Universal Basic Income

Headline: "Chicago May Become Largest City to Offer Universal Basic Income"

Another city in the West Coast - where else - was first with the idea. The city of Stockton begun an 18-month study where 100 families were going to receive $500  monthly. The 27 year old mayor, Michael Tubbs is working with Facebook co-founder, Chris Hughes, who himself has initiated a program called Economic Security Project (ESP). 

There had been in this country's history a variety of 3-4 letter-acronym-ed programs over decades of government's social tweaking to improve the plight of its less fortunate citizens.  Lately, there is the ACA, Affordable Care Act, which is not so affordable anymore, UBI (Universal Basic Income), which is not really universal because it will cover a limited number of families. I don't know what ESP (Economic Security Program) really means. The Chicago councilman, Ameya Pawar, who is pushing for UBI is worried for the future workers who may be laid off because of automation. 

There are a handful of other programs which lead one to believe that these are likely overlapping each other in one respect or another. However, much of the public and politicians are not likely to see beyond the bureaucratic curtains that hide these duplication of assistance.

SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamp Program)
AFDC - Aid to Families with Dependent Children
WIC - Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, & Children
GA - General Assistance
TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Mr. Pawar said, ”We have to start talking about race and class and geography, but also start talking about the future of work as it relates to automation. All of this stuff is intertwined.” Well, it didn't take long for race and social class to be injected into the mix, let alone, another justification for another government program.

We're all for helping the less fortunate among us. There is no question that many people need help. There is no question the government can and do a lot through designed programs to make it so. In fact, based on the above, quite a number of programs had been created. And they've been and will be there forever.  Below is the famous quote from Pres. Reagan:

"The closest thing to eternal life on earth is a Government Program"

And, so the government, albeit, local in scope (for now, anyway), comes up with another example of bureaucratic expansion, the likes of which could grow with the malignancy of a tumor. That is, because some of these programs are likely to sap resources collected from tax payers, with very little efficacy towards the intended purpose.  

Another Reagan quote:

"No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size".

Some of these programs fail over time because: (a) complacency sets in when bureaucracy  is well entrenched; (b) political stewardship lasts only as long as the next political changeover; (c) the mistaken notion that when government throws money into something, the problem will be solved; it encourages people to remain or elect to be in the program rather than strive to rise towards an income level that would disqualify them. 

These are supposed to be temporary programs for most recipients until they get back on their feet as to be disqualified. Disqualification from these government programs as recipients begin to earn a living income is the only disqualification worth aspiring for.

We should relinquish the liberal mantra of income equality.  There is no such thing. Even the most ardent socialists do not believe in it.

(For another context, please read "Mountains to Molehills", previous blog to this, which I copied/republished from "The Idle Citizen", which I wrote a while back, some of you may have read it before)