Minnesota Democrats are pushing forward a bill to provide a $500 statewide guaranteed universal basic income (UBI) plan. Republicans have come out against it though as they have found loopholes that could give free money to undocumented migrants. Some 200 other cities around the nation are experimenting in UBI as well.
Universal Basic Income is largely promoted and backed by Democrats and largely opposed by Republicans. It seems that those on the left are coming from the position that everyone needs a helping hand now and again. Those on the right seem to be coming from a position that holds that there are no free lunches in this world, meaning, someone has to pay.
Minnesota’s new state legislation, known as HF 2666 introduced on March 8, if passed would provide $500 monthly payments for 18 to 24 months (or longer) “to eligible recipients in order to disrupt poverty, build wealth, advance equity, and support a recipient’s basic needs.”
To be eligible an applicant would have to be at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Currently that rate is set to around $15,000 for a single person and goes up about $5,000 for each additional person per family member. This means a person making less than $4,500 would be eligible as a single person for the additional $6,000 per year from the State of Minnesota for up to 18 months.
The bill, approved March 12 by the Minnesota’s House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee, would be funded for a one-time $100 million appropriation from the State’s General Fund in fiscal year 2025. Many believe it will never stop if allowed to start.
Minnesota passed similar legislation previously but on a smaller scale. The City of St. Paul tested UBI as part of a pilot program titled People’s Prosperity Guaranteed Income Pilot which lasted a little over one year and provided 150 residents $500 a month ($1+ million). The City of Minneapolis is said to be currently conducting its own similar pilot program.
There are three general ways that a UBI program could be funded:
- Taxes in the form of income or sales taxes.
- Special assessment taxes on millionaires and billionaires.
- Donations from the public and corporations.
The Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) at the University of Pennsylvania claims their research holds they have found that the unconditional monies improve financial health, sense of self, and economic mobility.
Meanwhile, the Iowans for Tax Relief organization is calling UBI out as a form of socialist’s welfare.
“Universal Basic Income is Socialist Welfare”
This organization offers what is going on in Iowa:
“A bill that would ban cities and counties from participating in Universal Basic Income (UBI) or Uplift-style projects is trying to move through the Iowa House.
It should be simple and non-controversial to stop socialism in Iowa. The Iowa House has 100 members, and 64 are Republicans. However, this bill has met some resistance and apparently does not have the support to move forward.”
CONCLUSION:
Because of former President Jimmy Carter as an example, I became involved in Habitat for Humanity years ago. I donated money and helped build homes for low income families. From there I began to donate my time, talents, and treasures to two different homeless shelters. I also helped begin Illinois’ first community café The Rochelle Kitchen Table.
People of faiths on both sides of the political aisle can be givers rather than takers. Those who attempt to character assassinate the Trump family should be ashamed of themselves because the Trumps have demonstrated having the same giving hearts as Jimmy Carter.
The two rules I was first taught when I became a volunteer to the homeless in the year 2000 were:
1. Do not give them money as odds are they will use it for something stupid like drugs, smokes, or alcohol.
2. Do not take them home or let them into your personal space as you do not know them or their backgrounds. Some of them are ex-convicts.
I followed those rules out of respect for those who I was volunteering for and the clientele being served. I love volunteering and I never want to get kicked out of the programs that meant so much to me.
To those Democrat politicians randomly promoting UBI all over this country, I would caution them and tell them to read the two rules above, then, read them again. I would ask them, “This is not the best way to help these people so what is your real motivation?”
As an educator I always quote the old adage:
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
For the last 20 years of my life I have been advocating for our politicians giving free college and trade school educations to those entering the skilled trades where America is seeing a catastrophic shortage of workers. Also, many of our doctors and engineers are now imported from other countries as our own youth refuse to go into these professions. Our politicians should have been addressing this 20 years ago, too.
To me, it seems like our politicians are enabling Americans to become fat, dumb, and happy. Americans won’t be happy when our economy fails though and that is what happens when you spend money you do not have.
Again, I ponder if this is not the Democrats putting into practice the “Cloward-Pivens Strategy”, where takers outnumber makers, or is it simple illegal vote buying?
Copyright © 2024 by Mark S. Schwendau
