Paul Krugman (Image by david_shankbone) Details DMCA | According to the Pew Research Center, more than three-quarters of conservatives believe that the poor "have it easy" thanks to government benefits; only 1 in 7 believe that the poor "have hard lives." And this attitude translates into policy. What we learn from the refusal of Republican-controlled states to expand Medicaid, even though the federal government would foot the bill, is that punishing the poor has become a goal in itself, one worth pursuing even if it hurts rather than helps state budgets. But while things could be worse, they could also be better. There is no such thing as perfect security, but American families could easily have much more security than they have. |