The Era of Biden

[The Conservative]

Everybody on UBI, like the dole, is lost. But America is lost anyway so grab what you can get.

We would replace Welfare and SS with this, again, strict requirements to obtain it, but not so strict that no one can either...

We already have two broken systems, why not fix them with a replacement of a new one that will take over for both?

[Martin Hash]

Everybody on UBI, like the dole, is lost. But America is lost anyway so grab what you can get.

We would replace Welfare and SS with this, again, strict requirements to obtain it, but not so strict that no one can either...

We already have two broken systems, why not fix them with a replacement of a new one that will take over for both?

Dude, welfare is a failure; we'd just be adding to it; but take it if you can get it; no shame if you just do what everybody else is doing.

p.s. The real solution is Workfare but I don't see that coming back anytime before the revolution.

[TheOneX]

Everybody on UBI, like the dole, is lost. But America is lost anyway so grab what you can get.

We would replace Welfare and SS with this, again, strict requirements to obtain it, but not so strict that no one can either...

We already have two broken systems, why not fix them with a replacement of a new one that will take over for both?

Dude, welfare is a failure; we'd just be adding to it; but take it if you can get it; no shame if you just do what everybody else is doing.

p.s. The real solution is Workfare but I don't see that coming back anytime before the revolution.

The core concept behind UBI is pretty sound. Just because an overly complicated system that can put you in a position to make less money if you take a pay raise fails, doesn't mean all systems fail. If your goal is getting rid of the current welfare and social security system, UBI is the most logical choice. Its simplicity would be it's success. If it did fail the failure wouldn't be in the idea, but the execution of the idea.

[DBTrek]

1. That isn't how economics work.
2. What would you propose we do when automation gets to the point where large swathes of the population are unemployable at no fault of their own? UBI certainly doesn't make sense today, but UBI isn't about today.

1. Supply/Demand absolutely IS how economics works.
2. Government doesn't exist to fleece productive members (those creating supply) to subsidize non-productive demand (those who consume without generating supply).

Write whatever screed you want about it, you may as well be arguing that gravity doesn't exist.
/shrug

[DBTrek]

The core concept behind UBI is pretty sound.

To the economically illiterate.
In other news, Flat Earth theory is pretty sound to people who never left Kansas.

[DBTrek]

Just curious, UBI... what if we we do a UBI for those who NEED it, and not based off of race, gender, or age. If they are of working age and refuse to, they don't get it, but if they need it, even though they work full time (getting paid under a living wage) this would take into effect?

The "U" in UBI stands for "Universal".

As soon as someone doesn't get it, it ceases to be UBI.
At that point it's just another centralized wealth redistribution scheme selecting winner and losers.

[C-Mag]

I need git me sum them UBIs.

[The Conservative]

Just curious, UBI... what if we we do a UBI for those who NEED it, and not based off of race, gender, or age. If they are of working age and refuse to, they don't get it, but if they need it, even though they work full time (getting paid under a living wage) this would take into effect?

The "U" in UBI stands for "Universal".

As soon as someone doesn't get it, it ceases to be UBI.
At that point it's just another centralized wealth redistribution scheme selecting winner and losers.

Then we need to redefine what it needs to be...

[Martin Hash]

Means tested UBI is simply Welfare.

Below are all my UBI quotes:

If the Basic Income gravy train comes through town, I'm jumping aboard too; hopefully, we can ride all the way to utopia.

Basic Income is wishful thinking of the Listless Class.

Basic Income is the end game of gibs.

Many young people would like to surf, smoke dope & play videogames so UBI is a very alluring message to them.

I'm against Basic Income unless it's tied to the right & responsibility of everyone to have a job.

It's not hard to find yet another young person who wants a Basic Income so they don't have to work.

I don't mind Basic Income as long as I get it.

Basic Income is a terrible idea because it discourages production while fueling consumption.

With UBI, who's obligated to give the free money?

Does the Universal Basic Income require some kind of commitment, like digging & filling holes, or do we just owe you?

Most people who get free UBI money are going to consume more than they produce.

UBI would essentially take young people out of the workforce; they could live on the income, and go to the beach & play videogames. Who wants to work when all your friends are getting a tan? Who needs cars, houses, families? Working’s for suckers.

Why only $12K/yr. UBI that increases the economy by $2.5 trillion? Double that for a $5 trillion bump, or quadruple it for $10 trillion! Simple math says that if everyone was given $million/yr., there isn’t even a word for how big the economy would be?!

UBIers could share rooms in a house, getting their Internet at Starbucks, carpool, eat Top Ramen & play videogames; why not?

If someone knows why people would work without incentive, please tell me.

Why work on UBI? Why not just lay on the beach, smoke dope & pleasure yourself all day?

I'm saying "yes" to getting some Basic Income; I could live pretty cheap: weed, videogames & self-gratification don't cost much.

Redistribution of wealth can also be through printing money as long as everyone is given the same amount, which supports the idea of a UBI.

The downside of UBI is loss of productivity from slackers deciding not to work; maybe only give the UBI to people who do?

If $1000/month UBI makes the economy good, $3000/month would make it even better, and $10,000/month would make it stratospheric.

UBI would result in such a decline in productivity that it would cause way more harm than good.

Who needs a job if you've got the UBI?

As long as you're working to support me, I'm okay with Basic Income.

If I just left my parent's home, I'd love the idea of the UBI.

UBI free foney: sign me up! Working is for fools.

I never would have worked if given a chance to be a Slacker.

If there were 2 people on an island and one did all the work, is the other one his partner and has a right to some of the fruits?

Just give me enough to live a month of Basic Income and let things stay as they are forever.

It all works out in the end because The Rich will be living large, and everybody else is going to be on Universal Basic Income.

UBI is like everyone winning the lottery.

"Jobs for Everyone" should be a State goal so that people can get a UBI and still keep a Work Ethic.

UBI is a socialist wetdream.

Basic Income people think corporations are going to be obligated to give them free stuff.

Printing money and handing it out as UBI is a solution that redistributes wealth down that doesn't involve taxation.

Social Security is much closer to a UBI than socialism, because socialism, "most good to the most people," would have a Means Test.

Have you heard of the proposed, so-called "Universal Basic Income," where people receive free money because, you know, America owes them?

A Universal Basic Income for everyone would make it so that people who didn't really want to work wouldn't be distorting the job market.

Do you truly believe that once the moochers burn through "Free" money, that we as a nation would stop providing them medical care, food, and they'd stop having children?

Herein lies my major problem with Universal Basic Income, National Dividend, Dole, or whatever folks want to call free money given away to everyone just because: I don't want to work either.

I question the wisdom of anyone who thinks that given a chance for an easy life, most people would not choose to coast rather than work.

My personal experience is that people are cheats, and UBI free money could only go on for perhaps a decade before the house fell in.

I'd be part of the revolt against a UBI but I'm just one gun; however, most of the Conservatives have lots of guns, so it would be quite a revolution.

UBI people would presumably be out kayaking, playing videogames, or doing yoga rather than pretending to be doing a job somebody was depending on them for, which would make the job market more efficient anyway.

I understand the concept of a UBI that everyone deserves the basics and can work more if they want more; I'm mostly surprised anyone thinks it would work?

I don't know but I suspect if there'd been a UBI when I was 18, I'd still be surfin', smokin' dope & scopin' the pussy down at the beach before going back to my trailer to watch Reality TV; probably sire half-a-dozen brats, all from different women and let them take care of it because they sure as hell wouldn't be living with me.

I used to think the anti-tax but pro-UBI position was ironic, similar to "Keep Government out of my Social Security" but my sense of humor is being crushed by self-interest, illogic & irrationality.

It would be awesome if people didn't have to work so that they could do something more useful; they could join an ashram, chant their mantra, and will the world to be a better place, full of goodness & light; don't bother asking me what I think would make the world a better place, I'm too busy working.

My son has a job that pays UBI-like wages and he's looking forward to UBI so he can quit that job and have the time to do fun stuff.

I personally don't know anybody who would "work" if they didn't have to, I sure as hell wouldn't; I would be down at the beach writing in my dairy how awesome life was while drinking a margarita someone else paid for; I'd also screw around a lot doing things I wanted to do but wouldn't be of use to anyone else, like "art."

Pensions, Welfare, Social Security, Disability, other forms of retirement, plus children, have consumption well over 50% of the population, maybe as much as 70%; at what point does consumption overwhelm production; add Basic Income and that will probably take it over the top.

Basic Income reverses the responsibility from the individual onto society but that's not the case with subsidized income: Workfare is a better model.

A society needs to instill Work Ethic, not eradicate it; a UBI only makes sense in a Workfare situation, and it can never be a Right, the people providing it must be able to make demands.

If entrepreneurship is primarily a function of smoking pot, surfing, videogames & masturbation, yeah, Basic Income will be great; I know because that’s what I would have done.

[SilverEagle]

Everybody on UBI, like the dole, is lost. But America is lost anyway so grab what you can get.

Yup. If we would qualify for a stimulus check we would invest it, by invest it I would buy more guns and ammo. I have enough in the market right now. This whole thing is a shit show.