What do you think about the proposed implementation of basic income

1. 85

   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   What do you think about the proposed implementation of basic income
   
   (in some parts of Europe) for people whether they work or not?  Do you contend that eventually the United States will implement basic income policy? Why? Why not?
   
   

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2. 0

   Mark Sammutposted 8 years ago

   It is a bit of a tricky slope. I think nobody should be living out in the streets, especially when there are empty flats/houses available all around the country.And nobody should go to bed hungry, considering how much food is wasted. But people can be notoriously lazy. it really depends on how much the income is.

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3. 50

   bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years ago

   Is Europe doing that well that we should consider following their lead?
   I don't think it is a good idea unless we want to go from bad to worse here.
   
   The US Income Tax system, keyword is Income has been the device that put a de facto class system in the Democratic Republic we call home.
   
   The IRS and the Internal Revenue Code are favorable for only the rich, even though there is a discrimination against the rich with the use of higher marginal tax rates. The rich can hide their income, defer it or severely reduce it.
   
   The point is that income shouldn't be the criteria for the government to use on the people. A consumption base would be more equal and consistent with state sales taxes in most of the states.

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4. 85

   tamarawilhiteposted 8 years ago

   It is unsustainable, because too many people would not need to contribute to society in order to be sustained.
   And it doesn't solve the problems of those who are poor due to poor decisions. What happens when you have addicts blow through their payment and then demand more services? What do you do when people who can't manage their money blow it and need further assistance?
   The cash payments to the poor right now do have significant waste in administration, but there is a high risk that "universal income" doesn't eliminate the need for social welfare programs. But it does increase the spending by the government by giving out more money, and likely increases demand for welfare because people don't have to work and keep their act together to sustain themselves.
   
   It is based on the assumptions that it will lead to the best in human nature, I am not making that assumption.

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