Source.An economy as rich as America’s could afford to pay citizens a basic income worth about $10,000 a year if it began collecting about as much tax as a share of GDP as Germany (35%, as opposed to the current 26%) and replaced all other welfare programmes (including Social Security, or pensions, but not including health care) with the basic-income payment.
Food stamps already have a long litany of opinions on what should not be allowed, the destination of such a conversation. — AngleWyrm
Post your budget pie, if you wish to discuss how 'you' spend money. — AngleWyrm
Why are conservatives so opposed to it despite the economic argument that could be made in its favor? — Posty McPostface
I believe the issue is the principle of money being taken from those who have worked for it and given to those who haven't. — Michael
The principle of money being taken from those who have worked for it and given to those who haven't? Sometimes people care more about the means than the end. — Michael
Why are conservatives so opposed to it despite the economic argument that could be made in its favor? — Posty McPostface
But even if [UBI] could work, it should be rejected on principle. A UBI would redefine the relationship between individuals, families, communities, and the state by giving government the role of provider. It would make work optional and render self-reliance moot. An underclass dependent on government handouts would no longer be one of society’s greatest challenges but instead would be recast as one of its proudest achievements.
It would make work optional and render self-reliance moot.
Why are conservatives so opposed to it despite the economic argument that could be made in its favor? — Posty McPostface
The biggest danger with UBI I think isn't the idea itself: it's the fact that it can be leaned upon as a excuse to shut down other areas of public investment, and perhaps act as a spur to unnecessary privatization as well. While I do think any UBI should be leveraged to cut down on other social security initiatives, any such trade-off would need to be carefully calculated and weighed against specific circumstances. The worry is that UBI will be used as an excuse for what would amount to a public firesale. That would be awful. — StreetlightX
The cost of distributing $7500 per year to 150 million adults -- $1,125,000,000,000 — Bitter Crank
Well, I am on SSI. $500 of my $635 goes to rent, and since I live with my family which helps with food costs, I get to keep the remainder for grooming, health needs, and transportation costs. That's pretty much what the money was intended to be used for and that's how it is spent by me. — Posty McPostface
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