Barack Obama signals support for a universal basic income

originally posted by: theantediluvian
To say that UBI is "far to the Left" is really inaccurate. It has support in right-wing circles too. Milton Friedman was a supporter for instance.

Sure, as a replacement for welfare and to reduce the size of government. Somehow I'm pretty sure that's not what B.O. was thinking about...

a reply to: Puppylove

Where's the money going to come from?

I'm what's laughingly called the "working poor". Never been anything else. I know rich people. Many of whom didn't do a whole lot, other than inheriting, to earn it. Yet, I don't want their money, nor anyone else's.

I get by on what I earn by my own little ol' self. I neither want, nor need, anyone's pity money. They can, in a phrase, go # themselves. This is a less than subtle attempt at buying votes...it's not because they care, we all know they don't.

But, again, where is the money going to come from? Well over a trillion dollars per annum. Where is the money to come from?

a reply to: infolurker

I certainly would. I'd be gone. Monte Carlo, or some such place.

originally posted by: Teikiatsu

originally posted by: theantediluvian
To say that UBI is "far to the Left" is really inaccurate. It has support in right-wing circles too. Milton Friedman was a supporter for instance.

Sure, as a replacement for welfare and to reduce the size of government. Somehow I'm pretty sure that's not what B.O. was thinking about...

What do you think B.O. was thinking about?

a reply to: randyvs

Gates earned his money. You or I could have done the same thing he did. We didn't, so he's greedy? No, he's smart.

a reply to: Hypntick

As you should!!

This idea is so anti-ethical to what I was brought up to believe. You earn what you get by the sweat of your brow, and the calluses on your hands--or the white collar version there of.

a reply to: DBCowboy

That's what that sounded like to me, as well.

There'd be a lot of dead, or wishing they were, people. People tend to react badly to being coerced.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Puppylove

Where is the money to come from?

Why not just add a digit to the balance, money is mostly digital now anyways , there is far more digital money than physical Money, so what difference would it make?

a reply to: chiefsmom

Yeah...not so much.

In fact, I'm fairly sure all that would go up.

I believe a UBI might be a better alternative to what we have now, not in addition to what we have now.

If all social/welfare programs were eliminated, each U.S. citizen who is over 18 and who doesn't receive a federally funded pension, could receive a UBI of @ $20K per year, regardless if they have a job or not. That's how much money is currently being wasted on government social/welfare programs. This can be done without raising taxes. UBI recipients could use their money in the free market on basic needs like food, shelter, health insurance & education. The minimum wage could also be eliminated under a UBI. I believe a UBI might also deincentivise single parent households & promote two parent households.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Uh-huh.

What happens when you "print" too much money? Answer that correctly and you'll understand why that's a really bad idea...

a reply to: JBIZZ

So, 90 percent of the working folk are going to quit their jobs.

Then what?

...and how, pray, is this proposal any different than what we have now? Just a different name for handouts.

a reply to: seagull

Yeah so I didn't really take anything away from
his (Gates) intellect by mentioning greed. I'm
also aware the mega rich always have their
favorite charities. But to say the guy earned a
net worth of $93.3 billion ? And rolling? The guy
could wipe out hunger in africa and still end up
with billions.

I stand by my call. Nobody earns $93.3 billion.
And anyone who has that much while children
starve is greedy. No way around it.

a reply to: seagull

Sure printing money increases inflation, adding digits on a screen I'm not so sure.

a reply to: ThirdEyeofHorus

A key term here: private property rights

Yeah, no. Let's talk about Allmende or the commons in this one.





The US project seems to do fine thus far.

[...]Since the announcement of the basic income experiment, YC Research has remained fairly tight-lipped about the project. But the fact that another related program in San Francisco began in January may suggest it’s going well. So does the fact that Altman has been really doubling down on his support of basic income.

“Why is it okay for somebody that’s in the middle class to say, ‘Hey, I think we should eliminate poverty’ but not okay for Zuckerberg to say that?” he told CNBC.

Support for a universal basic income has become increasingly common among the Silicon Valley and billionaire entrepreneur crowd. Mark Zuckerberg sees it as “a cushion [for people] to try new ideas,” Elon Musk sees it as an inevitability that will result from an increasingly automated future, and Richard Branson recently called it a potential means of reducing unemployment.[...]

Tech Millionaire on Basic Income: Ending Poverty "Moral Imperative"

a reply to: DBCowboy

This is seriously stupid. When you give everyone free money then the price of everything will shoot up why you ask because companies will say everyone has extra money so let's increase price so we get more of that money same thing would happen if minimum wage shoots up to 15 bucks an hour. When hud started paying 650 a month for a one bedroom apartment people who were renting out houses for 500 a month in my area immediately jumped rent on new leases to 800 to 900 a month and. They would quickly tell you that they could get more from hud but they didn't want the hassle. Luckily a friend let me rent her 2 bedroom home for 450.

a reply to: TheLead

Why not oh I don't know give them jobs our country infrastructure is falling apart put them to work rebuilding it only requirements is you must be a citizen and no unions allowed and you can pay for it with national sales tax of 2 cent on the dollar and 4 cent on the dollar on all transactions on stock exchange.

I'll just leave this right here. Forcing people to give up their hard earned money is theft.

a reply to: DBCowboy

I always laughed at the thought of universal income, but it's getting to the point where big companies like Amazon will be in charge.

They will provide everything just dont ask how their decisions are made

Things are about to get really weird

My question to UBI is what regulations and mandatory requirements come along with the acceptance of taxpayer money anyways.

Everybodies families pay into this UBI tax system for anyone that is without at times or suffering from medical/mental grief and suffering.

I think your all short sighted not to consider a secure social security system for all Called UBI (Universal Basic Income).

Many people can be more valuable at certain times than others where community assistance programs of volunteership and local growing initiatives to replace big farm america may be the way to go.

I think no one is focused on darth may be un-darth with Obama or he is more like his roots chicago self and supporting Ubuntu Lifestyle and Nelson Mandela of Africa again.

I don't and will not deny Obama is another politician with agendas alignment that could create a world government.

I only say when were all over Trump Hysteria and we got our minds back could we get back to a more bi-partisanship with government where maybe not some Democrats namely 4-5 main families but definitely the DNC needs to restore its ability to make sense out of chaos too.

I VOTED TRUMP BY THE WAY and OBAMA BEFORE.

I'm the Bi-Partisan Ticket to a true Democracy and possibly Green Party to Follow with Jill Stein next term.

It could be a Purple Party and Green Party showdown!

You do not know and nothing is really going according to the simulation anyways. Check it everyday, nothing!



I