Are We Headed for a UBI?

It occurred to me this week that, if the lockdown continues and permanently destroys even more jobs than it already has, the government is going to have to institute some kind of minimum income program even if it's "temporary." The two plans I've seen the most are Universal Basic Income and the Basic Minimum Income.

The UBI is a payout to everyone in the nation aged 18 and above regardless of income. Everyone would get it. The figure I've seen the most is $1,000/month, so $12,000/year. The rich would have theirs taxed back out. This is not buy a house and play video games all day kind of money. It's to make sure the poorest people have a foundation under them that would let them survive at at least a minimum level. Unlike welfare, the poor would be able to work and lift themselves out of poverty. People on welfare would no longer be trapped by a system. They would get UBI and still be able to work, too.

A basic minimum income would set a minimum income amount per month and pay people who make less than that amount in order to bring them up to the minimum. For example, if the minimum was $2,000/month and someone made $1,000, the government would pay the person $1,000 to bring his or her income up to $2,000. If the person made $1,500, the government would pay $500. And so forth. The figure I've seen most for this is $2,000/month, though $2,500/month is a close second.

I've looked into this, but I'm not an expert. The U.S. could afford either plan. The key is eliminating all of the 100+ welfare programs the government has, including social security, unemployment, welfare, etc., and putting all that money into a minimum income plan. However, eliminating those programs would not fully cover a UBI. The rich might have to be taxed an extra 2%. Loopholes that let corporations pay little or no taxes might have to be closed. Foreign aid could be trimmed. National lottery? Etc. There are different ways to do either plan and different ways to raise the money that eliminating current welfare programs wouldn't pay. A UBI would need about an extra $539 billion.

Neither of these plans is true socialism, though they strongly resemble it. It would be a combination of free-market capitalism and socialism. People would get the money in a socialistic way. Free-market capitalism would decide what happened to it.

Two verses come to mind. 

2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

 Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

And this one is related.

 Proverbs 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Socialism has never worked in any country that has tried it. But there is a place for the government to give to the poor and have God pay it back. I'm against socialism, but if a basic minimum income plan could be done correctly, it would go along with the scriptures about helping the poor. Even if some people did end up not working, the benefit of helping the poor is more important. The problem is getting the government to do a program correctly. Corruption is so ingrained in Washington it might not be possible. The current slavery system, welfare, is a slave system for a reason.

Are Lockdowns Necessary?

This is a story about not doing a lockdown. Sweden has been informing the public about the danger and in general letting them take responsibility for their own actions. I find it interesting because my state, GA, has about the same population as Sweden, but we're under lockdown. I've been checking both infection numbers. At first it was about the same, just a few hundred different. Over the last week, GA has increased to 17,194. Sweden is at 13,216. A hidden factor is the number of people driving through GA from NY, NJ and other infected states to get to FL. If that accounts for the difference, doing a lockdown is no more effective than telling people to be careful.

A few stories I've seen this week. 

Maryland police remind residents to wear pants to mailbox: 'This is your final warning'

The rats. They're angry and desperate!

In China, dogs become pets, not livestock.

Some pictures of the mass graves in NYC.

This is a French one. In  New York Samaritan's Purse made a makeshift hospital. Mainstream U.S. media won't cover Christians helping people.

Book Stuff

The month of letting the novella "rest" has passed. I worked some on the non-fiction this week then switched back to the novella.

Have a great weekend.