FEATURE-Cash, no strings attached: New U.S. programs for pandemic poor Reuters 2 hrs ago * Controversial plans are seen as effective and equitable Popular Searches * Pandemic has fueled policymakers' interest By Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON, April 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Handouts lead to laziness and breed dependency, according to the critics. Advocates counter that cash can lift the left-behind out of poverty. What better time to test it out than a pandemic? A high-stakes experiment is underway in a deprived corner of the U.S. capital, with backers eager to see what happens when poor Americans are given cash payments for a limited time, no strings attached.