Blog
The Gift-Giving Argument for Universal Basic Income
As I write this, Christmas is right around the corner again, and I think it's time I finally write this article that has been in my head for years now as an argument for the universal part of universal basic income. In short, the entire point of the
Is Unconditional Basic Income a Trap Being Laid by Global Elites to Control and Enslave Us All?
2023 will mark ten years of my advocating hard for unconditional basic income. At this point, one of the things that annoys me most is the new claim from conspiracy-fueled people that the rich and powerful fully support UBI and want to use it to make a subservient population. First
The BIG Picture of Money, Economics, and Humanity
The following is the speech I gave at the 2022 BIG Conference on the day Roe vs Wade was overturned. If you prefer, you can also listen to the recorded audio. I apologize in advance for kind of running in the red today. Like in Pulp Fiction, I'm
Incoming! How UBI could change work (and the world)
The following is an excerpt from the 2022 report by Indeed titled "Future of compensation: Pay, benefits and equity in the UK workplace." This excerpt is based on an interview I did in August as part of the report's preparation. The idea, of a universally provided
The Toothpaste Argument for Universal Basic Income
The following argument is based on the words of the late Götz Werner, who was a long-time supporter of the concept of unconditional basic income in Germany, who gained a unique understanding of UBI as a successful businessman and billionaire co-founder of the drugstore chain “dm,” and who passed away
Today’s Child Tax Credit Versus the Family Security Act 2.0
Summary: An analysis by the Niskanen Center of the changes FSA2 proposes concluded that poverty would drop by 13%. It would lift more than 1.1 million kids out of poverty and that’s without raising any new taxes and instead just spending what we already spend, but differently. The
How the Baby Formula Crisis Helps Show the Difference Between Cash and Benefits-in-Kind
Summary: I think some kind of compromise between Democrats and Republicans along such lines is something that deserves serious consideration as a response to the baby formula shortage. If we can reduce child poverty while also helping to prevent another baby formula shortage, plus give moms more individual freedom to
How to Calculate the Cost of Universal Basic Income (Hint: It's Not As Easy As You Might Think)
I've written about this before, about how the cost of universal basic income is its net cost, not its gross cost, but because this question of the cost of UBI is so frequently raised, and so frequently misunderstood, I'm going to attempt to explain this in
How the Monthly Child Tax Credit Reduced the Level of Desperation in America
With the enhanced CTC, fewer parents resorted to selling their blood plasma and paying 391% interest rates in order to feed and house their families Money is protection. When we have enough of it, it can be an all-purpose shield, able to protect us from all kinds of things. Protection
No, Ukraine did not just introduce Universal Basic Income. Here is what it did do.
On December 19, 2021, Ukraine launched “ePidtrymka” which translates to eSupport. It was launched on Diia which is a smartphone app and web portal that itself was launched in February 2020 to function as a means of storing and sharing digital versions of documents, and also making government services available
