3 ms·

Something to consider (trying not to color the argument with my own opinion): if you conceive of UBI as a replacement for the social net, what's to be done with

Something to consider (trying not to color the argument with my own opinion): if you conceive of UBI as a replacement for the social net, what's to be done with people whose income is not enough to cover their expenses? This has to consider both people that blow their income and people that have special needs due to a medical condition (wheelchair and other mobility tools, accessible housing, costly medicine, live-in nurse, etc.). If you say cover the latter with special supplementary income/resources, what do you do with the former? Leave them become homeless (and potentially end up in the second group, as they get sick)?

mattnewton 9y ago
That’s a really good question and it shows how little has really been fleshed out at this point (at least in my mind). I think the state still has a role to play making purchasing decisions for some; for example, incapacitated people should probably be purchasing healthcare that revives them in most cases, and the state should make the decision there that hospitals should just do so. Where you draw the line where the person isn’t capable of make the decision? I would favor very far into the personal responsibility myself, but I bet there are really good humanitarian and efficiency arguments for a different line that has the state interviene at an earlier point.