#Guaranteed Livable Basic Income

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Hamilton, ON, wants to be the best place to raise a child and age successfully. These days, that’s a tall order to fulfill.

But on June 7, Hamilton city council took a major step towards making that vision a reality by voting unanimously to support a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income (GLBI).

The motion, put forward by Ward 15 Councillor Ted McMeekin and seconded by Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson, is proof non-partisan agreement exists for a GLBI.

Full article

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[diabolocracy]

Hey yo don't mind me just dropping some politics on blog. Nyoom

[thevioletsunflower]

Canadians: Act now to support guaranteed basic income!

The Canadian government is about to vote on starting the process of instituting a guaranteed basic living wage.

If you are a Canadian resident, please consider contacting your representatives about it! MP Leah Gazan has a tool on her website that makes showing your support easy. Just put your name and postal code into this tool and it will automatically send a message to your MP, the Prime Minister, and several Cabinet Ministers: https://www.leahgazan.ca/glbi_letter_2024#newmode-embed-20407-68031

If you’re Canadian, please show your support! If you aren’t, please share this post so your Canadian followers can see it.

@allthecanadianpolitics

[msfbgraves]

Work vs Jobs

What I'm going to say is not in any way new - you can read Marx, Chomsky, Graeber, Bregman if you want to ponder it at length, but in the offline world it is still seen as a radical idea.

When reading about the sandwich- to- minimum wage- ratio, I saw all these Tumlblr comments basically going: (sobbing) 'fuck you, I'm not gonna buy that (sobbing some more').

So then I thought: if so many of us are cutting back on things like sammies because who indeed would pay €8 for a döner or $10 for a sandwich, how can this not cause a recession?

And then I remembered a Jon Stewart interview with some banking hotshot, saying that yes, because of the pandemic there were fewer laborers around, and yes, we absolutely had to force them to take jobs with bad pay, because supply and demand doesn't go for multinationals, so yes, they had to raise interest and prices artificially to force a recession, cannot be helped, how else would anyone work?

There's so many people who share that view, that if you didn't force people to take jobs, they wouldn't do any work, especially unpleasant work. A uni friend of mine who supports the German Green Party had argued vehemently against a basic income for that reason, because who would deign to clean the streets if they weren't forced to by threat of starvation, homelessness and having their children taken away?

And I need you all to know that experiments with basic income have proven that this is utter, and I mean utter bullshit. Even The Atlantic is seeing now, that there are people for whom working wasn't worth it because of the abysmal conditions, have begun working when the pay was high enough to justify the cost of work - in time or commute or rent.

There's this protestant view of the human spirit that suffering is somehow good for the soul, and this medieval catholic idea that the concept of "work" and "doing penance" is somehow one and the same, and therefore it is morally just to make others and yourself suffer through work, possibly to get a pat on the head from God, whose existence is taken as a given. And that has bled into the idea that jobs are

-morally just

-supposed to be awful, because good for the soul. The more intrinsically rewarding a job, the lower the wages, that's why caring for your own family is unpaid work the world over (both important and intrinsically rewarding)

-something you have to force sinful people into against their will

And both research and experience have proven time and time again that this isn't good, neither for people nor human society at large.

-First of all suffering doesn't make you a good person, ask Art Spiegelman, writer of MAUS, when talking about his father;

-Miserable workers do worse work, ask, well, any labour board in any country

-People actually choose to work for wages when the benefits outweigh the costs, ask the Finnish Government's minimum wage pilot, and the Mincome project.

If you guarantee people housing and a livable income whether or not they choose to work for wages, a few things happen:

People who couldn't afford to work less than fulltime because the cost of care would outstrip the benefit of wages, now choose to take on smaller jobs, stimulating both their wellbeing and the economy;

An increase in informal care makes sure that so many fewer people get sick (excluding antivaxxing tradwives, goodness knows what they're about....), costing the economy billions less

A greatly reduced crime rate, and far fewer incarcerations.

The reason why we're mostly not in a recession that several people who weren't working before, because of high wages, actually ARE working now and nobody needs to bully somebody out of their small business to become a barista at an understaffed Starbucks instead.

What people have been doing, however, is quitting pointless jobs that were actually killing them and keeping them away from their families.

And sure, corporations do not like that.

They need people tired and absolutely miserable so they spend their meagre disposable wages on immediate relief: overpriced food and alcohol, forcing them to clock back in until they die.

If a few employees die, that is absolutely fine. Cost of doing business. We need a critical mass of employees to replace them. You can replace a dead person with a former small business owner, no biggie.

If people get sick, they do not carry any - and I mean not any - of that cost. Society does, but they're not in society, they're in business. Money is not the means to an end, money is the entire end, no matter the cost.

They need to extract as much 'value' out of people as they can, then discard them. Again, it's not about making the employees do good work, it's about having their labour be of very short term gain, and having enough surplus people to be able to work employed people to death.

For that, they need to create poverty where, by rights, there isn't any.

And even they understand that people do not hold with that. So they conflate the idea of "labor", i.e. activity to sustain to make something new, sustain something or improve something, with the idea of a "job" - a position where you, potentially, are used to get a few shareholders richer with no regards for your wellbeing or that of your community, and if you want to get an increase in wages, you have to accept that your time spent there will be increasingly miserable. There are good jobs and bad jobs - indeed some jobs need you functioning at a minimum level of physical health, or are indeed fun, but even they will make you artificially miserable, either by forced poverty (you are a teacher! That is so rewarding! Of course you make nothing!), or moral injury (not only are you not doing anything useful, you are actively making people's lives worse). And they tell you this is necessary, like that episode in Black Mirror where someone has to kill three people or the world will come to an end. People have to be employed, otherwise the economy will tank, making everybody's lives super duper awful and nobody will ever even bother to come out of bed anymore.

There's is useful work done in jobs, but they are not the same thing.

If you guarantee people food, housing, and healthcare, they take better care of themselves, their loved ones, their environment, choose work that suits them, be it about the amount of hours or the kind of work, commit fewer crimes, spend more on fun, make more art, raise more children (their own or others), have fewer addictions. Exploitation is only in the interest of like 5 big companies in the world right now, and they exploit people so they neglect other people who also then have no other choice to get exploited until they die. So please let no one ever tell you that, because there is obviously a lot of work to be done, people have to be forced into jobs. Work is a necessary activity, a job is a place where work may or may not be done under artificially miserable conditions (or what economists think are miserable conditions. Dentists get paid so well because everybody thinks it is a horrible job; meanwhile, I've known a fair few, and those who choose it enjoy it well enough! And yes, every office has a Dwight, but those people truly are outliers).

The person who says "no one wants to work anymore" or "without jobs no work will get done" and especially "without us the economy would tank" are lying through their teeth! Especially those people who say that about "tanking the economy". They're trying to artificially tank it right now! To make people stop doing work they deem necessary and start doing jobs that benefit only the corporations!

Work is necessary, and people will always want to work, and work for wages too. Jobs are designed to be prisons under the current conditions. They will only be opportunities if you can freely choose to leave them at any time, with no risk to your wellbeing.

[take-a-dip-in-the-deadpool]

If you are Canadian and you want a universal basic income… Canada has two bills that are close to passing right now… In both the Senate and the house I believe? It's really important that we let our representatives know that we want this.

On that note, I'm posting a link, put in your name postal code and it'll automatically fill out a form letter and send it to your proper representative as well as a handful of other important people like party leaders and such.

If you are not Canadian, I would appreciate it if you could re-blog this. Spread the word to as many people as possible.

[iplaywithstring]

This bill is going for its second reading. I honestly doubt it will pass, but it is important for the public to show support. MPs are elected to represent their constituents, let yours know that you support basic income.

[livable4all]

New book: Economic Offramp: How a Guaranteed Livable Income Can Get Us Off the Road to Destruction and Onto a Livable Future by C.A. Delle.

How a Guaranteed Livable Income (a.k.a. universal basic income ) can be a practical shift to a livable economy to help people and the environment. 

About The book

There are a seemingly endless number of books, articles, and documentaries addressing the array of challenges confronting humanity and our ecosystem. This book shows how a guaranteed livable income (aka universal basic income) is a practical economic solution that embraces and enhances individual freedom, health, democracy, skills, problem-solving, innovation, and the environment. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, speculative economic analysis, and research, Economic Offramp delves into the many potential impacts of implementing such an initiative. It explores how this concept could shape various dimensions of our world - from society and communities to families and individuals. C.A. Delle extends an open invitation to become part of a movement that has the potential to steer us away from the path of destruction and towards a livable future.

Info for purchase or free book options here: https://3pennypublishing.com/econonomic-offramp-book/

[thesapphireprincess]

💌 Hey guys!

So I moved back home this past December and it’s been a lot. I feel like I’m finally adjusting and ready to focus on myself and my life. A big part of this will be decentering men, dating apps and only meeting people in real life. Men ruin my peace because they always do something to disappoint you. Things were going really good with this guy and then he told me he didn’t think we had the right chemistry. Whatever that’s fine, we met on a dating app sir and only went on 2 dates. At least I didn’t give anything up or loose anything. It got me to thinking I’m not nearly as impressive enough than I outta be. Being real I can do better and accomplish more if I just broke these bad habits. Just a little bit of effort. That being said here are my goals. 🌠

- Focus on my education, knowledge and career. It’s Super important to have a proper productive role in society no matter what anyone says. College sets you up for a more successful future with guaranteed decent livable income. Depending on which field you pursue. Life will be easier and you can still work on other things that you want for your life. Having the opportunity and wasting it while living in a first world country is taking an L. Especially if you live in California where community college is basically free.

- Get some new hobbies and do them! For example I am a bridal stylist for work but I am interested in luxury bridal so why not learn all about the field and make content about it on my TikTok. Same with other fields.

- Get a new 9-5 to stack up my coin for the summer until college starts back but even then I can do college online. I also need to save up to move out in the future. Get a side hustle to make money.

- Focus on me and don’t fall off my path. Anyone who disturbs my peace can go happily.

- No more Netflix or Streaming services other than YouTube unless I’m in a sad/lonely mood and need comfort

- Drive to San Francisco 1-2x a week because it is a major city and there is a lot to do. It’s about 1 hour and 40 minutes. It’s far but it’s better than sitting in a small town doing nothing all day. Plus I have a car. If I leave the house at 11am I would get there around 1:30 and then have the rest of that day and make it home by 8/9. I can make friends in that area, it’s more opportunities, dating options in real life (no apps but the apps showed me what’s out there). I want to become rich for myself instead of relying on a man but when I do meet the right man obviously he has to meet what I’m looking for because I can do it for myself.

- Stop centering my world around men. I’m super male identified like all I think about is dating and all I talk about is dating and it’s super exhausting and probably pretty annoying. I don’t have intellectual conversations, I don’t read about current events and I can be very unproductive at times. Searching for men to date online and then obsessing over them and then getting disappointed or angry when they start acting different is too much. This is not how that’s supposed to work. I shouldn’t give my attention to just anyone. The right person will come around when they do and I will meet better dating options going out and living regular life, once I’ve learned how to not center them so that it doesn’t effect my emotions, happiness and world moving forward.

[eelhound]

"[Martin Luther] King does not mince words when he talks about capitalism:

We must honestly admit that capitalism has often left a gulf between superfluous wealth and abject poverty, has created conditions permitting necessities to be taken from the many to give luxuries to the few, and has encouraged small-hearted men to become cold and conscienceless so that, like Dives before Lazarus, they are unmoved by suffering, poverty-stricken humanity. The profit motive, when it is the sole basis of an economic system, encourages a cutthroat competition and selfish ambition that inspires men to be more I-centered than thou-centered.

Housing, for instance, 'is too important to be left to private enterprise with only minor government effort to shape policy. We need the equivalent of a Medicare for housing.' King calls for a universal basic income, and makes it clear that the level of the UBI should be high, not just barely enough to live on. King calls for an all-out effort to eliminate poverty from the Earth, saying that the presence of poverty in a time of abundance should be morally compared to 'the practice of cannibalism.' It is just as 'cruel and blind' for some to live in luxury while others have nothing as it was 'when men ate each other because they had not yet learned to take food from the soil or to consume the abundant animal life around them.' We need, he says, to 'civilize ourselves.' America, he said, was in dire need of being 'reborn,' not in the Evangelical Christian sense, but in the sense of having a massive shift in the moral values that governed the society. King argued that our lack of a living wage is a disgrace:

There is nothing to prevent us from paying adequate wages to schoolteachers, social workers and other servants of the public to insure that we have the best available personnel in these positions which are charged with the responsibility of guiding our future generations. There is nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American citizen whether he be a hospital worker, laundry worker, maid or day laborer. There is nothing except shortsightedness to prevent us from guaranteeing an annual minimum — and livable — income for every American family. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from remolding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood."

- Nathan J. Robinson, from "We Must Finish the Work of Martin Luther King Jr." Current Affairs, 16 January 2023.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

As the number of Canadians finding themselves unable to make ends meet grows, the calls for a basic income are intensifying. Currently, there are two bills, S-233 and C-223, whose passing could open the door to the creation of a livable basic income program for which any low-income Canadian can qualify. Like the Canada Child Benefit or Old Age Security, a livable basic income should be available to anyone whose earnings fall below the poverty line. No means testing. No questions asked. No shame nor stigma. “It’s just basic justice that people have enough money to survive” and to ensure “that people aren’t living in poverty in a wealthy country,” says Evelyn Forget, a professor of economics and community health sciences at the University of Manitoba. Instead, now, Canadians whose yearly gross income falls below the low-income cut-off — which ranges between $18,941 and $72,814 depending on location and household size — are consistently stripped of their agency, autonomy and dignity when they apply for income supports.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada @abpoli

[salubri-outcast]

Please. I pray to all the gods this passes. This would improve my fucking life so fucking much.

[enter-the-darkside]

Canada needs Freedom Income! Please sign the petition if you haven’t already!

[strawberrycamel]

hey Canadians

^ bill for creating a framework for a guaranteed livable basic income that is currently in its second reading in the House of Commons

^ form that automatically sends a pre-written email to your reps to say yes to this bill

highly suggest you check it out and email your reps!

links grabbed from here

UBI needs to happen. via antiwork

[thestoriesofimmigration]

Understanding Canada's Basic Income Bill: Bill S-233/C-223

In recent years, the concept of a Basic Income has gained attention as a potential solution to address poverty and inequality. Canada has been exploring the implementation of a Basic Income through Bill S-233/C-223, sparking discussions and debates nationwide.

What is Bill S-233/C-223?

Bill S-233/C-223 is a proposal for a basic income in Canada. Introduced as a bill in the Canadian Senate (S-233) and later mirrored in the House of Commons (C-223), its primary aim is to establish a national framework for a basic income. The bill outlines the principles and parameters for implementing a basic income program in Canada.

Understanding Basic Income

At its core, a basic income is a form of social security in which all citizens or residents of a country receive a regular, unconditional sum of money, regardless of their employment status. It is designed to provide financial support to ensure that everyone has enough to cover their basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing.

Key Features of Bill S-233/C-223

Unconditional Payments: The basic income proposed by the bill would be provided without imposing specific requirements or conditions. This means individuals would receive financial support regardless of their employment status or income level.

Reduction of Poverty: The primary goal of basic income is to alleviate poverty by ensuring that all Canadians have access to a minimum level of income.

Simplified Administration: The bill aims to streamline administrative processes to ensure efficient delivery of payments, minimizing bureaucracy and complexities.

Adaptability: The bill allows for adjustments and flexibility in the basic income amount to reflect changes in the cost of living and economic conditions.

Pilot Programs: The legislation proposes the initiation of pilot programs in various provinces or regions to assess the impact and feasibility of the basic income before nationwide implementation.

Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI)

On the other hand, Guaranteed Livable Income, as suggested in Bill S-233/C-223, is a similar concept but typically involves a more nuanced approach. GLI ensures that individuals or families have enough income to maintain a basic standard of living. Unlike UBI, GLI might consider the specific needs of different groups or individuals, potentially providing higher benefits to those in greater need.

Key Differences

Unconditionality: Both UBI and GLI offer payments without specific conditions, but GLI might take into account individual circumstances or needs, potentially adjusting the amount based on various factors such as family size or disabilities.

Targeted Support: While UBI is uniform for everyone, GLI may adapt to provide additional support to those who require more assistance.

Administrative Complexity: Implementing UBI might be simpler in terms of administration since it offers the same amount to all, whereas GLI might require more intricate systems to determine and distribute varying amounts.

Arguments for and Against UBI and GLI

UBI: Proponents of UBI argue that it simplifies the welfare system, reduces administrative costs, and provides an essential safety net for everyone. It also supports entrepreneurial endeavors, education, and overall societal well-being by ensuring basic financial security.

However, critics often raise concerns about the funding required for a UBI program, potential inflationary effects, and the impact on workforce participation if people opt for unemployment due to the safety net provided.

GLI: Advocates for Guaranteed Livable Income emphasize its tailored approach, ensuring that those in more challenging circumstances receive higher support, potentially reducing inequalities and providing more targeted assistance.

Critics might argue that the administration of Guaranteed Livable Income could become complex and challenging, potentially requiring extensive bureaucracy and assessment systems to determine varying payment levels.

The Future of Bill S-233/C-223

The proposal put forth in the Senate (S-233) and House (C-223) marks a significant stride towards the introduction of the Guaranteed Livable Income Bill in Canada. This ambitious plan aims to redefine social welfare by providing financial support to every individual within the country, ensuring a decent standard of living for all.

The bill's primary objective is to establish a framework that would orchestrate the distribution of funds to all adults over 17 years old. Embracing inclusivity, it encompasses temporary workers, permanent residents, refugee claimants, and other individuals across the nation.

On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Parliament engaged in discussions about the Universal Basic Income Bill, which is more accurately described as the Guaranteed Livable Basic Income Bill. This bill aspires to provide a secure income for all, transcending the limitations of UBI by emphasizing the significance of a dignified and decent standard of living for everyone.

Conclusion

The debate surrounding Bill S-233/C-223 reflects a broader conversation on the role of government in ensuring social and economic welfare. The idea of a basic income in Canada is an ambitious proposal with the potential to reshape the social safety net, but it requires thorough consideration, evaluation, and debate before any widespread implementation.

Whether or not Bill S-233/C-223 becomes law, the discussions it has sparked highlight the importance of finding innovative solutions to address poverty and inequality in Canada.

Please note that developments may have occurred since my last update, so I recommend checking the most recent sources for the latest information on Bill S-233/C-223.

[3penny]

Economic Offramp: How a Guaranteed Livable Income Can Get Us Off the Road to Destruction and Onto a Livable Future-- More information at 3pennypublishing.com/economic-offramp-book/

There are a seemingly endless number of books, articles, and documentaries addressing the array of challenges confronting humanity and our ecosystem. The Economic Offramp book shows how a guaranteed livable income (aka universal basic income) is a practical economic solution that embraces and enhances individual freedom, health, democracy, skills, problem-solving, innovation, and the environment. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, speculative economic analysis, and research, Economic Offramp delves into the many potential impacts of implementing such an initiative.

[stumped-on-bennington]

Just found this in my drafts from like 3 years ago lmaoo:

So a couple months ago it was theorized that business and corporations were getting tax breaks for posting that they were hiring and getting applications, so they would post that they were hiring but then never hire any of the people who would apply.

And right now most people on unemployment are getting an extra $300 a week through September.

So now what people on unemployment are getting an actual livable income guaranteed for a couple months no one is applying for jobs right now, in fact some people are leaving their jobs because unemployment pays way better.

So now if you applied a couple months back for a job and were turned away those same business are pulling your application back up and frantically trying to get you to reapply to hire you because all of their staff basically quit because they weren’t paying them well enough.

I average just under $400 a week from unemployment, way more than my job before the pandemic

Any way I still got more money a week ($600) on unemployment than I do work an essential job (lifeguard/ substitute teacher at around $450 a week) and this is why the economy is trash