by Jenna van Draanen | May 13, 2015 | News
In a recent interview with Steven Shafarman, program director of an organization called Basic Income Action, Ralph Nader voiced extensive support for the idea of basic income. He compared it to his work to ban smoking on airplanes: saying that one day he hopes to see basic income go through the same shift in public perception to becoming something that is accepted as status quo. Both Shafarman and Nader describe the key components of basic income and the benefits that it could provide to society at large and cover topics like what will happen to existing social programs, health care, and many others.
For more information on the interview, see:
Ralph Nader, “Steve Shafarman, Basic Income, GM” Ralph Nader Radio Hour. April 26, 2015.
by Jenna van Draanen | May 12, 2015 | News
Basic income supporters have recently seen caregiver networks join their ranks. In a recent article, Karen Patrick writes about what a basic income could mean to caregivers including freedom from worries and supporting the human work of dignity and love that caregivers provide. A Facebook group of caregivers supporting BIG has also been established.
For more information on the caregiver basic income movement, see:
Karen Patrick, “Caregivers for a Basic Income Guarantee”. Blogspot, April 2015.
Caregivers for a Basic Income Guarantee, “10 Caregiver Reasons for a Basic Income Guarantee” Facebook, March 31
by Andre Coelho | Apr 24, 2015 | News
Credit to: Vox (Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT))
US GOP senators Mark Rubio and Mike Lee have proposed what could be the beginning of a basic income in the US. The proposal has a work requirement and is insufficient to secure live essentials, but according to Dylan, it is a promising step forward. This and other basic income ideas have been floating around Congress, including those with no work requirement.
Dylan Matthews, “The most exciting proposal of the GOP presidential campaign so far“, Vox, April 2 2015
by Andre Coelho | Apr 21, 2015 | News
Credit to: Sightline Daily
Kristin Eberhard describes two promising bills from the Oregon legislature which, if implemented, would simultaneously cut carbon pollution and pay a basic income to every Oregon citizen. A Trust Fund would be created to fund this basic income, as long as there exists a need to pay for pollution, which is expected to last at least until 2050.
Kristin Eberhard, “What if polluters paid and you got the money?“, Sightline Daily, April 2 2015
by Andre Coelho | Apr 20, 2015 | News
Progressive Change Campaign Committee: Big Ideas Pooling Results (colored frame added)
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has released the results of its latest poll on voters’ response to a set of progressive proposals. It is fully available online, and amongst 52 proposals, the minimum guaranteed income (basic income, or BI) scored around middle table, with 59% of responses in favour and 27% in opposition with around 10% neutral. This result may seem surprising in a conservative-leaning society such as the United States, and is probably connected with other related issues, such as the desire to end tax loopholes for corporations (74% in favour) or the expansion of Social Security Benefits (70% in favour).
The poll and its results have been discussed in specialized forums such as Reddit, in this case in a subreddit focused on Basic Income. Here, several basic income advocates and critics discuss its premise and implications. From the critics point of view, the polling methods were questionable, as was the adequacy of the question itself about minimum guaranteed income, which might have been leading. Some of these critics have written that polls like this shouldn’t be used to convince others about the benefits of BI.
Reddit alien
However, strong arguments and evidence exist in defense of the polling method and its validity, clearly separating it from other so-called push-polls. Building from there, BI advocates reply, while accepting that some people might feel more inclined to accept closing tax loopholes for corporations than accepting BI head-on, this is still an impressive result for BI. Moreover, advocates highlight, other polling questions relevant to BI had high levels of approval, as mentioned above, e.g. closing tax loopholes and expanding Social Security, which can be intimately related to financing and implementing a future BI in the USA. It was also suggested that BI defenders and activists should actually study and be able to deploy these types of polls for their own purposes.
More information at:
Progressive Change Campaign Committee, “Progressive Change Institute releases big ideas pooling results“, Bold Progressives.org, 2015
Reddit, Subreddit on Basic Income, reddit.com, 2015
