Quote:At the risk of derailing the thread...

 

If my math is correct, assistance for the poor, elderly and disabled (Medicaid, CHIP, Safety Net programs like SSI, EIC and Child Tax Credit, etc) accounted for about 20% of federal expenditures in 2013. This does not include Social Security and Medicare benefits. In my brief search I could not find empirical evidence that women are having children specifically to keep and/or increase the level of government assistance they receive. My personal, anecdotal experience suggests to me that it happens much less than critics claim, but I'd really be interested in any data supporting either side.

 

On topic, social media is the fertilizer (imagery intentional, it is mostly manure) for the growth of acrimony in our political climate. Even the most extreme voices have a platform, and so few do much research before forming their opinions.

 

I tend to agree.

 

If you think women are out there having "welfare babies" to increase their income, you have little or no knowledge of welfare or poor women.

 

Actually, the two party system for a long time was the reason compromise happened in our political system. A multi-party system allows the electorate to become splintered and fragmented, making compromise harder to achieve. I think rollerjag is on to something regarding multi-media / social media - it's as if we have four hundred parties within a two-party system. No one wants to alienate their base, no matter how small.

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