Switzerland 'rejects basic income', poll projections suggest

[elmac]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by tammywammy (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: BBC

Some 78% of voters opposed the plan, a GFS projection for Swiss TV suggested.
The proposal had called for adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, whether they worked or not.

Supporters said since work was increasingly automated, fewer jobs were available for workers. Switzerland is the first country to hold such a vote.

No figure for the basic income had been set, but those behind the proposal suggested a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs (£1,755; $2,555) for adults and SFr625 for each child, reflecting the high cost of living in Switzerland. It is not clear how it would affect people on higher salaries.

There was little support among Swiss politicians for the idea and not a single parliamentary party has come out in favour, but the proposal gathered more than 100,000 signatures and was therefore put to the vote under the Swiss popular initiative system.
Critics of the measure say that disconnecting the link between work done and money earned would be bad for society.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36454060

[Just reading posts]

1. As expected.

[sulphurdunn]

2. 22% support

for something this visionary on the first go-round is encouraging.

[elmac]

3. Yes, it was visionary

and Switzerland can probably get by without it due to all the safety nets they have in place. On the other hand, countries like the USA will have some serious stability problems when millions are displaced by technology.

[warrprayer]

4. Just heard this on NPR (Now Parrots Republicans)

The propaganda machine is pushing back hard on this one.

"Rejected because people feel should work for income, not accept handouts"

Not a word about who specifically said this, it is "a sentiment"

Gotta put a stop to this kind of thing, next thing you know they will be OVER HERE!

People in Switzerland are against this Bernie Sanders sort of stuff... after all, half the money that would fund something like that here is in THEIR SECRET BANKS!!! ...

NPR, made possible by a grant from Koch Industries.... ((actual ad on NPR )

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141476795

TBH, I was curious what the result would be with such a referendum.

[MADem]

6. Where is this money coming from? There are people working HARD who make

less than that each month!

I think you could find 20 percent of ANY nation entranced with the idea of getting an income for doing nothing. Hell, who doesn't like the idea? It's the cornerstone of retirement, after all!

This is the telling bit, though:

There was little support among Swiss politicians for the idea and not a single parliamentary party has come out in favour...

[madokie]

7. 76%

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27459178

[tammywammy]

8. Locking as dupe

Continue discussion here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141476795