EDITED ON 8/5/2022: After seeing what people did with their UBI during covid. I now don't think this anymore 
Hold on hold on, just hear me out OK?
First, I'm the most capitalistic person you can find. I'm a big believer in self-accountability, no handouts, etc. I also, at every opportunity, really try to stretch my thoughts and beliefs as wide as possible to make sure I don't miss anything. I did not make this up myself, but I'm putting my own flavor on it. So hear me out on this.
$1,000/month (adjusted for inflation over time). For EVERYONE in the United States over the age of 18, Not collecting social security, and earning less than $25,000/year (there is a solution that solves for the dilemma of disincentivizing the people close to the threshold, just not sure what it is). If you accept these payments, you CANNOT CLAIM ANY OTHER welfare benefits. No food stamps, no special housing, no other stipends. Just a $1000 check wired to your bank account on the first of every month.
The considerations:
1) Total Cost - I'm not exactly sure of the population between 18-60ish, but let's just say it's 150,000,000. Of those, we'll say 33% meet the salary standard. That would put the total cost burden on the taxpayer's at 50,000,000 * 1000 * 12 = 600 billion. I don't know what the total cost of current welfare benefits is, but obviously, you have to subtract that (assuming 100% of peolple choose this option).
2) Thoughts on Jobs: A huge assumption for this idea to make sense, is that over the next 20-30 years, 90% of all jobs will be automated. Lawn care, plumbing, auto work, construction, etc. **If you'd like to argue that is not the case, that's fine, you can stop reading here as that's a huge pillar of this concept.** Even the vast majority of basic medical care will likely be automated. One only needs to look at history to see what humans used to do by hand that is now automated. No matter what % of jobs you think will be automated, I think we can all agree that only MORE things will be automated over time, not less. Given this, there will be LESS REAL JOBS FOR HUMANS despite growing population.
3) Thoughts on automation impact on tax collection: Assuming #2 is accurate, let's consider this. Robot's don't get paid salaries, and they don't pay income tax to the government. Again, assuming #2 is true, this will create a MASSIVE shortfall in tax revenue for the government. How do we offset this? a VAT of, lets say 10%, would be added to all machine produced goods. You can do the math on our GDP but suffice it to say, this will not only cover the cost of the 600 billion universal income, but way more than that (this total collection would increase at same rate automation increases).
Ok let's take a second to recap where we are at. We've explained why there will be fewer jobs and we've explained how this plan gets paid for. If you don't agree with this stuff already, again, just stop reading here as the rest is predicated on the above things being accepted.
4) Thoughts on the WHY: $1,000/month is enough money to take care of basic human needs (just barely). The argument that this will make people lazy and unmotivated doesn't hold up against logic because while there will certainly be people who take this money and just sit on their ass, these are already the same people doing that on welfare (net neutral for taxpayers then). What $1,000 a month does, allows ALL HUMANS in the US to not have to worry about a roof over their head and food on the table. AKA the basic needs of human life. Now, get ready for this part, and before you poo poo it without any thought... I think there is a strong case to be made, that if the basic needs of human life were met for people, this would give WAY more people the opportunity to focus on game-changing inventions, techniques, tools, operations, or anything amazing. Think about how many people there are today, who's day to day focus is where there next meal is coming from. Under those conditions, it is nearly impossible to dedicate that time and develop the expertise to truly contribute to society.
TL;DR: Most jobs are lost to robots, give everyone a small stipend that covers basic survival, paid for by tax on goods/services produced by robots, unlocks human potential.
I'll duck
Hold on hold on, just hear me out OK?
First, I'm the most capitalistic person you can find. I'm a big believer in self-accountability, no handouts, etc. I also, at every opportunity, really try to stretch my thoughts and beliefs as wide as possible to make sure I don't miss anything. I did not make this up myself, but I'm putting my own flavor on it. So hear me out on this.
$1,000/month (adjusted for inflation over time). For EVERYONE in the United States over the age of 18, Not collecting social security, and earning less than $25,000/year (there is a solution that solves for the dilemma of disincentivizing the people close to the threshold, just not sure what it is). If you accept these payments, you CANNOT CLAIM ANY OTHER welfare benefits. No food stamps, no special housing, no other stipends. Just a $1000 check wired to your bank account on the first of every month.
The considerations:
1) Total Cost - I'm not exactly sure of the population between 18-60ish, but let's just say it's 150,000,000. Of those, we'll say 33% meet the salary standard. That would put the total cost burden on the taxpayer's at 50,000,000 * 1000 * 12 = 600 billion. I don't know what the total cost of current welfare benefits is, but obviously, you have to subtract that (assuming 100% of peolple choose this option).
2) Thoughts on Jobs: A huge assumption for this idea to make sense, is that over the next 20-30 years, 90% of all jobs will be automated. Lawn care, plumbing, auto work, construction, etc. **If you'd like to argue that is not the case, that's fine, you can stop reading here as that's a huge pillar of this concept.** Even the vast majority of basic medical care will likely be automated. One only needs to look at history to see what humans used to do by hand that is now automated. No matter what % of jobs you think will be automated, I think we can all agree that only MORE things will be automated over time, not less. Given this, there will be LESS REAL JOBS FOR HUMANS despite growing population.
3) Thoughts on automation impact on tax collection: Assuming #2 is accurate, let's consider this. Robot's don't get paid salaries, and they don't pay income tax to the government. Again, assuming #2 is true, this will create a MASSIVE shortfall in tax revenue for the government. How do we offset this? a VAT of, lets say 10%, would be added to all machine produced goods. You can do the math on our GDP but suffice it to say, this will not only cover the cost of the 600 billion universal income, but way more than that (this total collection would increase at same rate automation increases).
Ok let's take a second to recap where we are at. We've explained why there will be fewer jobs and we've explained how this plan gets paid for. If you don't agree with this stuff already, again, just stop reading here as the rest is predicated on the above things being accepted.
4) Thoughts on the WHY: $1,000/month is enough money to take care of basic human needs (just barely). The argument that this will make people lazy and unmotivated doesn't hold up against logic because while there will certainly be people who take this money and just sit on their ass, these are already the same people doing that on welfare (net neutral for taxpayers then). What $1,000 a month does, allows ALL HUMANS in the US to not have to worry about a roof over their head and food on the table. AKA the basic needs of human life. Now, get ready for this part, and before you poo poo it without any thought... I think there is a strong case to be made, that if the basic needs of human life were met for people, this would give WAY more people the opportunity to focus on game-changing inventions, techniques, tools, operations, or anything amazing. Think about how many people there are today, who's day to day focus is where there next meal is coming from. Under those conditions, it is nearly impossible to dedicate that time and develop the expertise to truly contribute to society.
TL;DR: Most jobs are lost to robots, give everyone a small stipend that covers basic survival, paid for by tax on goods/services produced by robots, unlocks human potential.
I'll duck
Last edited:
