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Universal income discussion

Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:43 am
Posted by Bjorn Cyborg
Member since Sep 2016
27406 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:43 am
Note: I added 7 and 8.

(The following comments are from an academic standpoint. I don't support Universal Income)

The problem with UI, and there are lots, is that our society is weak and won't let people fail (or die).

For UI to work, it has to:

1. Be universal. Every adult has to get the same amount. It can't vary by income, geography or age.

2. It has to replace ALL other forms of government handouts and entitlements: No more social security, welfare, foodstamps, etc.

3. It has to be completely cold and brutal: "This is what you get, period." It won't work if we aren't willing to let people starve in the ditch. Sure, there would still be a place for charity, churches, etc. But the government cannot allow people to waste their UI, and then swoop in and give them more.

4. It has to include health insurance. (The insurance should be very basic. Private "adder" insurance would still be available) I have seen some models where every adult gets a set amount, say $25,000 per year, with $5,000 of that dedicated to health insurance, with a net of $20,000.

5. There can be no laws against making additional money and any additional money earned would not affect your UI.

6. The UI can't be garnished, inherited, mortgaged, liened, promised or sold.

7. Strict citizenship requirements. Perhaps even a time-period after citizenship before you can get it. This would solve some immigration issues, because there would be no more entitlements besides UI, which immigrants (legal or illegal) would not quality for.

8. If you go to prison, your UI goes to the entity that is imprisoning you to pay for your incarceration. No one else can get your UI except you.

None of these things would be agreeable to the people pushing for UI, so it will never happen - and if it happens, it will be a massive failure. (it would probably be a massive failure, even with these rules, but at least it would have a chance)

If you read about UI, most of the people talking about it leave out the U for Universal. It's just another entitlement.
This post was edited on 5/30/23 at 10:02 am
Posted by 777Tiger
Member since Mar 2011
73856 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:45 am to
quote:

If you read about UI, most of the people talking about it leave out the U for Universal. It's just another entitlement.



there's a country in Europe that does this, or at least did it up to not so long ago
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
66294 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:45 am to
Better develop a taste for insects...
Posted by BigBinBR
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2023
4586 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:45 am to
quote:

5. There can be no laws against making additional money and any additional money earned would not affect your UI.


This right here puts us back to exactly where we are now. Only our money is even more worthless.

Edit: The only way this would ever work would be if there was an absolute price freeze on everything - which is ludicrous.
This post was edited on 5/30/23 at 9:48 am
Posted by wileyjones
Member since May 2014
2341 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:45 am to
quote:

2. It has to replace ALL other forms of government handouts and entitlements: No more social security, welfare, foodstamps, etc.
gets my vote
Posted by BluegrassBelle
RIP Hefty Lefty - 1981-2019
Member since Nov 2010
99928 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:46 am to
quote:

4. It has to include health insurance. (The insurance should be very basic. Private "adder" insurance would still be available) I have seen some models where every adult gets a set amount, say $25,000 per year, with $5,000 of that dedicated to health insurance, with a net of $20,000.


Or we could just move to a single-payer system.
Posted by GeauxxxTigers23
TeamBunt General Manager
Member since Apr 2013
62514 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:48 am to
So, communism?
Posted by NOLAVOL16
Member since Jan 2022
874 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:50 am to
Agreed. I’m not in favor of this stuff either at this time. We’re simply not ready for such a drastic change.

That said, at some point in the future this WILL be necessary as automation and AI remove the need to have so much human labor. And I don’t think it could ever be just a gift of cash. It would need to come in the form of actual food/clothing/shelter. The basics of survival.
This post was edited on 5/30/23 at 9:54 am
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
66763 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:51 am to
Doesn't this basically make whatever the UBI is the new zero?
Posted by Pettifogger
Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone
Member since Feb 2012
79526 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:51 am to
In theory I don't object to UI or single payer

I do object to it in a country of 350m people. Zero reason for my family and misanthropes on the West Coast to be pooling resources for common programs.
Posted by JetsetNuggs
Member since Jun 2014
14155 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:54 am to
There are some people that, no matter how much money you give them, will spend every last cent on nothing of substance

These people will continue living in poverty while they waste the handout that we pay taxes to support

UBI will do nothing but keep the poor where they are while our economy sucks
This post was edited on 5/30/23 at 9:55 am
Posted by offshoretrash
Farmerville, La
Member since Aug 2008
10184 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:55 am to
I'd go from working my arse off 60 hrs a week to a door greeter at Walmart for the same money and benefits.

I don't think that'll work it would shut down all industry type businesses.
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
55261 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:57 am to
quote:

Universal income discussion


Sounds good as the ultimate something for nothing but people need to work.

Some of the greatest achievements in the USA were built during the WPA. Take away the work ethic and you will be a welfare state.
Posted by Tiger Ryno
#WoF
Member since Feb 2007
103327 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:57 am to
Universal Poverty
Posted by rmc
Truth or Consequences
Member since Sep 2004
26608 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 9:59 am to
quote:

None of these things would be agreeable to the people pushing for UI, so it will never happen - and if it happens, it will be a massive failure. (it would probably be a massive failure, even with these rules, but at least it would have a chance)

If you read about UI, most of the people talking about it leave out the U for Universal. It's just another entitlement.


I agree with all of this.

I think with AI about to take over many jobs, and I honestly believe it will take more than we think, its a discussion that will be had over the next decade. I actually do not see how my job is not automated within the next 10-15 years. I am beginning to think about what's next for me and what I can do with my skillset.
Posted by TigahTeeth
Georgia
Member since Feb 2016
5212 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 10:01 am to
So how does that affect housing? Does everyone just stay in the house they’re in but receive the same amount of money as people living in homes twice the value of your own and less than twice the value of your own? Property taxes? How would that work? Utilities to run said houses? This notion of UI simply can’t work unless it’s started from scratch. This country and many others like it NEED classes.
Posted by LSUnation78
Northshore
Member since Aug 2012
12118 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 10:09 am to
quote:

If you go to prison, your UI goes to the entity that is imprisoning you to pay for your incarceration. No one else can get your UI except you.



Lmao, because our prison systems dont make enough profit
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
116993 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 10:10 am to
quote:

2. It has to replace ALL other forms of government handouts and entitlements: No more social security, welfare, foodstamps, etc.



This is the only way to effectively implement UBI, and many conservative economists have argued that it would actually save money and government waste.

Which is why it won't happen like this.
Posted by SquatchDawg
Cohutta Wilderness
Member since Sep 2012
14352 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 10:22 am to
Whoever came up with this doesn’t understand the basics of supply and demand or monetary inflation.
This post was edited on 5/30/23 at 10:23 am
Posted by pjab
Member since Mar 2016
5657 posts
Posted on 5/30/23 at 10:24 am to
quote:

8. If you go to prison, your UI goes to the entity that is imprisoning you to pay for your incarceration. No one else can get your UI except you.


I understand your intentions, but this needs to be reworked. There can’t be an incentive to incarcerate people. Someone else is getting your UI. Instead of speed traps in small towns, Sheriff John will throw your arse in his jail to collect your UI.

How close do we want the floor to the ceiling?
This post was edited on 5/30/23 at 10:26 am
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