From: rjk@world.std.com (robert j kolker)
Subject: A Modest Proposal to End Poverty
Summary: Ending aid to dependent children
Keywords: Poverty,Welfare,Abortion,Birth-Control
                           A Modest Proposal
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 17:51:05 GMT

There are two ways of eliminating poverty from our society. One way is to
promote economic growth with a resultant expansion of the middle class with
a general lifting of the standard of living. This will produce a reduction in
both relative and absolute poverty. Clearly this is the best approach since
it is win-win and avoids the zero sum scenario.

Given the political, philosophical and economic ambiance we are not likely to
acheive this laudible aim any time soon. What are the alternatives? One is 
to reduce the number of poor folks. To this end I propose that we eliminate
or severely curtail the Welfare State. 

Currently our welfare policies are encouraging poor women to procreate by 
offering aid to them and their dependent children. There are no strings 
attached to this other than need. This is no good, since it provides an 
incentive to breed under those conditions which are not conducive to raising
productive members of society.

I propose the following:

1. Eliminate Welfare entirely. If this is done, nothing else need be
   considered.

2. If we keep the Welfare System then apply the following restrictions:

        2.1 If a woman wants to go on the dole while pregnant and receive
            the dole, she must abort the zef. If she chooses not to then
            she must agree to permanent sterilization after the birth
            to continue receiving the benies.

        2.2 If a woman currently on the dole agrees to sterilization then
            she gets a cash grant. In effect society is buying her eggs.

        2.3 If a non pregnant women wishes to go on the dole, then as a 
            condition for receiving the benies must agree to certifiable
            birthcontrol such as Norplant for the duration of her depend-
            ency, and if such birthcontrol fails and she becomes pregnant
            she must either give up the dole or abort.

            If for some reason the certifiable birthcontrol is medically
            not suitable for her, then she must agree to sterilization
            as a condition for the dole

Now before the flames roar, I will tell you I am not anti-woman. But the 
basic biological truth is 1 womb + 1 year = 1.2 children. It is useless
to attempt to sterilize the male population. Even if such a program were
successful, the remaining 5 percent of the males could impregrenate every
available woman.  This would cut the gene pool down but not reduce the birth
rate among the poor.

You will notice the following:
 
There is NO compulsion in anything I propose. All choices to be made by free
will. The basic choice is give up reproduction or starve or improve one's
condition so that reproduction is affordable. 

The is no exclusion of private charitable efforts to ammeleorate the 
condition of the poor. What is proposed is moderating the way the tax-payer
is raped by the govt. which only pretends to help the poor, but in fact 
promotes the welfare beaurocracy.

There is no racial or ethnic discrimination whatsoever. The only people to
who these harsh rules apply are those in NEED. If the majority of such
happen to be "people of color" (I hate that phrase!) that is an historical
accident and happenstance.

We have simply got to cut down on the welfare and reduce poverty in this 
country. The surest way at this juncture is to allow poor folks to perish.

You will know that such a program is effective by the body count.

Conan the Libertarian



-- 
"If you can't love the Constitution, then at least hate the Government"

Newsgroups: talk.politics.theory,talk.abortion