Tax and spend, or face the consequences (from the new unemployable)

The threat that machines will make working at McDonalds economically non-viable, resulting in a large number of people who prefer not to work, is speculative.

The threat that generous welfare payments will make working at McDonalds economically non-viable, resulting in a large number of people who prefer not to work, is real. We have been there, done that, and gotten the T-shirt.

Given the option (which existed prior to the Clinton-era welfare reforms) of living on government support supplemented by various economically marginal activities versus having to actually show up 9 o'clock in the morning every single day, many millions of people were content to choose to not work.

(If I had young kids, I'd rather spend time with them than work, too. It is unsurprising to me that many people who had that option availed themselves of it.)