Basic Income

If you were guaranteed $1,000 per month for the rest of your life, what would you do with this extra money? Would you be able to do more of what you enjoy? Would it be easier for you to feed your family and pay for your utilities and rent? If there were to be a form of basic income in the United States, this is what it would initially be.

Here’s why basic income makes sense:

1. Automation is replacing jobs at an accelerated rate.
2. A basic income does not make people lazy.
3. It improves health, happiness, and relationships.
4. Even a small amount can make a large difference for low-income households.

Here’s why basic income does not make sense:

1. It is extremely costly.
2. Clearly defined responsibilities are fundamental to a society’s character.
3. It would redefine the relationship between individuals, families, communities, and the state.
4. It would make work optional and make self-reliance moot.

“For me personally, we are a little ways away from a basic-level income. I think it raises large philosophical issues around the nature of government and the economic system we’re under. We are a capitalist economy and this brings us toward almost a more socialistic economy.” — Don Cunningham, President of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation