"It makes me feel some type of way"
October 3, 2023 6:15 AM Subscribe
In previous years, Moore might have sent out a text to family and friends seeking donations for the uniform. She might have asked the school if she could pay in installments. But this year, for the first time, she can cover it all herself. That’s because she has an extra $500 a month coming in — not from a third job or a side hustle but from the City of Chicago, which gives her the money to spend or save as she chooses. It’s part of an audacious new philosophy of government aid, an experiment of sorts that seeks to find out whether infusions of no-strings-attached cash can begin to break the cycle of poverty. from What $500 Means to Zinida Moore
Apparently “audacious” now means ‘backed up by lots of solid, incontrovertible research’ and “new” now means ‘old’? Like, how many basic income “pilot projects” or successful national-level initiatives (such as the pandemic support payments that various countries enacted during the first year or two of the pandemic), do we need to drill it into people’s heads that this is an effective way to address poverty?
posted by eviemath at 6:33 AM on October 3, 2023 [53 favorites]
posted by eviemath at 6:33 AM on October 3, 2023 [53 favorites]
Man, if we lived in a better society, I would just say "go on and tax me more, you can tax me an extra few hundred annually if it goes straight to these programs" (and I would still be fine with that, I will gladly pay, eg, another fifteen or twenty bucks a check to help out) but this really should be done by taxing the rich.
I make about as much as Moore does working one job and living in a slightly cheaper city, with no kids to care for. I feel pinched lately. But jeez, why should someone have to work so hard and still need to rely on the state just to get a bedframe and her hair done? That's so little, why shouldn't someone have that stuff easily? She has to work so much harder than me for, fundamentally, so much less. I'm a lazy person who goofs around and lets opportunities slip. They ought to say that white people work half as hard to get twice as far, not frame it the other way around.
Ugh, when I think about how comparatively easy my life has been, I have to say that it is some bullshit the way this society works.
(But also, wow, schools should not require ~$600 cheer uniforms annually. That's a lot of money! That seems like there should be some cheer foundation or something that could give grants.)
posted by Frowner at 6:45 AM on October 3, 2023 [34 favorites]
I make about as much as Moore does working one job and living in a slightly cheaper city, with no kids to care for. I feel pinched lately. But jeez, why should someone have to work so hard and still need to rely on the state just to get a bedframe and her hair done? That's so little, why shouldn't someone have that stuff easily? She has to work so much harder than me for, fundamentally, so much less. I'm a lazy person who goofs around and lets opportunities slip. They ought to say that white people work half as hard to get twice as far, not frame it the other way around.
Ugh, when I think about how comparatively easy my life has been, I have to say that it is some bullshit the way this society works.
(But also, wow, schools should not require ~$600 cheer uniforms annually. That's a lot of money! That seems like there should be some cheer foundation or something that could give grants.)
posted by Frowner at 6:45 AM on October 3, 2023 [34 favorites]
From the article: And conservative critics contend that cash assistance creates disincentives to work, echoing an argument made for decades by politicians who have pushed to add job requirements to public benefits like Medicaid.
But also from the article: In April, she learned that the Walmart in Chatham, where she’d worked for the past two years, would close. [...] The news was a shock — especially since she’d quit her job at Dollar Tree when the store changed her shift to the afternoon, preventing her from seeing her kids after school.
The job market is just a horror movie. People like Moore, it's like they're the girl running away from the chainsaw killer, and the audience is hooting and laughing, urging on the killer.
There's no point in outlining the hypocrisy because no one cares. "You said you cared about family values, but--" The only response is the chainsaw buzzing away. Even saying "the cruelty is the point" has become a cliche drained of meaning. Giving people some free money is literally the least we could do--and maybe the most, too, since all systemic change seems to be beyond us.
posted by mittens at 7:18 AM on October 3, 2023 [22 favorites]
But also from the article: In April, she learned that the Walmart in Chatham, where she’d worked for the past two years, would close. [...] The news was a shock — especially since she’d quit her job at Dollar Tree when the store changed her shift to the afternoon, preventing her from seeing her kids after school.
The job market is just a horror movie. People like Moore, it's like they're the girl running away from the chainsaw killer, and the audience is hooting and laughing, urging on the killer.
There's no point in outlining the hypocrisy because no one cares. "You said you cared about family values, but--" The only response is the chainsaw buzzing away. Even saying "the cruelty is the point" has become a cliche drained of meaning. Giving people some free money is literally the least we could do--and maybe the most, too, since all systemic change seems to be beyond us.
posted by mittens at 7:18 AM on October 3, 2023 [22 favorites]
How to fix homelessness? Give people homes. How to fix poverty? Give people money. We know how to solve the most basic problems in society but those in power are obsessed with 'incentives' and who is 'deserving'. We are all better off if we are all better off. Sorry if that sounds simplistic but I do really believe it's that simple.
posted by matcha action at 7:35 AM on October 3, 2023 [35 favorites]
posted by matcha action at 7:35 AM on October 3, 2023 [35 favorites]
I love this and am grateful I am not eligible, while also wishing most of us were eligible. Everyone should be getting UBI under a certain threshold.
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:42 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:42 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
I love that project helped her get modestly ahead, but I agree with other posters is that okay, places have done the UBI pilot projects or similar, the results have been good, but when does it stop being a pilot project and become actual reality*?
*probably never but the thought is too depressing
posted by Kitteh at 7:58 AM on October 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
*probably never but the thought is too depressing
posted by Kitteh at 7:58 AM on October 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrarian_Justice
Thomas Paine was plugged in.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 7:58 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Thomas Paine was plugged in.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 7:58 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
We know how to solve the most basic problems in society but those in power are obsessed with 'incentives' and who is 'deserving'.
It's not really the people in power per se; they are just responding to the large swath of the voting population that gets absolutely furious if they think someone got something they didn't deserve.
posted by tavella at 8:05 AM on October 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
It's not really the people in power per se; they are just responding to the large swath of the voting population that gets absolutely furious if they think someone got something they didn't deserve.
posted by tavella at 8:05 AM on October 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
But also, wow, schools should not require ~$600 cheer uniforms annually. That's a lot of money! That seems like there should be some cheer foundation or something that could give grants.
You will be shocked to hear that private equity has a hand in this.
posted by praemunire at 8:22 AM on October 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
You will be shocked to hear that private equity has a hand in this.
posted by praemunire at 8:22 AM on October 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
@tavella is right about the population getting angry about the idea of someone getting something they "don't deserve." But racism is a factor too. You know how tipped workers are exempt from minimum wage laws? That has its roots in the fight to establish the minimum wage. I'm confident that if we scratched the surface of things like the effort to eliminate student loan debt and UBI that we'd find opposition to those policies is based in racism also.
This is why I support UBI for everyone, no matter how much money they make. I'm willing to give extra money to Elon and Jeff in order to make sure the poorest among us also get it. The argument should be that everyone deserves it just because they are human.
posted by OrangeDisk at 8:42 AM on October 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
This is why I support UBI for everyone, no matter how much money they make. I'm willing to give extra money to Elon and Jeff in order to make sure the poorest among us also get it. The argument should be that everyone deserves it just because they are human.
posted by OrangeDisk at 8:42 AM on October 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
They can't do it as a regular widespread thing because the second everyone knows that that extra $500 is really coming monthly, that's the same second that rent goes up by $500. I'm sure there are ways to tinker around that but otherwise it seems like an obvious wealth transfer into landlord's pockets.
posted by kingdead at 8:43 AM on October 3, 2023 [15 favorites]
posted by kingdead at 8:43 AM on October 3, 2023 [15 favorites]
Yeah...not into it for everyone, though...its hard for me to wrap my head around that if you make $100,000 a year you get an extra $500 a month or whatever for UBI. But I'd probably not care so much if I actually got a UBI!
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:54 AM on October 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:54 AM on October 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
The people need money! Give them money.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:56 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 8:56 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
They can't do it as a regular widespread thing because the second everyone knows that that extra $500 is really coming monthly, that's the same second that rent goes up by $500.
One hears this sentiment a lot, but has anyone ever demonstrated it's true?
(But whatever, there should be universal rent control, too, rent hikes illegal above a certain percentage.)
posted by nobody at 9:07 AM on October 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
One hears this sentiment a lot, but has anyone ever demonstrated it's true?
(But whatever, there should be universal rent control, too, rent hikes illegal above a certain percentage.)
posted by nobody at 9:07 AM on October 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=19EgR
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 9:17 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 9:17 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
“The extra money coming in every month might encourage someone in Moore’s situation, for example, to reduce hours at back-to-back full-time jobs. Critics would call that a work disincentive”
Make it make sense
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:32 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Make it make sense
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:32 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
You could make the UBI payments taxable income above a living wage threshold. Kind of like how the Canadian government did with the CERB benefits during the early part of the pandemic. Avoid the means-testing expense and the opportunities for discriminatory impacts and people falling through the cracks, without it being a straight extra $500/month into everyone’s pockets.
Side note, all this recent inflation began after direct pandemic payments ended, and seems to have come from a lot of profiteering and business leaders believing that they needed to “punish” workers who, in their opinion, were gaining too much power. So, not directly caused by the extra monthly payments, and collective action as in the rise in union activity lately is the relevant solution.
posted by eviemath at 9:53 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Side note, all this recent inflation began after direct pandemic payments ended, and seems to have come from a lot of profiteering and business leaders believing that they needed to “punish” workers who, in their opinion, were gaining too much power. So, not directly caused by the extra monthly payments, and collective action as in the rise in union activity lately is the relevant solution.
posted by eviemath at 9:53 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
I'm confident that if we scratched the surface of things like the effort to eliminate student loan debt and UBI that we'd find opposition to those policies is based in racism also.
Honestly, literally every single social ill propagated at the policy level in America seems to be, at most, one step removed from explicit racism. And almost all of it is one step removed from racism against Black people specifically (the one terrible policy coming to mind I can think of that doesn't specifically stem from anti-Black motivations appears to be our ridiculous immigration rules, which while they do impact Africans, seem to be mostly motivated by present-day animus against Latin immigrants, and historical xenophobia towards east Asians).
posted by jackbishop at 10:02 AM on October 3, 2023 [9 favorites]
Honestly, literally every single social ill propagated at the policy level in America seems to be, at most, one step removed from explicit racism. And almost all of it is one step removed from racism against Black people specifically (the one terrible policy coming to mind I can think of that doesn't specifically stem from anti-Black motivations appears to be our ridiculous immigration rules, which while they do impact Africans, seem to be mostly motivated by present-day animus against Latin immigrants, and historical xenophobia towards east Asians).
posted by jackbishop at 10:02 AM on October 3, 2023 [9 favorites]
I mean, there’s also a fair amount that has its basis in racism against Native Americans/First Nations/Inuit or other Indigenous peoples. But yeah, I think the main point stands.
posted by eviemath at 10:15 AM on October 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by eviemath at 10:15 AM on October 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yeah...not into it for everyone, though...its hard for me to wrap my head around that if you make $100,000 a year you get an extra $500 a month or whatever for UBI. But I'd probably not care so much if I actually got a UBI!
This is a perfect illustration of exactly why it has to be EVERYONE. Because all folks have an idea in their heads of Who Deserves Things and Who Doesn't and we as a society will fight about that for 3000 years without ever cutting a goddamn check. You almost certainly need 500 bucks a month more than you DON'T need it, right? If it started showing up, you would find a use for it. So would that person making 100K per year.
If the cost of getting people out of the direst poverty traps is that someone making a decent salary has a little more money to kick in to [whatever matters to them], well to quote My Cousin Vinny, WHAT A FUCKIN NIGHTMARE.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:34 AM on October 3, 2023 [15 favorites]
This is a perfect illustration of exactly why it has to be EVERYONE. Because all folks have an idea in their heads of Who Deserves Things and Who Doesn't and we as a society will fight about that for 3000 years without ever cutting a goddamn check. You almost certainly need 500 bucks a month more than you DON'T need it, right? If it started showing up, you would find a use for it. So would that person making 100K per year.
If the cost of getting people out of the direst poverty traps is that someone making a decent salary has a little more money to kick in to [whatever matters to them], well to quote My Cousin Vinny, WHAT A FUCKIN NIGHTMARE.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:34 AM on October 3, 2023 [15 favorites]
Ok but can we still do UBI but tax the fuck out of the rich to do it? Cause we need both.
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:37 AM on October 3, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:37 AM on October 3, 2023 [12 favorites]
Tax the fuck out of the rich and then give them their $500 UBI, and then tax them for it.
posted by signal at 11:08 AM on October 3, 2023 [18 favorites]
posted by signal at 11:08 AM on October 3, 2023 [18 favorites]
People think of rich families as not needing UBI but it would give abused spouses and kids a financial resource to use to get away from folks who now control them by means of money. This is a thing that happens with rich people as well as poor people.
Rich dude beats his wife and she has no money? She can get out with UBI.
Racist parents hold support over not dating Black people? They can pay with UBI.
Transphobic parents threaten to kick out a trans kid? They can get a place with UBI.
Etc. Etc.
It won't solve every money and abuse problem, but it'll really reduce the ability of the wealthy to hold money power over their nearest and nominally dearest along with the "heads" of lower SES families. Which is why so many reactionary patriarchal authoritarians hate it and will fight it tooth and nail.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 11:24 AM on October 3, 2023 [22 favorites]
Rich dude beats his wife and she has no money? She can get out with UBI.
Racist parents hold support over not dating Black people? They can pay with UBI.
Transphobic parents threaten to kick out a trans kid? They can get a place with UBI.
Etc. Etc.
It won't solve every money and abuse problem, but it'll really reduce the ability of the wealthy to hold money power over their nearest and nominally dearest along with the "heads" of lower SES families. Which is why so many reactionary patriarchal authoritarians hate it and will fight it tooth and nail.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 11:24 AM on October 3, 2023 [22 favorites]
Wouldn't you get UBI after you are 18? Not sure how it would help abused kids ubder 18 but the points you make are great for many situations.
Or maybe it starts at birth that would be fine toooooo
posted by tiny frying pan at 11:33 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
Or maybe it starts at birth that would be fine toooooo
posted by tiny frying pan at 11:33 AM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
People think of rich families as not needing UBI
I actually think that if the rich also got UBI they would end up fighting for it if it were ever threatened.
posted by chavenet at 11:49 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
I actually think that if the rich also got UBI they would end up fighting for it if it were ever threatened.
posted by chavenet at 11:49 AM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
True - it's like people hating on "government programs" but loving their Medicare.
posted by tiny frying pan at 1:11 PM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 1:11 PM on October 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
someone making a decent salary has a little more money to kick in to [whatever matters to them],
Also, [whatever matters to them] still encompasses a lot of what people consider real shit. 100K is a lot of money but it isn't all the money in the world or anything. Obviously it's always easier to tackle things with more money than with less. At the same time, I know a lot of folks who make "good" money who could nonetheless solve some big problems in their lives (childcare, eldercare, the enormous gaps in our medical system) with 500 bucks a month.
To be clear, I would also fully support a UBI that gave proportionally MORE help to the poor than to the better-off. But just as I feel that welfare should be easy to get and hard to lose, even if that means someone who could get a job doesn't, I also feel that UBI should be truly Universal, even if some do not literally need it to live.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:34 PM on October 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Also, [whatever matters to them] still encompasses a lot of what people consider real shit. 100K is a lot of money but it isn't all the money in the world or anything. Obviously it's always easier to tackle things with more money than with less. At the same time, I know a lot of folks who make "good" money who could nonetheless solve some big problems in their lives (childcare, eldercare, the enormous gaps in our medical system) with 500 bucks a month.
To be clear, I would also fully support a UBI that gave proportionally MORE help to the poor than to the better-off. But just as I feel that welfare should be easy to get and hard to lose, even if that means someone who could get a job doesn't, I also feel that UBI should be truly Universal, even if some do not literally need it to live.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:34 PM on October 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
“The extra money coming in every month might encourage someone in Moore’s situation, for example, to reduce hours at back-to-back full-time jobs. Critics would call that a work disincentive”
Tax the critics until they pick up a second non-critic job to pay the rent.
posted by away for regrooving at 4:22 PM on October 3, 2023 [8 favorites]
Tax the critics until they pick up a second non-critic job to pay the rent.
posted by away for regrooving at 4:22 PM on October 3, 2023 [8 favorites]
More UBI program stories from the PBS NewsHour:
Stockton, CA 2020
Stockton, CA 2021
Hudson, NY 2021
Jackson, MS 2022
New York City 2022
PBS Reporter Zachary Green's summary article on UBI, which was part of the Chasing The Dream project.
posted by JDC8 at 4:53 PM on October 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Stockton, CA 2020
Stockton, CA 2021
Hudson, NY 2021
Jackson, MS 2022
New York City 2022
PBS Reporter Zachary Green's summary article on UBI, which was part of the Chasing The Dream project.
posted by JDC8 at 4:53 PM on October 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
>Wouldn't you get UBI after you are 18? Not sure how it would help abused kids under 18 but the points you make are great for many situations. Or maybe it starts at birth that would be fine too.
Australia gives out billions of no-strings attached cash in the form of social welfare, with a declining value above a certain income threshold (generally if you're past the threshold, you lose $0.50 for every $1.00 of income you declare). For residents under 18, the cash goes to the parents to spend on their behalf.
Here's a breakdown I did back in 2010, and you can pretty much ignore the AUD/USD exchange rate since it was close to 1:1 back then.
25% of total federal budget was given out as direct cash handouts, $76 billion. Average recipient received $12,319 per year.
There are 7.9 million full time workers, and 6.2 mil welfare recipients.
Actual claims per category, averaged across all recipients (actual maximum claimable per year is much higher, but reduced due to income testing or partial year claims).
Students (369k recipients)
- Youth Allowance (Age 16-24 in full time study) - $8,026 per year
- Austudy (Age 25+ in full time study) - $7,426 per year
Unemployed (447k recipients) - $10,794 per year
Parents
- Family Tax Benefit (1.7 mil recipients) (ongoing per child) - $9,031 per year
- Parenting Payment (420k recipients) (per non working parent) - $10,824 per year
- Baby Bonus (189k recipients) (one time) - $5,280
Disabled
- Disability (821k recipients) (not returning to work) - $13,356 per year
- Disability (589k recipients) (carer) - $5,491 per year
Retired (2.2 mil recipients) (age pension for those over 65) - $12,403
Other (1 mil recipients) (war veteran, widow, overseas pensions) - $4,970 per recipient
Of welfare recipients, the welfare payments constitute primary income for about 75% of retired / disabled people, about 50% for students, unemployed and parents.
Sources
- 6105.0 Australian Labour Market Statistics Oct 2010
- 6530 Household Expenditure Survey, Australia 2009-10
- 3101 Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2010
- Australian Federal Budget 2010
posted by xdvesper at 5:47 PM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Australia gives out billions of no-strings attached cash in the form of social welfare, with a declining value above a certain income threshold (generally if you're past the threshold, you lose $0.50 for every $1.00 of income you declare). For residents under 18, the cash goes to the parents to spend on their behalf.
Here's a breakdown I did back in 2010, and you can pretty much ignore the AUD/USD exchange rate since it was close to 1:1 back then.
25% of total federal budget was given out as direct cash handouts, $76 billion. Average recipient received $12,319 per year.
There are 7.9 million full time workers, and 6.2 mil welfare recipients.
Actual claims per category, averaged across all recipients (actual maximum claimable per year is much higher, but reduced due to income testing or partial year claims).
Students (369k recipients)
- Youth Allowance (Age 16-24 in full time study) - $8,026 per year
- Austudy (Age 25+ in full time study) - $7,426 per year
Unemployed (447k recipients) - $10,794 per year
Parents
- Family Tax Benefit (1.7 mil recipients) (ongoing per child) - $9,031 per year
- Parenting Payment (420k recipients) (per non working parent) - $10,824 per year
- Baby Bonus (189k recipients) (one time) - $5,280
Disabled
- Disability (821k recipients) (not returning to work) - $13,356 per year
- Disability (589k recipients) (carer) - $5,491 per year
Retired (2.2 mil recipients) (age pension for those over 65) - $12,403
Other (1 mil recipients) (war veteran, widow, overseas pensions) - $4,970 per recipient
Of welfare recipients, the welfare payments constitute primary income for about 75% of retired / disabled people, about 50% for students, unemployed and parents.
Sources
- 6105.0 Australian Labour Market Statistics Oct 2010
- 6530 Household Expenditure Survey, Australia 2009-10
- 3101 Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2010
- Australian Federal Budget 2010
posted by xdvesper at 5:47 PM on October 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
Upthread, Heywood Mogroot III posted this graph in response to my asking if, despite its continually being claimed in these contexts, if anyone's actually demonstrated that adding 500/mo to everyone's income really would be immediately followed by all the landlords raising rent by 500/mo. (It wasn't a rhetorical question, and I appreciated the response!)
But unless I'm misreading it, that graph doesn't quite show that at all. It shows that over the past 50 years the percentage rise in average rent has fairly well tracked the percentage rise in ('production and non-supervisory') income per employee.
So since 100% of income doesn't go toward rent, I think if anything this graph suggests the entirety of a UBI payment, on average, wouldn't get entirely eaten by expected rent hikes, no? (Or at least it doesn't show that it will.)
posted by nobody at 8:00 PM on October 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
But unless I'm misreading it, that graph doesn't quite show that at all. It shows that over the past 50 years the percentage rise in average rent has fairly well tracked the percentage rise in ('production and non-supervisory') income per employee.
So since 100% of income doesn't go toward rent, I think if anything this graph suggests the entirety of a UBI payment, on average, wouldn't get entirely eaten by expected rent hikes, no? (Or at least it doesn't show that it will.)
posted by nobody at 8:00 PM on October 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
I just want to say, because I didn't say it before, that yes, we should tax the fuck out of rich people, and use that money to fund universal healthcare (care not insurance) and UBI for everyone. Rich people will still be rich. They will be fine.
posted by OrangeDisk at 6:25 AM on October 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by OrangeDisk at 6:25 AM on October 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Honestly, literally every single social ill propagated at the policy level in America seems to be, at most, one step removed from explicit racism.
I think you may be underestimating people's ability to loathe poor people of their own race, in addition to loathing those of other races.
Calvinism is a hell of thing.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 10:48 AM on October 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I think you may be underestimating people's ability to loathe poor people of their own race, in addition to loathing those of other races.
Calvinism is a hell of thing.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 10:48 AM on October 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
So since 100% of income doesn't go toward rent, I think if anything this graph suggests the entirety of a UBI payment, on average, wouldn't get entirely eaten by expected rent hikes, no? (Or at least it doesn't show that it will.)
Yes that is 100% correct. First, only about half of the people in the US rent. Something like 40% of homeowners (so 40% of 50% of the total population) own their homes outright. Also household formation is an abstraction that is a determined by potential rental price, personal income, rental availability (which is a factor of housing construction, which has been falling the entire period of that chart-1975 to present more so in some places than others, population growth, household formation, and tons of other factors.
So no, 100% of UBI would not be consumed by rental price hikes across the entire US.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:40 PM on October 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yes that is 100% correct. First, only about half of the people in the US rent. Something like 40% of homeowners (so 40% of 50% of the total population) own their homes outright. Also household formation is an abstraction that is a determined by potential rental price, personal income, rental availability (which is a factor of housing construction, which has been falling the entire period of that chart-1975 to present more so in some places than others, population growth, household formation, and tons of other factors.
So no, 100% of UBI would not be consumed by rental price hikes across the entire US.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:40 PM on October 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yes, give the monthly check to everyone, rich and poor. Make it a Thing that classy rich people donate theirs to a deserving charity. Make it a Thing that middle class people strive to do, a sign that you've Made It.
And tax the rich and give everyone healthcare. Then watch us grow as a nation.
posted by bink at 4:25 PM on October 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
And tax the rich and give everyone healthcare. Then watch us grow as a nation.
posted by bink at 4:25 PM on October 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Can anyone explain why the cheer uniform is so expensive? A mandatory backpack?
posted by socky_puppy at 11:57 AM on October 6, 2023
posted by socky_puppy at 11:57 AM on October 6, 2023
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