend to grow up eager to reach for more on their own. It is when you do not take good care of them that their lives may seem hopeless to them and they are doomed to repeat what they see around them.TAH from SLCnoreply@blogger.com