EXCERPT:
VANCE: “But here’s the thing. If we could just have a smarter way of verifying identity and eligibility for these programs, we could save the American people a lot of money, and importantly, we can ensure that the people who are receiving these benefits actually deserve them. Because one of my big beliefs, Joe, on this is like, the social welfare system in this country is a core part of the social contract. Like, my family, I myself benefited from some of these programs. I’m now the vice president of the United States. I know a lot of people who get down on their luck, who need a little bit of help, you know, giving their kids access to a doctor or taking their kids to a dentist or need a little bit of help that month, you know, buying food for their families. I want those programs to exist, and I think it’s a cool thing about Americans that we’re generous to one another. We say, when you’re down on your luck, yes, of course we want you to be finding a job and yes, we want you to be trying to get back on your feet, and we know most of our fellow Americans will, but if you’re down on your luck, your kid is not going to go hungry or not going to be able to treat an illness because they can’t afford a doctor. But that social trust, that generosity rests on a foundation where you write your check to the IRS and you know the IRS is going to be careful about where it goes.”
