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Comment by Top19 | Hacker News Reader

>“One of my ambitions is to help our users put more food on the table,” says Jimmy Chen, the founder of Propel.

This app has some short-term benefits, but it’s hard to see long-term benefits. What if every government aid program was super easy to sign-up for and instantly check whatever you need. What would change? Less taxes from all the gov workers we’d no longer need?

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>This app has some short-term benefits, but it’s hard to see long-term benefits. What if every government aid program was super easy to sign-up for and instantly check whatever you need. What would change? Less taxes from all the gov workers we’d no longer need?

A lot of people who could receive aid but don't have the time / ability / don't know that they could receive aid would get help? How is that not a good result?

And yes, it'd also mean that there's less effort required to find people who need help and verify them, and thus the overhead is reduced.

To make the most simplistic possible point, having a society where everyone is adequately fed is a longterm benefit. Perhaps you'd be interested in the history of the American school lunch program.

> This app has some short-term benefits, but it’s hard to see long-term benefits. What if every government aid program was super easy to sign-up for and instantly check whatever you need. What would change?

More of the people who need those services would be able to get them?

Less taxes as you point out, and more time for aid recipients to spend improving their lives instead of dealing with bureaucracy.

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