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An article published in Sept. by Business Insider shared the pros and cons of universal basic income (UBI), according toa large group of experts.
“Universal basic income and guaranteed basic income could fill gaps in the existing US social safety net, experts said. Right now, this includes programs like SNAP for food, housing vouchers for rent, and Medicaid for healthcare,” wrote BI in their analysis.
“While safety nets give low-income Americans access to necessities they might not otherwise be able to afford, most programs restrict the spending to specific categories. For instance, if someone’s car breaks down and they no longer have transportation to work, they wouldn’t be able to divert SNAP or housing voucher dollars to pay for those necessary repairs.” (TAKE A POLL: Did You or Do You Plan to Vote Early?)
Experts also noted that the benefits of giving people free money is that they’ll spend it on things they need … well, BI’s journalists wrote words to this effect, but made it sound more appealing and complicated than it actually is — “participants can spend the money on whatever they need most: an electricity bill, car repairs, a new crib for their baby, school supplies for their kids, steady childcare, or a grocery trip.”
Cons Of UBI?
“Critics of basic income typically point to the high cost of running UBI and GBI programs. It costs millions of dollars a year to run a basic income program for a just few hundred people. Some economic experts and lawmakers argue that the potential benefits of cash payments don’t outweigh the expense,” the outlet continued. Doesn’t this remind you of the COVID-19 pandemic stimulus checks?
“Politicians in Arizona, Iowa, South Dakota, and more have also opposed basic income, calling the idea ‘socialist‘ and a ‘one-way ticket to government dependence,” BI explained. (TAKE A POLL: Is It Necessary To Implement Term Limits For Congress?)
“I think the Founding Fathers would say that is very contrary to our capitalist system and encouraging people to work,” Arizona State Rep. John Gillette told BI. There are also concerns that UBI would raise taxes while having no guarantee of lasting benefits to communities.
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