ashcrimson wrote...
i guess it hurts no one since the government can afford it?
Don't think so. Otherwise, most countries wouldn't hear about this "National Debt" guy. Or not as much as usual. The more developed the social care, the bigger the administration running them, ergo the costs increase, not to mention the money that is distributed to the needing ones.
Social care can, or rather it is, something of a double-edged sword. For one part, it is necessary, because there are many people genuinely in need of assistance, and otherwise wouldn't be able to make their ends meet. But on the other side, a well developed welfare system can encourage the more lazy of society to just give up on working (or looking for some) and just leech off the money. And the more money you can get that way, the more lazy people can be expected to do this sort of thing. I have heard the stories of homeless/jobless who would just settle on social care and leave it at that because it was "convenient" for them.
But again, you can't just cut the system, because as I said, some people really need help, and they shouldn't suffer because of arrogant, selfish pricks.
There is no perfect answer, and no perfect system.
Just throwing in my two pennies, for over the ocean.