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A basic income for the poor already exists, it’s just a patchwork of various social services with tenuous political standing and a ton of bureaucracy. So, I ag

A basic income for the poor already exists, it’s just a patchwork of various social services with tenuous political standing and a ton of bureaucracy. So, I agree. We ought to implement UBI and eliminate WIC, TANF, SSDI, SS, and SNAP. Give everyone $2k a month and tax the people who don’t need it.

pitaj 8y ago
The most important part of UBI is universal. I agree, we should replace all entitlements and welfare with it. My preference for an implementation is a negative income tax, as it utilizes existing infrastructure. In my opinion, UBI/NIT + tax simplicity would be a huge improvement for everyone.
- dragonwriter 8y ago
  > The most important part of UBI is universal The U is the most important, but is more clear in the form where it is “unconditional”; it doesn't refer to replacing all other programs programs (particularly most visions do not have it replacing programs that are not means-tested benefit programs but instead are earned entitlements such as Social Security), it refers to the absence of means and behavior tests.
  - pitaj 8y ago
    I know it doesn't refer to replacing all other programs. Regardless, the idea of "earned entitlements" is a lie, and they should be ended. UBI being available in their place is a handy way to get rid of them.
    - dragonwriter 8y ago
      > Regardless, the idea of "earned entitlements" is a lie, No, it's not; they are earned and awarded based on past history of legally-defined creditable work, not based on need measures. (The portrayal sometimes made of them as self-funded mandatory investment vehicles is, at best, imprecise, but while tangentially related to th concept of an idea of an earned entitlement, it is not equivalent to it.) > and they should be ended. There may be an interesting debate there for each of them, but it is, at any rate, not part of the core argument for UBI. > UBI being available in their place is a handy way to get rid of them. I can't think of any earned entitlement (including ones that I think should be replaced by something other than an earned entitlement) for which a UBI offers a sensible replacement (and I support UBI), especially at any level we could reasonably expect to afford to provide benefits to the entire population anytime in in the next half century or so.

pitaj 8y ago

The most important part of UBI is universal. I agree, we should replace all entitlements and welfare with it. My preference for an implementation is a negative income tax, as it utilizes existing infrastructure. In my opinion, UBI/NIT + tax simplicity would be a huge improvement for everyone.

dragonwriter 8y ago
> The most important part of UBI is universal The U is the most important, but is more clear in the form where it is “unconditional”; it doesn't refer to replacing all other programs programs (particularly most visions do not have it replacing programs that are not means-tested benefit programs but instead are earned entitlements such as Social Security), it refers to the absence of means and behavior tests.
- pitaj 8y ago
  I know it doesn't refer to replacing all other programs. Regardless, the idea of "earned entitlements" is a lie, and they should be ended. UBI being available in their place is a handy way to get rid of them.
  - dragonwriter 8y ago
    > Regardless, the idea of "earned entitlements" is a lie, No, it's not; they are earned and awarded based on past history of legally-defined creditable work, not based on need measures. (The portrayal sometimes made of them as self-funded mandatory investment vehicles is, at best, imprecise, but while tangentially related to th concept of an idea of an earned entitlement, it is not equivalent to it.) > and they should be ended. There may be an interesting debate there for each of them, but it is, at any rate, not part of the core argument for UBI. > UBI being available in their place is a handy way to get rid of them. I can't think of any earned entitlement (including ones that I think should be replaced by something other than an earned entitlement) for which a UBI offers a sensible replacement (and I support UBI), especially at any level we could reasonably expect to afford to provide benefits to the entire population anytime in in the next half century or so.