I think that UBI in some form is inevitable. I've really only started to learn about since Andrew Yang began his campaign so I'm not that well versed in the details but it seems like a step in the right direction. Ultimately, it replaces part of the social security net and puts money directly into the hands of people. For the vast majority of people, that money goes right back into the economy by way of rent, food, education and less basic needs. It also takes the pressure off of the hand-to-mouth subsistence that a lot of people experience.
CERB is a pseudo-example of UBI in action. It allowed one of my sons to leave his dead-end job as a cook and volunteer in a field that he's studying in University. One of the long-term benefits is that it may improve working conditions in a lot of jobs where otherwise the employees don't have options. The flip side is that those workers that are more inclined to be lazy and flakes have even more reason to do so.
I would like to see a larger scale test of UBI in action. It would be ideal if another Western Democracy tested this out (similar to how Portugal decriminalized drugs) before it was implemented. But Canada could be the ideal testing ground for this too. Maybe try it in one of the smaller provinces like Manitoba or New Brunswick for a few years to uncover some of the potentially unseen consequences, both good and bad.
The US will always be behind the world when it comes to progressive policy because of it's fundamental conservative DNA. But similar to things like Universal health care they will also eventually get there but it may not be in my lifetime unless there is a drastic social upheaval.
|