Universal Basic Income (A Break From the Primaries)

[Meldread]

32. You are right, the devil is in the details. Here is where I shake out.

I'll try and address both of your points.

First, the details. UBI would be offered to everyone eighteen years or older, as well as those individuals declared independent at a younger age. UBI would not be offered to children or for additional children, as having children is a choice that the government should not be in the business of promoting or discouraging. This is the reason we also advocate for choice and easy access to contraception so individuals and families can make those decisions for themselves.

There would be no means testing for UBI. It would be offered to everyone. This would be done because we know that when a social service like this is offered as welfare, those who don't receive it fight against it. Contrast it with how social security works, and the huge popular support it receives.

Benefits would be based upon a national living standard, and then adjusted slightly (only upward) based on location. There may be some additional rules applied to additional increased payments based on location--for example, giving proof that you've lived there for a certain amount of time. I am slightly concerned here about distorting housing markets, so this would be something better worked out in careful detail.

UBI would negate the need for social security (it would essentially replace it and be much more money) as well as SNAP benefits. There may be some other minor programs that would be redundant with UBI, but we would still need to move toward a Single Payer or Universal Healthcare System. In the meantime, until we get there, Medicare, Medicaid, the ACA, and other such programs would remain in place.

I believe this answered all of your questions from the first point.

Now, to your second point regarding work. My position here is simple: I don't want individuals to be obligated to work, especially in horrible low paying jobs. I want work to be a choice, and I want workers to be empowered to bargain with their employers. If someone decides to drop out of the labor market and spend their days surfing on the beach, then that is their choice--a choice I would support. This also is beneficial to those who are interested in entering into the labor market, as it makes labor more scarce, and puts them in a stronger bargaining position. One of the big fears of UBI is that EVERYONE will drop out of the workforce, or at least large numbers of people will. This hasn't been proven to be the case in areas where it has been tried. Although there were some labor force losses, the bulk of them were people who dropped out to go back to school to obtain a higher education. Very few people actually chose to drop out of the labor force entirely. The other thing of note was that there was also a reasonable number of people who decided to work fewer hours and spend more time with their families.

My point was really two-fold: it didn't lead to the worst fears people always predict with UBI, and even in the few marginal cases where it did--it actually benefits those in the labor market, as it makes their labor more valuable. We want work to be a choice, and we want those who choose to work to be able to bargain fairly for their labor.