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I have never heard of anyone on SSI being asked not to take a part time job, it's certainly permissible but after the first $85 your benefits are reduced by 50% for each dollar earned. By the way, you can't go on SSI 'because' you are an alcoholic, only if you have other disabilities unrelated to your addiction.
Being heavily pressured to take a job, and not being asked not to take a job are two different things. The point remains that Norway is more willing to engage in paternalism than the US.
You probably know more about SSI than I do. But I have known several alcoholics who were on SSI. Looking at their web site, it appears that technically they must prove some other condition, such as brain disorder, in order to collect. https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/re...alhoholism.htm
It appears to me that you are technically correct in your statement, but effectively people do go on SSI for being alcoholics. It's kind of like getting a medical marijuana card (before they legalized it here in WA). You were supposed to have some qualifying illness to get the card, but the reality was that if someone just wanted a card in order to get high, they could get one.
Being heavily pressured to take a job, and not being asked not to take a job are two different things. The point remains that Norway is more willing to engage in paternalism than the US.
You probably know more about SSI than I do. But I have known several alcoholics who were on SSI. Looking at their web site, it appears that technically they must prove some other condition, such as brain disorder, in order to collect. https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/re...alhoholism.htm
It appears to me that you are technically correct in your statement, but effectively people do go on SSI for being alcoholics. It's kind of like getting a medical marijuana card (before they legalized it here in WA). You were supposed to have some qualifying illness to get the card, but the reality was that if someone just wanted a card in order to get high, they could get one.
this is just silly. Go read the SS administration rules about whether or not substance abuse is a qualifying disability. I'm not going to argue with you about it...people who are disabled and have a substance abuse condition do qualify, but a substance abuse issue is not a qualifying disability. And it's not like getting a medical marijuana card either.
OK I got around to reading your 'demos' link. This guy is completely mixing apples and oranges. The comparison in the Kenworthy book that he cites (which I have read) is between government social spending for different countries. This guy wants to compare all social needs spending, which I don't think is even possible. If a company provides a health care plan or pension to an employee, that is not gov't social needs spending. In fact if I buy a bottle of aspirin at Kroger's, that may be social needs spending, but not by gov't. What's more, there would be no way to track it, so such a comparison is not possible.
The confusion about the Heritage data is fairly easy to correct. Sanandaji's data was 2016, not 2013. I was going from memory; now I have the book in front of me. His point was that the scandi economic freedom index numbers have all gone up since 2001, meaning that these nations are moving even more towards capitalism. In 2018, the numbers have gone up even more, so his claim is not only still correct, it is strengthened by the 2018 data.
No, a higher economic freedom index does not infer more "capitalism", if it did the US would be number one, not number 18.
No, a higher economic freedom index does not infer more "capitalism", if it did the US would be number one, not number 18.
This is semantics, and this is turning into a wild goose chase. It remains that Dr. Sanandaji's point is correct. The Scandinavians are moving towards smaller gov't. Call it whatever term you wish. It remains true.
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