What argumentative technique is used when someone insists that one cannot prove the negative statement about social welfare programs?

The technique identified as the correct answer is the Appeal to Ignorance. This argumentative strategy asserts that a claim is true simply because it has not yet been proven false, or vice versa. In the context of insisting that one cannot prove a negative statement regarding social welfare programs, the speaker relies on the lack of evidence to support their position. This reflects a misunderstanding of the burden of proof, wherein it is implied that because no evidence exists to disprove a particular assertion, it must be accepted as true.

The Appeal to Ignorance effectively shifts the responsibility of proof away from the person making the claim, creating a logical fallacy. It does not consider the necessity for evidence to substantiate a positive claim rather than focusing solely on the inability to disprove a negative. This technique can often mislead an audience into taking a stance based on a lack of evidence rather than sound reasoning.