"I’m tired of calling this a pilot. We know it works,” Riverside Democratic Assembly member Corey Jackson said on Wed. “I do believe that guaranteed income is a part of a 21st century social safety net to fill in the gaps that other, more stringent programs aren’t able to meet."
Do it, California.
The pushback is why basic income is more than just what it seems. It's everyone's, a safe haven for anyone regardless of background. It's unconditional. It says your escape is your right. It's in cash. You can use it immediately. It's individual. No-one is trapped in any part of the old model. It's periodic and permanent. Your right to autonomy and existence is no longer up for debate.
A civilizing idea.
Being in poverty is akin to playing a game of musical chairs: not enough chairs, and people keep falling.
BREAKING: New PBO Report estimates a Guaranteed Basic Income can reduce poverty by 40% nationwide at a net cost of just $3.6B/year and 1% impact on hours worked.
Poverty costs Canada $80B+/year.
We should be sending letters companies telling them Ai is replacing workers and we need a UBI because it will come for their job too
Meanwhile, universal basic income has been shown to significantly reduce depression and improve mental health and well-being. No joke.
Extreme inequality and mass chronic economic insecurity are the root forces tearing us apart. Democracy requires a strong middle class, but decades of automation and globalization have eaten away at it, leaving us with a lot of angry people willing to burn it all down.
We need a basic income floor.
AI certainly has the potential to disrupt work, but with a UBI, I see a transformation from working mostly for others to more cottage/home-based industry as people could use hobbies, etc that may not quite meet their needs but with the supplement of UBI it would be enough to live on.
My opinion is that focusing on universal programs will help keep people like this out of power. Trump feeds on the resentment felt by those struggling but can't get help while watching "those people get assistance.
As for AI...
Disregarding the role that poverty and homelessness have in creating drug addiction and mental illness will just result result in more issues that result in people falling through the cracks
Can't argue with paranoia.
Drug and alcohol addiction is something that we need to address in an appropriate way regardless of anything else we do or not do.
try paying for all that stuff with $0 a month
or getting $500 in food stamps then have it taken away because you got a $20/month raise
UBI is not meant to replace all other income especially at $500
obviously you have never been poor to think that $500 extra is not impactful
that "tiny bit of food" would make a huge difference for many people
also I could feed my family of 5 for a month on $500
There's a lot of misinformation out there about the concept of universal basic income. If you want to be well-informed, follow me and learn about what we know from studies in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/scot...
Here's a UBI starter pack too:
bsky.app/profile/scot...
And here's a UBI 101 link:
the movie The Wave (1981) is based on a real event where a teacher takes this even further
Gen Z's opinion of Trump has shifted dramatically in just 3 months; a massive negative shift of 37 points from +19 to -18. It's too bad it took implementing Project 2025 instead of just reading it or watching a video about it or listening to a podcast about it.
www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...
I like the term Human Centered Capitalism
as a Coast Guard Vet I stand with Admiral Fagan
she should be given respect for her dedication and service
You think UBI is expensive; think again!
The price we pay for poverty far outweighs the cost of a UBI program.
Poverty costs us billions in medical bills, crime insecurity, and lost human potential from lack of education and opportunity.
UBI will save us billions and make us much more.
Wealth is a result of having resources, seizing opportunities, and compounding income over time. UBI provides resources and opportunities for individuals to generate wealth. It enables individuals to gain skills and generate income to invest in themselves and their communities
Another argument in favor of #UBI is the fact that casinos contribute to human trafficking, so eliminating the need for dependence on casinos will decrease human trafficking.
Universal basic income is the answer. It's a foundation. It's a master key that unlocks many doors. It's not everything we need, but it's the one thing that makes everything else we need more possible to obtain.
Just uploaded the latest episode of The Basic Income Show. We talked about Mark Carney and what he has said about AI and the need for "social supports" like UBI in Canada. It is the exact opposite to Keir Starmer's approach to AI in the UK. Also, more UBI evidence!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzJj...
Guy Standing smiling as he talks with villagers during the Madhya Pradesh, India pilot. Caption: The more unconditional basic income pilots have been the more powerful the results have been.
Interesting fact: the Madhya Pradesh basic income experiment at first was resisted by its participants. Why? Because the idea is such a departure from the norm.
Like Sarath Davala explained, "They felt like 'who are you and who am I?' Why would you do this. You'll take my crops, my land..."
With poverty and inequality comes increased insecurity, social unrest, and slowed economic growth. With UBI comes stability, reduced inequality, and capable individuals who can focus on education, entrepreneurship, community development, and economic growth.
Karl Widerquist on Political Philosophy of Basic Income. By Scott Jacobsen, the Basic Income Earth Network: BasicIncome . org, Jan 27, 2025
Now do the unintended consequences of poverty and chronic mass insecurity.
UBI isn't just admirable. It's evidence based. It's not about vibes.
bsky.app/profile/scot...
