Hmm, I wonder when they'll introduce UBI. I can't wait...

Yes, I asked a stupid question.

Organized (left or right) politics don't support UBI because UBI redistributes power, and a power concentrating answer to any oppression complaint is to switch the balance of supremacism. Neocon/Zionist first rule in USA needs you to be miserable to be distracted from war and Israel budgets by gaslighting. CIA determined rule in other democracies is to make you miserable and destabilized, so that your puppets can give more tribute to US and its corporate champions.

As specific examples, leftist EU parties are still pro Trump/NATO and the collapsing austerity requirements of 5% of GDP for US weapons. In NY State, a DEM governor proposal to offer universal healthcare (same general justification as UBI) was rejected by union leaders because healthcare misery is a union recruiting/power imbalance.

Hate, misery, and crime are features that right wing needs for fascism, but left politicians can do quite well as controlled opposition, and get their share of oligarchy trickle down. Fighting the right on bandaid programs to create a new/bigger hierarchy, rewarding left supporters, is reward for fighting political war on left's side.

Just a little clarification on the Alaspa PFD (Permanent Fund Dividend), it's not paid monthly, but rather annually, and the amount it pays out changes from year to year depending on oil revenue for that year, which is where the fund comes from in the first place. This year it's only $1000. For an idea of amounts, in 2020 it was only $992 (Covid just ruined everything everywhere) while in 2022 it was as high as $3,284.

It is still basically UBI though, even if the amount per year isn't even enough to entirely offset the added expense of living in Alaska.

UBI can be done at the state level too, but states may have to go into debt to get it going. Blue States should raise the taxes on bigger corporations to help fund the program, possibly even creating corporate tax brackets.

I think states should try to implement UBI at the state level, since it could be many years now before we have the votes to pass it federally. In the meantime, residents in Blue states could have a huge bump in their quality-of-life and it might even sell Purple and Red states to implement some of these progressive programs.

I could see something like what you are saying working Federally for funding such a program. We could implement Federal tax brackets on businesses as well to help fund the programs year after year if we really needed that.

I think it’s still worth implementing UBI, most of the fears are something that can be tackled independently.

For instance, the why not have the government buy up most of the private apartments and turn them into public housing? Or at the least set rate increase limits on rent.

I don’t believe most things would face much noticeable inflation if a UBI were to be implemented, aside from luxury/high quality goods. A little inflation is baked into our economy anyway, as a little inflation is a good thing to prevent deflation.

I agree with you, people fear mongering about UBI being used to control people, when bosses could do that currently with a paycheck. UBI usually means no strings attached, although I’m sure there could be other incentive programs out there on top of UBI to reward people.

If we really want UBI to be less likely to be taken over by bad actors, I feel it makes sense to have each state implementing their own UBI programs. It would be great if this was a federal program that helped everyone, but even getting it passed federally is looking like an uphill climb. It makes way more sense to pass UBI in progressive states, and try to sell purple and red states on the idea as well.

I mean, Alaska has a Basic Income at the least, so in theory we already see one state mildly seeing the benefit of a Universal Basic Income.

I don’t think “the government will use it to control us” is a good one as that can be said about any social service the government provides.

It's backwards, as the method of social control by the state is national security. And we've never seen so-called libertarian conservatives flinch at inflating the size of the Pentagon or the FBI or ICE.

The real "danger" of Social Security / Medicare / HUD is that a state official might provide a benefit that endears the public to an institution of the state at the expense of the free market. In effect, the "control" is the result of popular support for a program. And the "victims" are people who want the program expanded.

A wise answer... But times are tense now, and who knows what surprises await us next. By the way, I recommend looking into what a CBDC is, in my opinion, they will also try to introduce this after digital IDs..

I'm pretty loud about most of those criticisms from the left and I still think it would be better than this.

As an initial stopgap on the way to a socialist economic model, its got merit

the way i think of it is that ubi is a bandaid solution. it's not perfect but you still need to apply it, otherwise you bleed out and die before you have a chance of reaching a proper hospital.

Then how did Bobby meet those homeless people on earth?

If we accept that the act of living is inherently a destructive action by our consumption of natural resources.

Then design production chains that try to meet local demand while transparently measuring and minimising actual loss.

We can open stores like this who in an early stage are for select groups like elderly and disabled. The total loss is just a reference number similar to national debt.

Using digital communications polling to measure actual demand to project production needs becomes simplified because potential clients don't have to choose how to spend a limited currency.

As those production chains and new standards for how to measure loss expand so can we expand clients to include the people who work in such industries and eventually everyone.

Crucial is we don’t need an overnight revolution. This system can get its roots By co existing within current capitalism with the calculated loss simply measured as a financial debt.

The biggest hurdle is legalizing an industry that basically gets a blank free debt card that can be spend on input resources, while making sure they maintain transparent calculations and dedication to minimize planetary loss.

Well, I'm wondering what kind of chaos will start, because these fascists don't plan on stopping. They want to create cyberpunk and dystopia at any cost, even by stealing taxpayers' money and more.