I doubt we are all that far about on the details, just some of the theory and semantics. I would prefer that the govt did away with all social spending and simply give everyone $15,000 a year. It would save us billions since we spend more than that now. It would also have the benifit of letting people use the money in ways they decided they needed to use it. Some people would use it for education, some for healthcare, some for housing etc etc. We wouldn't have to have a whole bureaucracy to decide the "deserving" poor from the "undeserving" poor. Furthermore everyone could improve their circumstances by working to add to the 15,000 instead of the disincentives we have in place now where people lose if they work. Imagine how many people could become self employed if they had that type of safety net? Rich people might even use their 15,000 to help others or invest in businesses that help others, everyone wins and taxes go down since we would save all those billions.
But it won't happen. There is a whole class of self proclaimed "deciders" who seperate people into the deserving poor and undeserving poor who would be out of a job. On the plus side they would get 15000 a year to cushion the blow of having to get some useful skills.
See, I don't have quite as simplistic view of the economy as it might first appear. I admit to being a socialist, but am also fanatically free market, and don't see the contradiction, two seperate issues really.
BTW, I would also get rid of all govt subsidies to industry including tax breaks for healthcare insurance. On the flip side I would get rid of most labor restrictions too, I find the minimum wage an affront to the free market and downright communist.