California city to experiment with 'universal basic income'

So giving more welfare and calling it an "income" will raise their "self esteem and indentity". Is that like when they went from food stamps to EBIT cards that would raise their "self esteem and indentity"? How about getting a job and providing for yourself and being a productive citizen as a road to self esteem and identity?

"The mayor of Stockton, California, is leading an experiment with “universal basic income,” which is set to start by giving low-income residents $500 a month, no questions asked.

Mayor Michael Tubbs calls his city “ground zero” for issues like wage stagnation, rising housing prices and loss of middle-class jobs that affect the nation.

The Central Valley city went bankrupt in 2012, and for decades it has been trying to diversify its agriculture-based economy.

“I feel that as mayor it’s my responsibility to do all I could to begin figuring out what’s the best way to make sure that folks in our community have a real economic floor,” Tubbs said.

Dorian Warren serves as co-chairman the Economic Security Project, which is contributing $1 million to the initiative. He said the goal is to gather data on the economic and social impacts of giving people a basic income.

In addition to tracking what residents do with the money, Warren said they will be monitoring how a basic income affects things like self-esteem and identity.

“What does it mean to say, ‘Here is unconditional guaranteed income just based on you being a human being?'” Warren asked.


Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2018/02/u-s-city-to-experiment-with-universal-basic-income/#VxKS7Cuyvsb7wGJw.99

Why dont they give everyone a $5000 a month income and REALLY give them some "self esteem and identity"?

 

Universal basic income is the only answer to the inherently unfair and impossible to remove inequity of a klepto-capitalist economy.

 

Venezuela?????

 

I don't follow Venezuela. But if you're going to institute a kleptocapitalist monstrosity of a system like we have, it's only solution is a minimum income for all peoples.

 

Universal Basic Income is the inevitable result if you wish to avoid a mass poverty or a class-based warfare given the rise of automation and AI.

 

I believe it is Finland where they did a study on universal basic income and found that it made them more motivated to get a job.

Yep, and this is a study that even denotes the limits on the study that Finland has done thus far.

https://www.theguardian.com/inequal...versal-basic-income-trial-too-good-to-be-true

 

Can you point me to the country with an economic system which does not have income inequality and has a higher standard of living than we do?

 

Can you point to me a reason we are not a kleptocapitalist economy?

Inherent inequality is to be expected in any system. It should be a societal goal to assist those who cannot survive in that system.

 

You should read your sites before you use them.

"But amid this unprecedented media attention, the experts who devised the scheme are concerned it is being misrepresented. “It’s not really what people are portraying it as,” said Markus Kanerva, an applied social and behavioural sciences specialist working in the prime minister’s office in Helsinki."
“A full-scale universal income trial would need to study different target groups, not just the unemployed. It would have to test different basic income levels, look at local factors. This is really about seeing how a basic unconditional income affects the employment of unemployed people.”

"Authorities believe it will shed light on whether unemployed Finns, as experts believe, are put off taking up a job by the fear that a higher marginal tax rate may leave them worse off. Many are also deterred by having to reapply for benefits after every casual or short-term contract.

Love the idea of a universal basic income? Be careful what you wish for
Ellie Mae O'Hagan
Ellie Mae O'Hagan
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“It’s partly about removing disincentives,” explained Marjukka Turunen, who heads the legal unit at Finland’s social security agency, Kela, which is running the experiment. Kanerva describes the trial as “an experiment in smoothing out the system”."

 

I asked you first
Can you point me to the country with an economic system which does not have income inequality and has a higher standard of living than we do?

 

I did. That's why I said, "this post even denotes the limits of the study." Limits that you then quoted.

 

Why? Automation and AI needs to be developed, manufactured and maintained.

 

It looks like there are quite a few with greater income equality and a higher standard of living

GDP per capita
1 Liechtenstein $139,100 2009 est.
2 Qatar $124,900 2017 est.
3 Monaco $115,700 2015 est.
4 Macau $114,400 2017 est.
5 Luxembourg $109,100 2017 est.
6 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $96,200 2012 est.
7 Singapore $90,500 2017 est.
8 Bermuda $85,700 2013 est.
9 Isle of Man $84,600 2014 est.
10 Brunei $76,700 2017 est.
11 Ireland $72,600 2017 est.
12 Norway $70,600 2017 est.
13 Kuwait $69,700 2017 est.
14 United Arab Emirates $68,200 2017 est.
15 Sint Maarten $66,800 2014 est.
16 Gibraltar $61,700 2014 est.
17 Switzerland $61,400 2017 est.
18 Hong Kong $61,000 2017 est.
19 San Marino $59,500 2017 est.
20 United States $59,500 2017 est.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html

 

Well, you can see right in the article you quoted why there is a problem. People can't just get a job; they're not at fault for the local economic situation. In fact, the way the town is described (largely agricultural), it may mirror the economic situation of many towns in red states as well as in "rust belt" states.

$500 seems low for making much of an economic impact, though. I suppose it could make quite a difference for those just scraping by.

 

It can't be the *only* answer. You look at how people are treated in the wealther European countries, at how their economies are doing, I think we could do something similar. The problem is that we won't; conservatives are brainwashed into hating all things European and "socialist," ergo we get unprecedented corporate freedom and lack of protections for ordinary people.

 

The program will be shut down when they run out of other people's money. Let's see if the Liberal Hollywood types will put their money where their mouth is.

 

Two pork chops and a biscuit, get it while it's hot.

 

You should get out of the dusty back room of the bookstore where grandiose ideas went to die. Do yourself a favor, look up Venezuela.

 

Stop splitting hairs and "arguing from procedure." I already said every system has some inherent inequality. Higher standard of living is achieved in many Nordic countries.

I also said that a humane society should seek to uplift those that have been left by the wayside, and assist them. Can you, now that I have answered you, point out reasons why we shouldn't?

 

Meh, I don't really feel like debating a point like this. Whenever I have brought up Nordic countries, the argument from the right is "they are homogenous and small."

Well, Venezuela is a different nation, is homogenous and small compared to us, so it's not worth discussing.

 

LOL, you know what the difference is between capitalism and socialism?

In capitalism it is man taking advantage of man.

In socialism it is the other way around.

 

be careful, article source is wnd, this needs to be confirmed.

 

In kleptocapitalist systems it is generally jews and trust fundees taking advantage of everyone else.

 

An argument can be made for subsidies for low skilled workers.
Subsidies for idlers who will not work are an obscene insult to the working class.

 

Big Government is Bad Government, and Bad Government eventually runs out of money.