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submitted 11 months ago by zephyreks@lemmy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml
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[-] hamster@kbin.social 79 points 11 months ago

If people aren't forced to work to live then how can I get cheap labor for my shitty business that my dad gave me?

[-] WalrusDragonOnABike@kbin.social 38 points 11 months ago

If people have UBI, you can get away with paying less though. That's how walmart does it; just encourage your workers to get welfare so they stay alive enough to work more

[-] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 5 points 11 months ago

And that's honestly my proposal for it. Basically, create something like UBI (my preference is NIT) that ensures everyone is over the poverty level, eliminate minimum wage, and have benefits phase out for some reasonable definition of "living wage" (say, 2x the poverty level, maybe 3x).

Working would never make you worse off, and people wouldn't feel obligated to take crappy jobs if the pay isn't there.

We could also eliminate many other forms of welfare at the same time and just increase benefits accordingly.

[-] darq@kbin.social 3 points 11 months ago

The only benefits that I think would have to stay, are those with "unlimited" downside, like healthcare.

UBI can potentially replace specific benefits for housing or general living expenses, but it can't really replace healthcare.

[-] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 months ago

Agreed, I certainly wouldn't touch Medicare or Medicaid. I'd also probably leave unemployment insurance as is, and this would kick in afterward.

But I think it could replace Social Security, food assistance, housing assistance, etc. And I think we could fund it by lifting the income cap on Social Security, but I'd need to run the numbers to be sure.

[-] WalrusDragonOnABike@kbin.social 2 points 11 months ago

I'd say some disability benefits as well. Simply getting by can be more expensive when you can't do basic tasks yourself, even if you have the best universal health care possible.

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 11 points 11 months ago
[-] Facebones@reddthat.com 17 points 11 months ago

Which we all know would happen IMMEDIATELY in lockstep with any widespread rollout of UBI, and any complaint would be met with half the country screeching "FREE MARKET REEEEEE"

[-] undercrust@lemmy.ca 20 points 11 months ago

Guess we better institute rent controls first then

[-] Facebones@reddthat.com 14 points 11 months ago

Shut up baby I know it

Too bad 80% of the country would call us commies for suggesting it.

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

That alone would be better than UBI.

this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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