Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Bumface
I wish we'd get more creative with UBI.
Having a purpose is important. Sitting on the couch playing video games and cashing a monthly UBI cheque probably does make for the happiest person. What if instead we took that money and put it to all of the work that isn't getting done that would be a benefit to all, and provide people with some pride and purpose?
Spitballing some ideas:
- Paying a bunch of people to plant flowers, pick up litter, weed and maintain public park spaces
- Pay youth/rec sports coaches and art teachers so that we can drop the fees on those programs and expand the reach
- More public art everywhere
- Assigned community police officers walking around neighbourhoods checking in with citizens and building relationships and gathering data
I'm sure there are a billion things I'm thinking of that have relatively few raw material inputs that still produce good for society that could be dreamed up.
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You're touching on an established idea called universal job guarantee. I'm a huge supporter of this idea for the exact reasons you mentioned - there's lots of stuff that needs doing and no current financial incentive to do it. It also sets a minimum wage; current minimum wage is $0 if you're unemployed.
My radical idea is that we can do this with a new branch of the military that is organized close to the community level.