Why do progressives have to learn things that should be so obvious?

[PoliTalker]

Hello Darth,

Unbelievably, progressives are unsure of the answer to that question so they need to run an experiment to find out. The same thing is going on with guaranteed income. If you pay people to stay home what will be the result? Do we really need to run an experiment to find out?

Guaranteed income would be great. Who really wants to drag ass out of bed and go to work everyday? Unless you’re lucky enough to be retired with a pension [that’s different because it’s earned] or have a job you like *then exactly no one* wants to drag ass out of bed and go to work.

The term for this ‘human nature’ and progressives somehow manage to be ignorant of it.

That negative view of human nature is not a given at all. I'm sure to a pessimistic old conservative it might seem like people are all just lazy and don't really want to work, but the real world does not reflect that. People actually like working, they like being prodcutive, and they like being a contributing member of a functional society and economy. People like to know they are part of something larger than themselves.

There has already been a very successful 2-year test of a UBI in Stockton CA:

"Among the key findings outlined in a 25-page white paper are that the unconditional cash reduced the month-to-month income fluctuations that households face, increased recipients' full-time employment by 12 percentage points and decreased their measurable feelings of anxiety and depression, compared with their control-group counterparts.

The study also found that by alleviating financial hardship, the guaranteed income created "new opportunities for self-determination, choice, goal-setting, and risk-taking." It furthered recipients' ability to cover unexpected expenses, which researchers noted was particularly important given the onset of the pandemic.

Individuals spent most of the money on basic needs, including food, merchandise, utilities and auto costs, with less than 1% going toward alcohol and/or tobacco."

...

"While the study's findings were cheered by those involved, as well as many mayors, on Wednesday, some experts said more research is needed.

Matt Zwolinski, director of the Center for Ethics, Economics and Public Policy at the University of San Diego, told The Associated Press that while the findings are "really good news for supporters of a basic income guarantee," the study is limited because it lasted only two years, adding that people are unlikely to drop out of the labor force if they know the extra money is temporary."

...

"A number of pilot programs are already in the works in places like Durham, N.C., New Orleans and Gary, Ind., where officials announced one such initiative just last week.

Tubbs told NPR in January that he believes the time is right for the idea of universal basic income — of which Martin Luther King Jr. was an early proponent in the 1960s — to finally take hold.

"We are literally at ground zero with sort of the racial reckoning we're having but also with the economic impacts of COVID-19," he said. "When I think if we can get a guaranteed income, an income floor, at this time, we also have to have a conversation about the moral awakening our country needs because, again, as Dr. King said, poverty robs us of the richness of a society where everyone's given the opportunity to realize their full potential.""

I'm glad to hear that Phoenix is also going to test the concept.

I expect all the tests will yield the same results seen in Stockton. It only makes sense. People like working. They are going to stay busy whether there is greater pressure to do so or less.

It should also be noted that because recipients have more money to spend, they frequent local businesses causing an economic boost to the community. All that consumer spending creates demand and more jobs.

[PoliTalker]

A lot of people have plenty of money - more money than they really need - but they choose to work anyway.

That shows that the belief that 'people are just lazy and want to be paid to not work' is false.

[PoliTalker]

Leave it to conservatives to see the worst in people.

[martin]

Here, Marty, put your glasses on:
Marty- “I doubt many have even heard of Yang's idea.”


“We’ve seen a lot of cities across the country doing this direct assistance and I’m glad that we’ll be joining them in giving money to folks,” Vice Mayor Carlos Garcia said. “It’s not just for rent or utilities, but if they do have child care needs, if they do have to get medicine, whatever it is, I think people know best what their needs are.”

You're trying too hard. Had you come up with something about a $15 minimum wage (which progressives generally do favor) or defunding police departments, you might have scored but you didn't. The Phoenix lottery wasn't mentioned in the particular post you challenged but since you've raised it anyway, yes, as I said in the first post I doubt many progressives around the country are familiar with it.

[Stone]

This from ita guy that's never worked a day in his life!!

Jade has always claimed to dislike trolls with a passion. Anyone else notice that as the Biden blunders continue to pile up that Jade has basically become NOTHING BUT a troll? I sure have.