I personally would support UBI (Universal Basic Income) as a TEMPORARY system during this pandemic. You’ve got tons of people who literally just lost their jobs with almost zero possibility of finding new work as long as these bans are in place.
What I worry though is that the longer this stays, the opposition to removing UBI will get greater and greater to the point that it stays permanently. Look at repealing Obama Care, at first every Republican was for totally removing it. Then a few years later it became repeal and REPLACE (still doing healthcare reform). Then that didn’t even happen and now we’re stuck with it.
If we’re going to implement this UBI through legislation, there must be language in the bill that requires that it will end once the pandemic ends and the bans are lifted. Long term UBI combined with the bailouts and existing welfare systems would be completely unsustainable.
There's a difference between temporary emergency relief and permanent welfare entitlements. I still disagree with the practice in principle ("making everyone whole" is not within the scope of the federal government's constitutional authority) so I wouldn't feel right in taking it, and even though I'm an old man living on $8k/yr Social Security I don't really need it, so TBH I'd donate it to my local church and/or hospital so it would get to the folks who do. If my President can donate his salary to help those in crisis, then so can I. I just won't do it at gunpoint, because freedom is more important than money.