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I've always thought there should be an essential basics program, where you can always receive an adequate amount of flour, rice, beans, corn, and other basic fo
by dahdum 8y ago
I've always thought there should be an essential basics program, where you can always receive an adequate amount of flour, rice, beans, corn, and other basic foodstuffs to survive. I'd also add toothpaste, soap, and other sanitary items.
We can still have food stamp programs that allow people to spend as they please, but the guaranteed floor ensures literally no one need go hungry.
Sticking to basics keeps the costs far lower than trying to subsidize processed foods, and the extent we susbsidize our farmers also subsidizes the program.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- epicureanideal 8y agoUnfortunately the largest cost is rent, but I like your idea. I'd even be happy to donate to such a service.
- magduf 8y agoWhat are you going to do with flour, rice, etc.? You need a way to cook it. That means you need an apartment, with a kitchen, with working electricity or gas. Those are the things that really cost people. Giving a bag of flour to a homeless man isn't going to help him.
- dahdum 8y agoI disagree somewhat, this program isn't intended to replace all others, it's just minfood.
- RangerScience 8y agoThe additional complication is problematic, as is the additional control / disempowerment. Such as: - Who decides the list of goods? - Who provides them? - Who delivers them? Ex: Pizza as a vegetable. Sure, you'll have people make shit decisions - but part of the point (IMHO) of UBI is that a shit decision this month doesn't have to screw you next month. My brother also always points out that "shrinkage" (from retail) is a really good concept to apply to welfare programs: The cost to 100% anything far outweighs the benefit to 100% that.
- dahdum 8y agoYes, it's a program that is at high risk of overexpansion like many others. It would be constantly attacked for not providing "healthy" options like fresh fruit, organic flour, more variety and whatnot. I just wish we could do stuff like this. Same with housing, provide budget accommodations in low cost areas and you'll be accused of creating ghettos and modern day internment camps. So we spend much more to subsidize housing in the highest cost, most desirable regions, leaving far too many without anything.
- RangerScience 8y agoRight. Or you give people the capacity to make their own choices (and make sure the market can function as properly, which is non-trivial). Any kind of goods/services delivery removes people's capacity to make their own choices.