[dns_snek]

> This really isn't a left or right issue.

That's precisely what this is, views on welfare are one of the most fundamental ideological differences between "the left" and "the right".

What's messed up is that people who need social welfare and subsidies the most end up voting for conservatism and austerity, so everyone ends up twisting the definitions of "the left" and "the right" to rationalize their own choices.

[johnnyanmac]

It's really not, it's a uniquely American problem. You don't have the far right in the UK nor Japan nor India try to argue about increasing Healthcare premiums. It's as foreign idea to them as national id's are for the US.

But yes, I completely agree with your comment otherwise.