No it really isn't. How do I know?
I have grown up in a country that had this my whole life.
Will there be "some" fraud? Sure, but unless your system is really broken it will be a drop in the ocean. Some abuse is the price of any universal thing. E.g. you all have public roads. Most people use public roads in spec. Some people abuse them, do burnouts, run overweight trucks over them, etc. Is that a reason to remove public roads? No. It is a reason to police them.
Some people throw trash into public parks, is that a reason to get rid of them? No.
Anything nice you will ever have will be treated unfairly by some. Taking that as an argument to not have it just makes sure you never have anything nice tho.
> The inevitable and unfortunate result of "handing out 'free' stuff" however will always be widespread fraud.
The optimal amount of fraud is not "zero".
The goal is to enforce just enough to keep the fraud below a threshold while not making it too onerous for the people who need and receive the benefit.
And, if you really want to go after fraud, you are far better going after the people who commit it at an organized institutional level: see GOP leadership in Florida and Medicare.
Paid for from oil and gas revenues
And schools get funding from lotteries and casinos, and healthcare gets funding from alcohol and cigarette sales.
A good thing funded by taxes on a bad thing is pretty common in America.
Good!
Or would you prefer the oil and gas revenues goes into the pockets of your local oligarch?
huge achievement. congratulations to all involved
Some previous discussion, before it was signed in:
In a U.S. First, New Mexico Opens Doors to Free Child Care for All (2025)
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46015763
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Nobody is opposed to people obtaining child care. Making it affordable and accessible are noteworthy and desirable goals.
The inevitable and unfortunate result of "handing out 'free' stuff" however will always be widespread fraud.
You mean like all that fraud Musk found in the social security system?
No it really isn't. How do I know? I have grown up in a country that had this my whole life.
Will there be "some" fraud? Sure, but unless your system is really broken it will be a drop in the ocean. Some abuse is the price of any universal thing. E.g. you all have public roads. Most people use public roads in spec. Some people abuse them, do burnouts, run overweight trucks over them, etc. Is that a reason to remove public roads? No. It is a reason to police them.
Some people throw trash into public parks, is that a reason to get rid of them? No.
Anything nice you will ever have will be treated unfairly by some. Taking that as an argument to not have it just makes sure you never have anything nice tho.
> The inevitable and unfortunate result of "handing out 'free' stuff" however will always be widespread fraud.
The optimal amount of fraud is not "zero".
The goal is to enforce just enough to keep the fraud below a threshold while not making it too onerous for the people who need and receive the benefit.
And, if you really want to go after fraud, you are far better going after the people who commit it at an organized institutional level: see GOP leadership in Florida and Medicare.
One of the points of universal type programs is that everyone can get it so what’s to defraud.
People overemphasize the fraud with what they don't like and ignore the fraud that goes on with the things they do like.
So Norway's decades-old social healthcare system is just full of fraud?
What's your proof?