I really enjoyed this chat with @nicdunnutah. His work with @SutherlandInst is focused on a better safety net. This isn’t a partisan issue and when you put platitudes way on complicated issues, progress can be made. A better safety net is a solvable problem!
America spends a ton of money on our social safety net, yet many people still feel trapped. Maybe the biggest problem isn't how much we spend.
On this episode of Defending Ideas, @basicgray, founder and CEO of @itsfindhelp, joins @nicdunnutah to explain why navigating America's fragmented network of government programs, nonprofits, churches, and other community organizations can be just as hard as qualifying for the benefits themselves.
Gray shares the personal experiences that led him to build Findhelp, what he learned working inside Texas' public-benefits system during the financial crisis, and why he believes AI, better data, and greater coordination could make the safety net more effective, without adding more programs or spending.
He is right to cite the influence of large systems and their lobbyists in state governments, and I think the intentions are good here. It’s a hard problem, and not simplified in a sound bite. I think @DrOzCMS is trying to do a good thing here by making these rounds and having these public discussions.
I fly 100,000 miles a year on United (and do like the occasional starlink on flights). Delta frequent flyers are incredibly loyal for many reasons and I doubt many will go for it. They just don’t care that much about internet, and a loud few on here might insinuate otherwise. Delta knows what they’re doing.