Carrots, Sticks and Other

From The 2018 session of the Minnesota Legislature was a failure. But whose failure was it?

"It is also the choice of people to live in urban areas, fail in our free K-12 education system, make too many babies too early, stay dependent on welfare, rely on government to "fix their problems", etc

With this in mind, the map I linked to pretty clearly shows that people in Urban and Rural areas have very different belief systems.. No matter their race, religion, sex, etc.

Given how animated and aggressive our Political Tribes have been the last 10+ years, do you really think they are that different from the Shiites and Sunnis?

That I is why I fear the growing divide and intolerance between the tribes more than Russia, China, etc... Thank heavens we have a system that ensures everyone is listened to, no matter where they live or what they believe." G2A

"That hot bed of Red States, the South, has an auto industry solely because of huge government subsidies that dwarf things like SNAP. So when Righties decry dependency, they should remove the plank on their own eye first." Frank

"Carrots, Sticks or Other:
Frank,
I am fine with government using carrots and sticks to help improve our country. States often entice businesses by reducing the taxes they will pay for a period of time. That is using carrots to attract jobs for their citizens. The State, business and citizens win...

I am fine with government using sticks to punish companies when they make bad decisions. Like the huge fines that were levied against the banks after the Great recession.

Now for my question... In what way does SNAP, TANF, etc serves as either a carrot or a stick? How does it entice citizens to make better decisions? How does it punish citizens for making bad decisions? How does it benefit our country and support a better future?

Or is it just a way to keep people dependent and controlled?" G2A