New economic figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed an increase in public spending among developed countries during the global financial crisis, but a survey of European nations indicated publics were now looking to ratchet it down.
Recent deliberations in Washington have triggered a national debate about key elements of the social safety net. Why the U.S. invests relatively less in its social safety net than many other countries reflect Americans’ conflicted, partisan and often contradictory views on fairness, inequality, the role and responsibility of government and individuals in society and the efficacy of government action.