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Old 11-18-2013, 05:10 AM
 
Location: Michigan
29,391 posts, read 55,395,429 times
Reputation: 22042

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A simple idea for eliminating poverty is garnering greater attention in recent weeks: automatically have the government give every adult a basic income.

The Atlantic's Matt Bruenig and Elizabeth Stoker brought up the idea a few weeks ago when they contemplated cutting poverty in half, and Annie Lowrey revisited it in today's issue of the New York Times Magazine.

American basic income: An end to poverty?
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Old 11-18-2013, 05:15 AM
 
26,156 posts, read 14,784,405 times
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Great way to get votes. Nixon proposed such a thing. Not sure about disincentivizing work for so many.

We have a major budget issue with debt and the article suggests taking federal poverty spending at 0.75 Trillion a Year and basically tripling it to 2.14 Trillion.

In the year 2000 -- total federal expenditures were 1.765 Trillion for everything...
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Old 11-18-2013, 05:18 AM
 
Location: Florida
23,154 posts, read 26,047,330 times
Reputation: 27886
Hell, why not? It's getting to be practically that anyway and, other than thousands involved in all the different programs losing their jobs, it would probably cost less just to mail out checks and those newly unemployed would get them too
But, to be fair, even the people that don't need it should get it, too. Wouldn't that cause a lot of moaning and groaning!
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Old 11-18-2013, 05:46 AM
 
11,086 posts, read 8,496,146 times
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If there's something in the world dumber than a 'progressive', I haven't yet encountered it.

Read up on wage/price spirals.
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Old 11-18-2013, 05:54 AM
 
Location: Florida
23,154 posts, read 26,047,330 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goinback2011 View Post
If there's something in the world dumber than a 'progressive', I haven't yet encountered it.

Read up on wage/price spirals.
Well honey, the progressives answer to that is just make the basic income higher.
It would really be interesting to see it done and a within a couple of years see just how many people are "poor" again and in need of more assistance.
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Old 11-18-2013, 05:57 AM
 
25,040 posts, read 27,802,877 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by old_cold View Post
Hell, why not? It's getting to be practically that anyway and, other than thousands involved in all the different programs losing their jobs, it would probably cost less just to mail out checks and those newly unemployed would get them too
But, to be fair, even the people that don't need it should get it, too. Wouldn't that cause a lot of moaning and groaning!
I'm pretty sure that's the idea of a basic income: even the middle classes would get it
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Old 11-18-2013, 06:22 AM
 
Location: New Hampshire
4,865 posts, read 5,654,973 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John1960 View Post
A simple idea for eliminating poverty is garnering greater attention in recent weeks: automatically have the government give every adult a basic income.

The Atlantic's Matt Bruenig and Elizabeth Stoker brought up the idea a few weeks ago when they contemplated cutting poverty in half, and Annie Lowrey revisited it in today's issue of the New York Times Magazine.

American basic income: An end to poverty?
The government wouldn't be giving anyone anything. It would be the taxpayer as usual.

If someone wants money, make them work for it. What a weird concept nowadays... Work to support yourself. Oh?!
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Old 11-18-2013, 06:34 AM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
20,054 posts, read 18,212,526 times
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Been there, done that:

Cloward

What happens if the person doesn't want to work for this "basic income"?

ETA: wow, worse than I thought. You merely have to be breathing for this "income". Great, so more liquidity to buy booze, smokes and hard drugs. What could possibly go wrong?
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Old 11-18-2013, 06:38 AM
 
Location: Florida
23,154 posts, read 26,047,330 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed View Post
I'm pretty sure that's the idea of a basic income: even the middle classes would get it
And the wealthy, yes? Isn't 'everyone' everyone?
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Old 11-18-2013, 06:40 AM
 
35,309 posts, read 51,996,121 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John1960 View Post
A simple idea for eliminating poverty is garnering greater attention in recent weeks: automatically have the government give every adult a basic income.

The Atlantic's Matt Bruenig and Elizabeth Stoker brought up the idea a few weeks ago when they contemplated cutting poverty in half, and Annie Lowrey revisited it in today's issue of the New York Times Magazine.

American basic income: An end to poverty?
I'm a liberal and think thats a pretty dumb idea,, wheres the motivation to even get out of bed in the morning let alone go out and work, I'm all for Social programs to help those who fall on hard times or for whatever reason cant work but to guarantee the whole country a basic income is an absurd idea.
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