Universal Basic Income

[blackbull1970]

A German experiment gave people a basic monthly income. The effect on their work ethic was surprising

By Rosa Rahimi, CNN
April 11, 2025

German experiment gave people a basic monthly income – the effect on their work ethic was surprising | CNN

A German experiment has found that people are likely to continue working full-time even if they receive no-strings-attached universal basic income payments.

amp.cnn.com

A German experiment has found that people are likely to continue working full-time even if they receive no-strings-attached universal basic income payments.

Universal basic income, also known as guaranteed income, is the idea of giving money to everyone regardless of how much they already earn – to give them the freedom to move between jobs, train for new positions, provide care, or engage in creative pursuits.

Proponents have included the likes of Elon Musk, who said in 2018 that “universal income will be necessary over time if AI takes over most human jobs.” US Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang ran on a platform in 2020 to give Americans $1,000 a month, calling the idea a “game changer.”…

Universal basic income gained increased acceptance in Europe during the pandemic.​

 

[tajshan]

I remember this was mentioned before the 2020's, and the talk was about being 500.......

and this was when it might, MIGHT, have been baaaaaaaaaaaarely to cover MOST of rents waaaaaaay before 2018. Might have been around about 2015.

5 HUNDRED dollars - if that wasn't enough then..........................



I doubt it's going to be enough to cover basic living expenses - much less give people "breathing" room....

 

[blackbull1970]

I remember this was mentioned before the 2020's, and the talk was about being 500.......

and this was when it might, MIGHT, have been baaaaaaaaaaaarely to cover MOST of rents waaaaaaay before 2018. Might have been around about 2015.

5 HUNDRED dollars - if that wasn't enough then..........................



I doubt it's going to be enough to cover basic living expenses - much less give people "breathing" room....

The original premise of UBI is not to cover all your expenses.

It’s just extra money to help with your monthly expenses.

Similar to Food Stamps. It helps with your monthly expenses, that way you have more funds to pay for other important things and not worry about coming up with money to feed your kids.

There is no need for UBI if employers just pay their employees a living wage and adjust it frequently for COLA increases.

 

[blackbull1970]

Map Shows 18 States Where Americans Have Received a Basic Income in 2025

By Hugh Cameron
Jul 29, 2025

Map shows 18 states where Americans have received a basic income in 2025

Basic income programs are gaining momentum nationwide as local governments and nonprofits test this bold alternative to traditional welfare.

www.newsweek.com

Universal or guaranteed basic income programs are gaining momentum across the country, as local governments and nonprofits experiment with the bold new alternative to traditional welfare models.

According to Stanford University's Basic Income Lab, which tracks ongoing UBI or GBI pilot programs across the U.S., citizens in 18 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have taken part in some form of basic income study this year.

"UBI differs quite radically from welfare as we know it because it goes to all without means tests or work requirements," said Juliana Bidadanure, founder of the Basic Income Lab. "It builds a robust floor that prevents all from falling too low, and it achieves that with a principle of radical inclusivity (everyone is opted in automatically)."…

States with ongoing or concluded basic income pilots this year​

 

[Temujin]

Universal Basic Income, Health Care, and free education. Yes we can afford it. It's cheaper than our current system and it will result in a healthier smarter and happier America. We bugging thinking the government ain't supposed to do shit for us.

 

[christop]

Universal Basic Income, Health Care, and free education. Yes we can afford it. It's cheaper than our current system and it will result in a healthier smarter and happier America. We bugging thinking the government ain't supposed to do shit for us.

I completely agree. It will never happen though so my advice to everyone is to get their money up lol.

 

[Temujin]

I completely agree. It will never happen though so my advice to everyone is to get their money up lol.

It will happen or America will fall apart. So it must happen. Which means it will happen. The generation that believes will receive. Once the boomers are gone its a greenlight.

 

[RoadRage]

It would never work here, and we wouldn't want it either. The reason is that if there were no economic advantage to living in the States, then there is no way we would be able to attract doctors, lawyers, top physicists, engineers, and professors with our O1 genius visas. Not only that, the very little talent we do have would certainly flee to countries that are paying more for the buck, and with no one to build our shit, it's just a matter of time before the economy would collapse.

 

[christop]

It will happen or America will fall apart. So it must happen. Which means it will happen. The generation that believes will receive. Once the boomers are gone its a greenlight.

America is falling apart. It's a failing empire. Sir, we've elected fucking Donald Trump as president twice. We won't even provide for our seniors lol.

 

[blackbull1970]

UBI can work in America.

The Powrs that Be is trying to figure out how to keep Black folks from getting access to UBI.

The reason this country lags behind other developed nations with programs that benefit its citizens, this country spends its time preventing Black folks from having anything.

Just like Universal Healthcare. America is the only country on Earth with a For-Profit healthcare system that punishes and prevents Black folks from accessing healthcare.

America is the only country that has its citizens declare bankruptcy because of medical expenses.

No other country on this planet has a system like ours.

 

[RoadRage]

UBI can work in America.

The Powrs that Be is trying to figure out how to keep Black folks from getting access to UBI.

The reason this country lags behind other developed nations with programs that benefit its citizens, this country spends its time preventing Black folks from having anything.

Just like Universal Healthcare. America is the only country on Earth with a For-Profit healthcare system that punishes and prevents Black folks from accessing healthcare.

America is the only country that has its citizens declare bankruptcy because of medical expenses.

No other country on this planet has a system like ours.

The reason why the system has all these perks is because we have the powerful dollar that attracts geniuses from all over the world, allowing our economy to grow more and attract more. But with this UBI it would do the very opposite, and in order to keep the few geniuses we do have from bolting in a mass exodus, the way geniuses bounce from all over the world to the U.S., we would have to close the borders, similar to what North Korea has to do.

 

[blackbull1970]

The reason why the system has all these perks is because we have the powerful dollar that attracts geniuses from all over the world, allowing our economy to grow more and attract more. But with this UBI it would do the very opposite, and in order to keep the few geniuses we do have from bolting in a mass exodus, the way geniuses bounce from all over the world to the U.S., we would have to close the borders, similar to what North Korea has to do.

These “Geniuses” you talk about.

If they need serious healthcare like surgery, they ain’t getting it here in this Shit Hole country.

Those folks maintain their citizenship in there home country and they return there if something serious happens to them.

Just like undocumented immigrants from Central/South America, they ain’t signing up for private healthcare, Medicaid/MediCare the way the GOP states, they return to their home country for their primary care.

 

[RoadRage]

Just imagine of the U.S. lost half of its doctors, 25% whom are foreign-born, and 25% of the U.S.-born doctors who choose to relocate to another country that pays the going market rate for a doctor.
You think waiting lines are long now, plus add in the fact that these doctors would have to work twice as hard for and hundredth of their salary. How in anybody's mind could you explain this being better, but this is just the doctors, not to mention architects, people who create medicine, technology, and everything important to our economy? Shit, you could look at the NBA, what player would stay here when they could get way more money playing in Europe or China, plus with all the talent shifting there, their rating would be sky high while the American teams with G-league talent would lose billions in revenue.
While this may sound like a good idea when talking shit, once you think about it, weighing all the variables, it's a horrible idea!

 

[RoadRage]

These “Geniuses” you talk about.

If they need serious healthcare like surgery, they ain’t getting it here in this Shit Hole country.

Those folks maintain their citizenship in there home country and they return there if something serious happens to them.

Just like undocumented immigrants from Central/South America, they ain’t signing up for private healthcare, Medicaid/MediCare the way the GOP states, they return to their home country for their primary care.

Not true, if you have money, our health care is very good.

 

[blackbull1970]

Not true, if you have money, our health care is very good.

Yes we do have good healthcare….if you can afford it.

And that’s the problem and why UBI is needed.

 

[RoadRage]

Yes we do have good healthcare….if you can afford it.

And that’s the problem and why UBI is needed.

The main reason is that even with the O-1 visas, there is still a shortage of good doctors, and with so many people scamming and bilking the system, the hospitals are overcrowded and the workers overworked. The UBI will make things, at best, twice as bad.

 

[christop]

Just imagine of the U.S. lost half of its doctors, 25% whom are foreign-born, and 25% of the U.S.-born doctors who choose to relocate to another country that pays the going market rate for a doctor.
You think waiting lines are long now, plus add in the fact that these doctors would have to work twice as hard for and hundredth of their salary. How in anybody's mind could you explain this being better, but this is just the doctors, not to mention architects, people who create medicine, technology, and everything important to our economy? Shit, you could look at the NBA, what player would stay here when they could get way more money playing in Europe or China, plus with all the talent shifting there, their rating would be sky high while the American teams with G-league talent would lose billions in revenue.
While this may sound like a good idea when talking shit, once you think about it, weighing all the variables, it's a horrible idea!

Gtfohwtbs

 

[RoadRage]

Gtfohwtbs

You actually believe that doctors from Pakistan, India, and different regions of Africa would still come here, knowing that they would get way less than working in Dubai, China, England, or Australia, to name a few countries? Additionally, they would have to work longer and harder shifts. Shit it's getting harder and harder to attract them with all the money they get over here.
Like I also said, we wouldn't even be able to keep the NBA players here for a universal salary of around 60k when they know damn well they could fetch millions in other countries.
Besides, if you pay a guy who flips burgers the same amount as the guy who is a brain surgeon, why would anyone dedicate that many years studying and passing all those incredibly hard exams when they would make the same amount as a dummy who never goes to class and gets an F in class?
I swear some of you guys think like third graders, and no wonder why you want a UBI it's your "Boom Boom Room dream".

 

[Temujin]

You actually believe that doctors from Pakistan, India, and different regions of Africa would still come here, knowing that they would get way less than working in Dubai, China, England, or Australia, to name a few countries? Additionally, they would have to work longer and harder shifts. Shit it's getting harder and harder to attract them with all the money they get over here.
Like I also said, we wouldn't even be able to keep the NBA players here for a universal salary of around 60k when they know damn well they could fetch millions in other countries.
Besides, if you pay a guy who flips burgers the same amount as the guy who is a brain surgeon, why would anyone dedicate that many years studying and passing all those incredibly hard exams when they would make the same amount as a dummy who never goes to class and gets an F in class?
I swear some of you guys think like third graders, and no wonder why you want a UBI it's your "Boom Boom Room dream".

LOL you have no idea what UBI is. UBI is not everybody making the same amount of money. UBI is everyone getting the same basic income. Which creates a certain level of minimum sustenance in a country. Do you know Alaska provides universal basic income to it's residents. So if you are a wealthy doctor you get the same 15K that a homeless person would get plus your regular salary. It's fair to everyone and it saves us from having to pay 60K a year to lock up that homeless person. Or 80K a year because that homeless person goes to the ER every 3 months.

 

[RoadRage]

LOL you have no idea what UBI is. UBI is not everybody making the same amount of money. UBI is everyone getting the same basic income. Which creates a certain level of minimum sustenance in a country. Do you know Alaska provides universal basic income to it's residents. So if you are a wealthy doctor you get the same 15K that a homeless person would get plus your regular salary. It's fair to everyone and it saves us from having to pay 60K a year to lock up that homeless person. Or 80K a year because that homeless person goes to the ER every 3 months.

What would the tax situation be like in this scenario?

 

[Temujin]

What would the tax situation be like in this scenario?

Tax the rich what they should be paying.

 

[RoadRage]

Tax the rich what they should be paying.

With these high taxes you risk brain drain to other countries. And the more wealthy talented people leave the more the remaining ones who stay would have to pay tax to make up the slack forcing more to exit. Bridging us to the same problem I've described originally.

 

[RoadRage]

This is exactly why countries like North Korea have transformed into a lockdown state, preventing the little brain they have from migrating to South Korea, Japan, and the United States, where they could make a hell of a lot more money for working much less. And this is the main reason why such nations are usually very poor and underdeveloped.

 

[Temujin]

With these high taxes you risk brain drain to other countries. And the more wealthy talented people leave the more the remaining ones who stay would have to pay tax to make up the slack forcing more to exit. Bridging us to the same problem I've described originally.

When I say wealthy I'm talking billionaires and corporations. Billionaires don't do shit and corporations ain't leaving because this is where the money is. So that is of zero concern. How could you possibly be worried more about a billionaires tax problem than your own healthcare or education. Doesn't make much sense.

 

[Temujin]

The reason why the system has all these perks is because we have the powerful dollar that attracts geniuses from all over the world, allowing our economy to grow more and attract more. But with this UBI it would do the very opposite, and in order to keep the few geniuses we do have from bolting in a mass exodus, the way geniuses bounce from all over the world to the U.S., we would have to close the borders, similar to what North Korea has to do.

Do you actually believe this. Who are these guys. LOL Who are these geniuses that moved here for the money that mean more to us than our own people. None of this makes any sense. Do you not see trump is cracking down on Immigration. Are you not worried about how immigration affects your supposed brain drain or how a tax increase might affect an immigrant. You can't be serious. This is why we don't get shit done in America you are more concerned with a hypothetical risk than the actual shit that affects each and every day. Homelessness, Poverty, Food insecurity we solve all these problems with universal basic income but you counter that with a genius might not move here. Do you care about your fellow americans more than your hypothetical genius immigrant?

 

[Temujin]

And another thing. Univeral Basic Income is the norm for rich countries. We are the richest country in the world that supports our citizens the least. IN UAE every citizen gets 60K a year at least working or not. Just for living they get 60K. UAE has no problems getting people to move there. LOL No brain drain going on. Very little crime no poverty no homelessness.

 

[RoadRage]

Do you actually believe this. Who are these guys. LOL Who are these geniuses that moved here for the money that mean more to us than our own people. None of this makes any sense. Do you not see trump is cracking down on Immigration. Are you not worried about how immigration affects your supposed brain drain or how a tax increase might affect an immigrant. You can't be serious. This is why we don't get shit done in America you are more concerned with a hypothetical risk than the actual shit that affects each and every day. Homelessness, Poverty, Food insecurity we solve all these problems with universal basic income but you counter that with a genius might not move here. Do you care about your fellow americans more than your hypothetical genius immigrant?

They aren't cracking down on the 0-1 Visas (you crazy), they are like the top draft picks in the NBA vs a guy who was a reserve for a high school basketball team, which is the typical person applying for a visa. Every country is in a bidding war for these guys, because who knows they could invent the next defense system, renewable fuel, clean fuel, or the cure for cancer.
Also, these aren't just hypothetical people, my nephew who lives in Trinidad has one for the U.S. Britain and Canada, where he went to school in England for his degrees, then came back to Trinidad to work as a Doctor.
Like a team that drafts the most superstars and the top free agents, these countries that have the most geniuses tend to be more developed.

O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement​

The O-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements.

For more information, see USCIS Policy Manual Volume 2, Part M.

The O nonimmigrant classification are commonly referred to as:

• O-1A: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics (not including the arts, motion pictures or television industry);
• O-1B: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry;
• O-2: Individuals who will accompany an O-1 artist or athlete to assist in a specific event or performance; and
• O-3: Individuals who are the spouse or children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders.

 

[Temujin]

They aren't cracking down on the 0-1 Visas (you crazy), they are like the top draft picks in the NBA vs a guy who was a reserve for a high school basketball team, which is the typical person applying for a visa. Every country is in a bidding war for these guys, because who knows they could invent the next defense system, renewable fuel, clean fuel, or the cure for cancer.
Also, these aren't just hypothetical people, my nephew who lives in Trinidad has one for the U.S. Britain and Canada, where he went to school in England for his degrees, then came back to Trinidad to work as a Doctor.
Like a team that drafts the most superstars and the top free agents, these countries that have the most geniuses tend to be more developed.

O-1 Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement​

The O-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements.

For more information, see USCIS Policy Manual Volume 2, Part M.

The O nonimmigrant classification are commonly referred to as:

• O-1A: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics (not including the arts, motion pictures or television industry);
• O-1B: Individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry;
• O-2: Individuals who will accompany an O-1 artist or athlete to assist in a specific event or performance; and
• O-3: Individuals who are the spouse or children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders.

So let me get this straight. You DON'T want the government to give all Americans (including you) a universal basic income to fight poverty child hunger homelessness etc. Because you feel higher taxes on rich people will somehow hurt you? Somehow somebody convinced you that you don't trust money in your pocket you would rather a rich guy keep it? Gotcha

 

[RoadRage]

So let me get this straight. You DON'T want the government to give all Americans (including you) a universal basic income to fight poverty child hunger homelessness etc. Because you feel higher taxes on rich people will somehow hurt you? Somehow somebody convinced you that you don't trust money in your pocket you would rather a rich guy keep it? Gotcha

I see where the mix-up is, you think that it's about wants rather than needs. Put it this way suppose I tell my over spending wife that she needs to take it easy on the credit card payments or risk getting into serious debt, for her to reply that I just don't want to see her shine would be similar to you saying I don't want to give Americans univewrsal basic income, becasue my argument is the opposite, I am saying by having universal basic income you would garentee the very things you said you wanted to prevent(poverty, world hunger and homelssness).
The reasons are forementioned, but high taxes would cause gifted people with talent to take their businesses elsewhere, where they are paid the market value for their talent.
Simplified, think of it this way, you are a GM of a team and thought it would be fairer if all the players made the same amount of money, well that scrub on the end of the bench would love it, but if you are an 8-time all-star who just won the MVP why should he be asked to take a 40 million pay cut just for some sorry ass scrub who don't do shit, to make the same amount of money.
In 99.99999 percent of the time, as soon as he becomes a free agent, he would take his services to a team that is paying his market value. And that fair and equal team will begin to lose talent and eventually become the weakest team in the league. This is the same thing that can and has happened to countries, but on a much larger scale. Again, this is not what I want; this is reality, and if you seek answers to mega problems such as poverty, employment, and fair income, at least let it be grounded in reality. Because I bet you can't cite one country that has improved with a Universal income.