Having a monthly, tax-free, no-strings-attached income that would cover the basics for life may sound too good to be true, but it’s no fantasy. The idea of universal basic income (UBI) already has been implemented in some regions, such as Canada, Europe, and even Alaska, and Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently revitalized discussion about the concept.
Zuckerberg endorsed UBI during his 2017 commencement speech at Harvard University as a means of leveling the economic playing field and opening the doors of entrepreneurship to everyone.
"We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure that everyone has a cushion to try new ideas," Zuckerberg told graduates. “Now it’s time for our generation to define a new social contract.”
Hell no--get off your butt and work! Sick of everyone getting everything--do the right thing when growing up and things likely to work out--Help the truly needy and disabled--that have no ability to help themselves--
Poverty and all that it means follows and surrounds us as would a pack of wolves. Can there be enough entrepreneurship to satisfy the needs of growing classes of unemployed, underemployed, underpaid and unemployable?
No - you should only get what you earn! I don't want to pay for someone else's laziness. Wanna eat? Get your @$$ to work! Wanna eat when you are too old to work = get your @$$ to work when you're young - save some of your income for the future instead of blowing it all on 22" rims and 60" TV's!
Smells like another form of a free handout produced by taxes payers so NO! Wants requires WORK. NEEDS better be 24th or 25th on one's list before any consideration.
HOWEVER - I can strategically foresee something like this coming within the next 25-50 years! Remember, in that timeframe ALL the babyboomers and many of their children will have moved on to the after life - hence the strain with Social Security and MedicAID will be grossly lower if null. Maybe then??? Doesn't matter to me because I will be part of that group GONE GONE GONE!!!!!
Definitely not. I was raised that you get what you earn. We were told nothing is free and that there is no self-respect in not working to get what you want. You pay your bills on time with a budget. You may not have the best but you will have a roof, heat, food and bills paid. Most of all you have pride in what you have and respect what you have and yourself.
Zuckerberg, Facebook millionaire, wants to start the new program, he can start it by using his own money. No need to tap into Taxpayers Funds. His millions would be gone very quickly.
Worked since age of 15, retired at 56 after 30 + years with same co. Consistently saved for 33 years, didn't take lavish vacations, buy fancy toys or a house I could not afford. Guaranteed income ? Insane !
Sounds like socialism at its best, or communism at its worst. Nothing will destroy the GDP or the American economy faster than that. We already have a class of people that refuse to work and expect American taxpayers to support them. We are not talking about a "safety net" for the poor, rather a class of people that prefer to go on the dole, rather than work for a living. They are lazy leeches on society. We don't need any more of that! Zuckerberg's idea is in the clouds, like his business.
You mean BILLIONS! But the idea is the same; he won't be funding his ideas of what is best for the rest of us non-billionaire taxpayers. He should offer a monthly, tax free, no strings attached income to all of his employees and see how many actually continue to show up for work. NONE!!!! That's right, none. There is no bigger incentive for a member of society to be non-productive, than to GIVE them everything they need for the basics of life, that now include food, housing, medical coverage, cash payments, and yes, thanks to Obama, even cellphones and cell phone service. Like the current welfare recipients tell us all the time, you have to be stupid to work. Zuckerberg would agree.
Automation increases, jobs decrease- at some point there are no jobs left. Machines and robots and computers will do everything. We are transitioning to this world now. It going to hurt for a while, then it will be liberating.
12"36 give me back all I put in SSI for 50 years with interest tax free. The Government should not have control over my contributions and be able to give it to these lazy / worthless pieces of shit that takes advantage of the system and these immigrants / illegals which cross our borders and collect $40 - $60,000 a year while I get $16,000. SO I deserve my check without being controlled. You sound like one of those "free loaders" that does not deserve SSI or any government assistance.
But of course the POS wants taxpayers to fund it,most super rich got there from taxpayer funds like Elon Musk,Ira Reinhart and most hedge fund managers who lost workers pensions,etc.
some probably think of socialism when they hear something like this, but what if the playing field were actually level? Aside from the lazy ones who would just take the money and not do anything else, I think that if everyone had the same starting point, other than zero or whatever they make on their own, it would take some of the pressure off of them to try new things.
If your basic needs such as food and housing were met, you could concentrate on other areas and expand.
I could be wrong, I haven't given it much thought as yet. Any ideas from anyone?
I could be wrong, I haven't given it much thought as yet. Any ideas from anyone?
June 27, 2017 at 12:08 AM:
Not much thought as yet? Don't give in to your delusions. Everyone wants free stuff. If the free stuff is what EVERYONE needs, then there is no incentive to work. It is basic socialism / communism. Don't hurt yourself trying to figure it out.
Anonymous Anonymous said... 12"36 give me back all I put in SSI for 50 years with interest tax free. The Government should not have control over my contributions and be able to give it to these lazy / worthless pieces of shit that takes advantage of the system and these immigrants / illegals which cross our borders and collect $40 - $60,000 a year while I get $16,000. SO I deserve my check without being controlled. You sound like one of those "free loaders" that does not deserve SSI or any government assistance.
June 26, 2017 at 2:59 PM
and when you try to collect YOUR money, they don't want to give it to you and you wind up having to get a lawyer to receive YOUR money.
Hell no--get off your butt and work! Sick of everyone getting everything--do the right thing when growing up and things likely to work out--Help the truly needy and disabled--that have no ability to help themselves--
ReplyDeletePoverty and all that it means follows and surrounds us as would a pack of wolves. Can there be enough entrepreneurship to satisfy the needs of growing classes of unemployed, underemployed, underpaid and unemployable?
ReplyDeleteNo - you should only get what you earn!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to pay for someone else's laziness.
Wanna eat? Get your @$$ to work! Wanna eat when you are too old to work = get your @$$ to work when you're young - save some of your income for the future instead of blowing it all on 22" rims and 60" TV's!
Absolutely not. However, I'm all for letting everyone keep the first "X" amount of money earned tax free, but you have to EARN it!
ReplyDeleteSmells like another form of a free handout produced by taxes payers so NO! Wants requires WORK. NEEDS better be 24th or 25th on one's list before any consideration.
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER - I can strategically foresee something like this coming within the next 25-50 years! Remember, in that timeframe ALL the babyboomers and many of their children will have moved on to the after life - hence the strain with Social Security and MedicAID will be grossly lower if null. Maybe then??? Doesn't matter to me because I will be part of that group GONE GONE GONE!!!!!
Definitely not. I was raised that you get what you earn. We were told nothing is free and that there is no self-respect in not working to get what you want. You pay your bills on time with a budget. You may not have the best but you will have a roof, heat, food and bills paid. Most of all you have pride in what you have and respect what you have and yourself.
ReplyDeleteLet's start by Mr. Zuckenberg giving all of his money first
ReplyDeleteThis is just to control you more... That is all any one ever wants to do and any Idea they give, is to control you more...
ReplyDeleteShould all Americans perform public service, whether paid or unpaid?
ReplyDeleteWe are paying for enough freebees now
ReplyDeleteget a grip
Zuckerberg, Facebook millionaire, wants to start the new program, he can start it by using his own money. No need to tap into Taxpayers Funds.
ReplyDeleteHis millions would be gone very quickly.
"basic income to make sure that everyone has a cushion" like the sofa cushions!
ReplyDeleteWhat control does govt. have over those who get social service checks now? None. They do whatever they want and still get their check.
ReplyDeleteWorked since age of 15, retired at 56 after 30 + years with same co. Consistently saved for 33 years, didn't take lavish vacations, buy fancy toys or a house I could not afford. Guaranteed income ? Insane !
ReplyDeleteSounds like socialism at its best, or communism at its worst. Nothing will destroy the GDP or the American economy faster than that. We already have a class of people that refuse to work and expect American taxpayers to support them. We are not talking about a "safety net" for the poor, rather a class of people that prefer to go on the dole, rather than work for a living. They are lazy leeches on society. We don't need any more of that! Zuckerberg's idea is in the clouds, like his business.
ReplyDeleteJune 26, 2017 at 11:37 AM:
ReplyDeleteYou mean BILLIONS! But the idea is the same; he won't be funding his ideas of what is best for the rest of us non-billionaire taxpayers. He should offer a monthly, tax free, no strings attached income to all of his employees and see how many actually continue to show up for work. NONE!!!! That's right, none. There is no bigger incentive for a member of society to be non-productive, than to GIVE them everything they need for the basics of life, that now include food, housing, medical coverage, cash payments, and yes, thanks to Obama, even cellphones and cell phone service. Like the current welfare recipients tell us all the time, you have to be stupid to work. Zuckerberg would agree.
Automation increases, jobs decrease- at some point there are no jobs left. Machines and robots and computers will do everything. We are transitioning to this world now. It going to hurt for a while, then it will be liberating.
ReplyDelete12"36 give me back all I put in SSI for 50 years with interest tax free. The Government should not have control over my contributions and be able to give it to these lazy / worthless pieces of shit that takes advantage of the system and these immigrants / illegals which cross our borders and collect $40 - $60,000 a year while I get $16,000. SO I deserve my check without being controlled. You sound like one of those "free loaders" that does not deserve SSI or any government assistance.
ReplyDeleteWe have that now for some. SNAP, WIC and all the other 'handout' programs. No incentive to other than sit back and ask for more.
ReplyDeleteBut of course the POS wants taxpayers to fund it,most super rich got there from taxpayer funds like Elon Musk,Ira Reinhart and most hedge fund managers who lost workers pensions,etc.
ReplyDeleteI love the sheeple on this site.
ReplyDeleteSo the bankers can print money out of thin air for themselves and create massive inflation.
But you guys don't want them to print any money for the rest of us?
Got it.
some probably think of socialism when they hear something like this, but what if the playing field were actually level? Aside from the lazy ones who would just take the money and not do anything else, I think that if everyone had the same starting point, other than zero or whatever they make on their own, it would take some of the pressure off of them to try new things.
ReplyDeleteIf your basic needs such as food and housing were met, you could concentrate on other areas and expand.
I could be wrong, I haven't given it much thought as yet. Any ideas from anyone?
Thank you 2:59!
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong, I haven't given it much thought as yet. Any ideas from anyone?
ReplyDeleteJune 27, 2017 at 12:08 AM:
Not much thought as yet? Don't give in to your delusions. Everyone wants free stuff. If the free stuff is what EVERYONE needs, then there is no incentive to work. It is basic socialism / communism. Don't hurt yourself trying to figure it out.
No - the trouble with liberal ideas is that eventually they run out of other peoples' money to give away.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is sad that we are even talking about this
ReplyDeletePoliticians working on killing all small business in the USA,pray president Trump gets tax cuts through.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete12"36 give me back all I put in SSI for 50 years with interest tax free. The Government should not have control over my contributions and be able to give it to these lazy / worthless pieces of shit that takes advantage of the system and these immigrants / illegals which cross our borders and collect $40 - $60,000 a year while I get $16,000. SO I deserve my check without being controlled. You sound like one of those "free loaders" that does not deserve SSI or any government assistance.
June 26, 2017 at 2:59 PM
and when you try to collect YOUR money, they don't want to give it to you and you wind up having to get a lawyer to receive YOUR money.
Did I mention that it's your money?