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Universal Reversal
The push for universal health care quietly passed away in 2021, but another issue from that time deserves revisiting: universal basic income.
I hereby attest that I’m not now, nor have ever been, in the Yang Gang, but I found the idea of basing a campaign around UBI an interesting one. America should be a marketplace of ideas and good ones shouldn’t be dismissed casually. As a progressive, I’m for actions and policies that expand freedoms for all. I’m generally in favor of child tax credits, but being childless, they do nothing for me directly. They’re part of the greater good. That’s acceptable to me.
UBI isn’t a new idea, but the devil always seems to be in the details. How to fund it is always an area of contention. Perception is also an issue, as folks portray it as a backdoor to more governmental control. Yet it if were done on a small enough scale, both would be alleviated. And a smaller scale would be appropriate for such an undertaking.
What I suggest is simple: every citizen receives $1 per month for each year of life. Pay it out monthly, quarterly, annually, or some combination (ideally the choice of each individual). For people already receiving Social Security or other regular payments from the government (active duty military, for example), it could be folded into that. It might be possible to incentivize folks to earmark that money for a…
