--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we think of entitlement programs…" description: "\"When we think of entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare immediately come to mind. But by any fair standard, the holy trinity of United Stat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/matthew-desmond-1529_come_when-we-think-of-entitlement-programs-so_2759002.jpg" --- # When we think of entitlement programs, Social Security and… ![“When we think of entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare immediately come to mind. But by any fair standard, the holy trinity of United States social policy should also include the mortgage-interest deduction - an enormous benefit that has also become politically untouchable.” quote by Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/matthew-desmond-1529_come_when-we-think-of-entitlement-programs-so_2759002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/matthew-desmond-1529_come_when-we-think-of-entitlement-programs-so_2759002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/matthew-desmond-1529_come_when-we-think-of-entitlement-programs-so_2759002.jpg) > “When we think of entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare immediately come to mind. But by any fair standard, the holy trinity of United States social policy should also include the mortgage-interest deduction - an enormous benefit that has also become politically untouchable.” [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that mortgage-interest deduction should be considered a core entitlement program alongside Social Security and Medicare. **In simple terms:** Calls mortgage interest a key social benefit. Key Takeaway Recognize tax policy as social safety net. Themes tax policy social welfare inequality public finance Mood analytical concerned Type policy economic When to use this quote - policy analysis - public debate - tax reform - homeownership incentives Key Concepts tax deduction housing market wealth distribution Questions to Reflect On - Should tax benefits be treated as social programs? - How does this affect housing affordability? A Different Perspective Political resistance makes reform difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entitlement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entitlement/) [Entitlement programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entitlement-programs/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Holy trinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-trinity/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Social security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-security/) ## Related quotes > [“Modern governments actually spend relatively little on programs and systems that benefit all citizens, such as national defense or the judicial system; mainly they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-dilorenzo/modern-governments-actually-spend-relatively-little-on-programs-and/) [Thomas J. DiLorenzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-dilorenzo/) > [If we have more people on the receiving end of government - more people as the middle class becomes sucked in more and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/if-we-have-more-people-on-the-receiving-end-of-government-more-people/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [“We started with entitlement programs that generously met the needs of individuals unable to provide enough for themselves.  This slowly but surely created a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-s-kyle/we-started-with-entitlement-programs-that-generously-met-the-needs-of/) G.S. Kyle > [Most Americans living below the official poverty line own a car or truck - and government entitlement programs seldom provide cars and trucks. 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We are pushing for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/after-all-we-are-not-promoting-welfare-we-are-promoting-work-we-are/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm not asking for more entitlement programs; I'm asking for more enterprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-not-asking-for-more-entitlement-programs-i-m-asking-for-more/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [To avoid large and unsustainable budget deficits, the nation will ultimately have to choose among higher taxes, modifications to entitlement programs such as Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/to-avoid-large-and-unsustainable-budget-deficits-the-nation-will/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [Americans never would alter the way entitlement programs are funded or education administered without serious study and widespread debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/americans-never-would-alter-the-way-entitlement-programs-are-funded/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) ## More by Matthew Desmond > [I don't think we can fix poverty without fixing housing, and I don't think we can address housing without understanding landlords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-don-t-think-we-can-fix-poverty-without-fixing-housing-and-i-don-t/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [If we continue to tolerate this level of poverty in our cities, and go along with eviction as commonplace in poor neighborhoods, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-we-continue-to-tolerate-this-level-of-poverty-in-our-cities-and-go/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [You see one eviction, and you're overcome, but then there's another one and another one and another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/you-see-one-eviction-and-you-re-overcome-but-then-there-s-another-one/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When I talk to booksellers, they tell me how hard it is to hand-sell some of my books because I do keep popping around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/when-i-talk-to-booksellers-they-tell-me-how-hard-it-is-to-hand-sell/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Housing being a top-order issue for cities is something that's not trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-being-a-top-order-issue-for-cities-is-something-that-s-not/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [I think that we value fairness in this country. 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