What do you think the government should provide?

[Representative MJM]

I'd really like to see everyone's opinions on this one. Which of the following do you think the government should provide? I know some seem a bit radical, but I just thought I would put them on there.

Housing
Child Care
Food
Transportation
Health Care
Clothing
Personal Care
Furnishings
Communication
Utilities
Education

I'd also be interested in whether you think these specific needs should be universally provided or only given to low- and no-income people.

[TNF]

The government, organized as a body of radically democratic, frequently elected workers' councils, should provide all the necessities of life.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

The government, organized as a body of radically democratic, frequently elected workers' councils, should provide all the necessities of life.

This, while delegating the allocation of resources and social welfare to computerized central planning.

[Deus Naturae]

You should probably clarify whether you're asking if the government should provide people with the means to acquire these things, provide providers with the means to provide these things, or directly provide these things itself. For example, "government provision of education" could refer to public schools (direct government provision of education), charter schools (schools provided with funds with which to provide education), or school voucher programs (which provide people with the means to acquire education).

[Deus Naturae]

This, while delegating the allocation of resources and social welfare to computerized central planning.

What formulas would the central planning computer program use?

[TNF]

This, while delegating the allocation of resources and social welfare to computerized central planning.

What formulas would the central planning computer program use?

I would say that it would depend upon the plan adopted by the workers' councils.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Education
Good Working Conditions

[dead0man]

It really depends on state and era we are talking about....but assuming the US in 2014/15....

Housing-for those who have good reasons that they can't be employed, yes, of course.  If you don't have a good reason to not work but can't seem to keep/get a job anyway, the govt should provide you with busy work (cutting grass, picking up trash, etc) and a home.  If you refuse to do the busy work or trash your free house or are otherwise a bad tenant, you're done.
Child Care-below a certain income level, sure...and assistence for people making a little more than that income level.  Some of the people doing busy work above could be utilized to watch the children of the working poor.
Food-sure, it's better for everybody
Transpo-generally no, but maybe under certain circumstances
Health-I'm not sure where I stand on this issue
Clothing-no...come on.  Perhaps the govt could run a Goodwill/Salvation Army type place to assist those in dire situations, but really, clothing isn't that expensive (unless you're a vain douche)
Personal care-?...are you suggesting the govt should provide people with assistants?
Furnishings-same as clothing
Comm-meh....not anymore than they do now (libraries provide it now for free)
Utilities-assistance for the working poor and those that can't work(with a cap), slightly less help for those slightly above the line
Education-sure, to a point.  You shouldn't be able to go to Harvard for 20 years learning everything there is to know about the literature of the Picts for free, but some assistance to go to the local community college to get your HVAC certs or LPN degree?  Sure why not?

[Representative MJM]

Just to clarify due to some confusion: personal care means hygiene products (laundry detergent, shampoo, etc.)

[The_Doctor]

Government (qualified as government at all levels) should provide only:

1.) Disability (including healthcare for the truly disabled)
2.) Unemployment insurance (limited to 52 weeks)
3.) Education
4.) Transportation infrastructure (rails, trains, etc)
5.) Utilities infrastructure (towers, pipes, sewage, etc.)
6.) Manage a pension fund for retired workers that companies pay into
7.) Law enforcement
8.) Environmental protection (clean air, etc.)

The private market should cover everything else. I added two categories, though.

[DC Al Fine]

I disagree with most of the OP's options, but the government should definitely have a role in pensions/retirement. Workers, especially young ones are either unable or unwilling to save for retirement and poor decision making can have a huge effect on results. Therefore the government should have a role in retirement via state run pension plans, forced saving etc.

[angus]

personal care means hygiene products

A chicken in every pot and conditioning shampoo in every shower stall.  Now that's a platform!

[Beet]

Ideally? Nothing. "If men were Angels..." etc. etc.

In reality? At least food; no one should starve to death. At least housing; no one should be out on the streets at night, especially during wintertime. At least health care and the accompanying insurance; no one should shy away from the hospital for fear of bankruptcy.

And numerous other things besides, but obviously, concentrated among the needy, and not in a luxurious or ostentatious way.

[AggregateDemand]

None is best, since providing non-cash benefits is paternalistic and economically inefficient. However, markets aren't a panacea.

Letting the government control defense, money-supply (indirectly), judiciary, some types of infrastructure for national security and communications, as well as a minimum level of compulsory education for better democratic participation.

[Mr. Smith]

Whatever helps the people the most:

So definitely housing, jobs, food, education,defense, transportation, and health-care

Everything else  in theory shouldn't have to be directly provided, but instead simply regulated and moderated in order to stop abuse from the leads of the private sector only in it for the profit or ideology.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Housing- everyone should have access to quality, affordable housing.  Expand public housing and shelters and also private housing vouchers in rural areas.

Child Care- should be universal with low cost based on income with a cap of, say, 20% of household income.

Food- subsidize basic nutrition and gear it more towards fresh produce, non processed grains, meat, and dairy.  Food stamps for the poor, young children, and pregnant and nursing mothers.

Transportation- Public transit should be subsidized and built out.  It should be well planned from an efficiency of movement perspective with cost figured in only after.

Health Care- Medicare for all!

Clothing- no tax on clothing.

Personal Care- covered, like clothing, by guaranteed minimum income

Furnishings- see above

Communication- universal internet access and subsidized phone access for the poor, especially in rural areas

Utilities- should be run by cooperatives with subsidies in poor or rural areas

Education- state provided

[RI]

Generally only what the market in some way fails to provide (or rather, what it underprovides): non-rival and/or non-excludable goods, those with un-internalized positive externalities, natural monopolies (case-by-case), goods in otherwise incomplete markets, goods to correct for information failures, etc.

[Redalgo]

The government itself should mediate social conflict. Goods and services offered in doing so by its federal tier would include...

• Defense - naval, air, and ground forces
• Elections - guaranteed in politics and firms, with some public funding and media
• Exploration - funding for basic research and a space programme
• Income - direct cash transfers for adults indexed to minimum costs of living
• Infrastructure - roads, rails, bridges, cables, pipes, satellites, and so on
• Insurance - social insurance with co-pays for physical and mental health costs

Provincial republics should fund or provide art, monuments, museums, historical sites, schools, libraries, police and firefighter organizations, and whatever social programmes are deemed necessary (if any) to supplement the basic income. They should also decide how best to award conditional management privileges over collectivized properties to co-op and citizen applicants.

[Murica!]

The state shouldn't exist.

[courts]

everything

[Yelnoc]

The government, organized as a body of radically democratic, frequently elected workers' councils, should provide all the necessities of life.

This, while delegating the allocation of resources and social welfare to computerized central planning.

Please give this a read. The author's English isn't the greatest, but the essay touches on a number of key concepts that render "computerized central planning" a fantasy.

[courts]

that said just because the government provides a service doesn't mean that it should necessarily have an absolute monopoly on it. even a place like cuba allows some small scale private farming and stands to take place

[muon2]

The government, organized as a body of radically democratic, frequently elected workers' councils, should provide all the necessities of life.

This, while delegating the allocation of resources and social welfare to computerized central planning.

Please give this a read. The author's English isn't the greatest, but the essay touches on a number of key concepts that render "computerized central planning" a fantasy.

It's hard to go wrong when one starts with a quote from Asimov.

[Boston Bread]

1) Allow everyone to afford a decent living through a guaranteed minimum income
2) Assist in providing utilities like water, electricity, roads, transit, rail (not necessarily owned by government, just funding it to the point where it is affordable and reliable)
3) Single-payer healthcare
4) Free education, including tuition
5) Security through police and a military for solely defensive purposes
6) Old-age pensions
7) Subsidized child care