Of degree than principle. At one extreme, government would supply jobs to so many people that government spending drains money out of private market, which leads to an economic downturn, which leads to more unemployment, which leads to more government, which continues to downward cycle further. At the other extreme , government provides no economic help for the unemployed. Even among those who would argue on economic grounds against government directly supplying jobs to the unemployed, there is a strong consensus that government has a responsibility to provide a social “safety net” of economic support. The remaining question seems to be, is his support better provided in the form of jobs, incentives to the private sector to hire the unemployed , or the form of such payment of employment insurance, food stamps , and health insurance?