I like it. We can replace much of the current bureaucracy and federal anti-poverty programs - as currently constructed - actually create an incentive for people NOT to work because if they do work, they lose their benefits. And it makes more sense not to go all that effort to find a minimum job that barely pays them more than welfare. Sane people don’t bother because they’re not going to be rewarded for being responsible.
A guaranteed basic income would cover basic survival necessities - shelter, food, transportation and health care. People would be free to earn more if they wanted to and the guarantee would always remain in place. It would be pro-work and pro-family. It could be administered by a simple piece of software.
And people who can’t manage their income? They can always be taken of by private philanthropy. A civilized society will never let people fend for themselves and having them sleep on the streets. We could do a lot worse than by abolishing our hugely expensive, inefficient and intrusive anti-poverty bureaucracy and make certain no one needs to fear for themselves and their families.
Its been around for a long time now and deserves serious consideration. One can see why liberals support it but it has merit as well from a conservative and libertarian point of view.
They would actually manage their income better, because other than private charities or family, there would be no government to fall back on.
I oppose making the subsidy monthly though. Make it annually at tax time and let banks or other financial services set it up so people can get it monthly.
Stupid idea, and no true conservative or libertarian would espouse it.
Watch for riots if you replace other government assistance programs with this.
What level of taxation will we put up with? Call me greedy or whatever, but it is still taking something away from someone who earned it and giving it to someone who didn’t...
I wouldn’t even begin to consider this unless everyone on it gives up their right to vote.
“Its been around for a long time now and deserves serious consideration”
OK I gave it serious consideration.
Nope, still a stupid idea.
“A guaranteed basic income would cover basic survival necessities - shelter, food, transportation and health care”
Sound exactly as it was in Soviet Union. Have you, “goldstategop”, experienced it personally? Their “shelter”, their so-called food, transportation and health care? The limit was 9 square yards of “shelter” per person, if you were lucky to get it. Would you, “goldstategop”, be comfortable living alone or with your family in a “shelter” of that size built for you by your government? Don’t get me started on the rest of basic survival necessities.....