The other aspect of self interest is that a good social safety net reduces the number of crazy people out on the streets. Want to ride the metro without crazy, screaming weirdos? Social supports… Want to have clean functioning public bathrooms that arent used as injection sites for addicts? Social supports… So much of life would be better if we took care of the lowest in society instead of leaving them in a state of living death on the streets.
The research is very clear about this as well. Many social support programs are good investments, even from a conservative fiscal perspective.
Housing First programs are one example. These are programs that give shelter to unhoused people first without requiring them to quit drinking, do drug testing, go to counseling or church, and so on. Not only do these programs directly save lives, they are more fiscally responsible than the continuum of care/ war on drugs approach that is typically used. This is because people who have shelter use fewer emergency services, need to go to the hospital less often, have less frequent contact with police, and so on.
The other aspect of self interest is that a good social safety net reduces the number of crazy people out on the streets. Want to ride the metro without crazy, screaming weirdos? Social supports… Want to have clean functioning public bathrooms that arent used as injection sites for addicts? Social supports… So much of life would be better if we took care of the lowest in society instead of leaving them in a state of living death on the streets.
The research is very clear about this as well. Many social support programs are good investments, even from a conservative fiscal perspective.
Housing First programs are one example. These are programs that give shelter to unhoused people first without requiring them to quit drinking, do drug testing, go to counseling or church, and so on. Not only do these programs directly save lives, they are more fiscally responsible than the continuum of care/ war on drugs approach that is typically used. This is because people who have shelter use fewer emergency services, need to go to the hospital less often, have less frequent contact with police, and so on.