But the USA are the embodiment of democracy. How can't you choose something better? /s
I suspect you think I'm joking. I'm not. "Work is better than welfare" is a common refrain. Here it is on a state government web site:
https://www.dshs.wa.gov/esa/chapter-1-engaging-parents-workf...
It's widely considered that if you feed people for free, they will have no incentive to work. They will live off of your effort, have more children who will learn from their parents that work isn't required, and possibly commit crimes to obtain more. There is a genuine fear that they will literally lead more comfortable lives than you do by working.
Again, I suspect you think I'm exaggerating, or that this is an extreme minority opinion. This is a very common opinion among Americans -- effectively universal among conservatives, and significant among progressives.
We don't choose better because the things that you think of as "better" are supported by only a minority of Americans. Most Americans think it will make us lazy, weak, and stupid.
It would also make work requirements for adults to be eligible.
I find that weird, and a little sad.
We need to abandon these protestant values because they're not doing anyone any good.
Kids do better in school when they aren't hungry, there, we don't need to discuss what incentives their parents should have because there is a good reason to feed them.
I think that a guarantee of having enough money to feed yourself is better than just about any other option. I think people individually and collectively benefit from others holding jobs, but they can also benefit from unpaid activities like family caregiving. I think the idea that having jobs is good but nobody would do it if they didn't have to, and therefore it is good to threaten people with hunger until they are motivated enough to get one, is absolutely terrible.
And creating art, and starting new software companies, and volunteering. There are lots of things that are worth doing but that nobody will pay for (or won't pay enough to live on). And people want to do them, but instead get pushed into literally any kind of work -- even work that we'd be better off automating or simply doing without.