Quote:
Originally Posted by rubecube
Means-tested stimulus cheques, as proposed by this article, are notoriously bad ideas.
This is just pure speculation, and likely false. There are legitimate concerns that it will end up just being wealth transfer to Amazon, etc., because people won't spend it locally, and that's a legitimate concern with all forms of UBI until countries improve their tax codes. However, people are struggling and the government has given bailouts to Wall Street, defense contractors, etc. during this pandemic. It's a bad look when you tell people to stay home and not work during the pandemic but give them very minimal means to support themselves at the same time.
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It should at least be a lower income cut off. It makes no sense to be giving these checks to salaried white collar workers working from home. Taking the money from unemployment boosts/extensions and giving it to people not affected seems like the worst possible idea. A one time payment of $2000 does not help the people who are really hurt one bit, and 75% of those checks will go to people not financially affected.
This isn't means tested stimulus, this is figuring out how to help the right people. Lower income people have been more likely to lose work from this, so at least a lower cutoff would target the help a bit better. But unemployment streamlining/boosting/extending is probably the best answer. As is helping businesses like restaurants survive.