The only way you could start talking about a viable UBI, and this is a big IF, is if you took all the money from all the current welfare systems. That includes welfare, wic, all the child programs that give out free stuff to single moms, meals on wheels type programs, etc, and combine all of those existing handouts into a single fund. If managed correctly the drop in overhead by giving everyone a check vs giving only specific people a check means a lower cost of management. But even then it doesn't guarantee enough funds to make it worthwhile to everyone. It would be a nice little extra check for those who work and useless for those who don't without another source of income.
If you try telling this to someone who believes in the welfare system then it won't work. How could you take money away from poor people that need it? The idea of fixing our current system of hand outs before you even attempt a concept like UBI falls on deaf ears.
One more thought to add to UBI. The precursor is a post scarcity society. There needs to be enough resources to go around for everyone and be maintainable through the future. We don't have that now. So at some point UBI would lead to a choke on available resources.
The only way you could start talking about a viable UBI, and this is a big IF, is if you took all the money from all the current welfare systems. That includes welfare, wic, all the child programs that give out free stuff to single moms, meals on wheels type programs, etc, and combine all of those existing handouts into a single fund. If managed correctly the drop in overhead by giving everyone a check vs giving only specific people a check means a lower cost of management. But even then it doesn't guarantee enough funds to make it worthwhile to everyone. It would be a nice little extra check for those who work and useless for those who don't without another source of income.
If you try telling this to someone who believes in the welfare system then it won't work. How could you take money away from poor people that need it? The idea of fixing our current system of hand outs before you even attempt a concept like UBI falls on deaf ears.
One more thought to add to UBI. The precursor is a post scarcity society. There needs to be enough resources to go around for everyone and be maintainable through the future. We don't have that now. So at some point UBI would lead to a choke on available resources.