Author: automata

We, as a nation, are all in this together

We, as a nation, are all in this together

We are a nation adrift. Even before the pandemic and George Floyd’s death, the United States was piling on problems with little sense that we had either the leadership or the political will to address them. The coronavirus and Black Lives Matter protests have amplified those challenges, throwing older ones into stark relief and adding new ones.

I am as convinced as ever that this country has the strength and ingenuity to find its way out. I don’t know about you, but I see rising out of the multiple crises besetting us a bedrock recognition that there is much work […]

Could selling a vacation property affect government pensions?

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Q. I was wondering what would happen if I sold my mobile home this year for $100,000. Currently, I receive Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits totalling about $1,800 a month. Would the sale affect my pensions? –Colleen

A. When you sell what is known as “capital property,” you may have a taxable capital gain or loss, Colleen. Capital property includes real estate assets like a rental property, cottage or trailer. It can also include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or other investments held in […]

Andrew Yang joins Document to discuss political polarization, universal basic income, and America’s future

Andrew Yang joins Document to discuss political polarization, universal basic income, and America’s future

The former presidential hopeful on lessons learned from the campaign trail

The 2020 Democratic primary exhibited a roster of presidential hopefuls, most of whom, in any other year, would thrill Democratic voters: Stalwart senators, emerging leaders of color, and even socialists. One candidate, however, stood out as a most unlikely contender. His name is Andrew Yang. He is an Asian American entrepreneur with deep ties to Silicon Valley. Even more unlikely than his very existence in the political space, Yang made improbable inroads energizing rural, white voters. He was, before he dropped out in February, the Democratic candidate boasting the […]

The UN proposes a temporary basic income to stop the pandemic

The UN proposes a temporary basic income to stop the pandemic

Hundreds of millions of people face the dilemma every day of confining themselves to avoid catching the new coronavirus and slowing the advance of the pandemic or going to work to survive and eat. The majority, poor in poor countries, informal workers who live from day to day and do not have a support network if their income disappears, choose the latter. Thus, it is impossible to bend the contagion curve, as has been achieved in advanced economies by confining the population, and SARS-CoV2 continues its unstoppable expansion. It is the conclusion of a study by the United Nations […]

Would basic income be better than additional unemployment benefits?

Would basic income be better than additional unemployment benefits?

Americans are eagerly awaiting the next coronavirus relief package to replace unemployment benefits that expired in July. Democrats have made extending the $600-per-week federal unemployment benefits a top priority , while the Trump administration has favored payroll tax cuts . Both parties are also considering direct payments similar to the $1,200-per-adult Recovery Rebates from the CARES Act.

Debate around these policies has centered on work incentives and income stability, especially with respect to Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), the program that adds $600 per week to unemployment benefits. Republicans have worried that FPUC discourages work and hampers the economy, while […]

Report: Job Growth In Next Decade Predicted Slower Than Great Recession

Report: Job Growth In Next Decade Predicted Slower Than Great Recession

U.S. employment is projected to increase by 6 million jobs over the decade from 2019 through 2029.

But the annual growth rate is slower than during the economy’s recovery from the Great Recession, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In a report issued Tuesday (Sept. 1), the BLS projected employment will grow from 163 million to 169 million over the decade.This reflects an annual growth rate of 0.4 percent. That’s less than the 2009-19 annual growth rate of 1.3 percent, bolstered by the recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-09.The labor force participation rate, the number of working-age Americans […]

Why COVID-19 Demonstrates Our Need for a Basic Income

Why COVID-19 Demonstrates Our Need for a Basic Income

What if we changed the paradigm and system to help those most in need beyond this global emergency?

By: Sam Dent —

Canadian society is in a time of mutual understanding and of shared urgency as we are suffering from the effects of COVID-19 and as the number of cases of COVID-19 and deaths continue to rise globally.Amidst the hardship there is a shared appreciation for workers who are essential to our survival; health workers, grocery store workers, emergency services, people working in our food supply chains, and so many others. There is a shared understanding of the urgency of […]

What might a Universal Basic Income in the U.S. look like?

What might a Universal Basic Income in the U.S. look like?

AP Economics Essay

Justin Hill

AP Economics10/25/19 Universal Basic Income Implementing a Universal Basic Income (UBI), a policy that pays citizens a set amount of money each year as a buffer for the cost of living and a means meeting welfare needs, is a persisting topic of debate in the United States, made particularly relevant by the approaching 2020 presidential election. As does any economic policy, a UBI poses benefits and drawbacks that must be considered before becoming a reality. Although there are significant logistical obstacles to implementing a UBI, those obstacles are outweighed by the policy’s foreseeable positive social […]

St. Paul Joins Call for Guaranteed Income for Struggling Residents

St. Paul Joins Call for Guaranteed Income for Struggling Residents

This summer, a coalition of U.S. mayors joined forces to win support for the idea of providing guaranteed income for struggling Americans. St. Paul’s mayor is part of the group calling for these direct payments that would come with no strings attached.

Nearly a dozen mayors from across the country, including St. Paul’s Melvin Carter, have pledged to seek such efforts , saying the pandemic crisis has only widened the gap for certain people and their ability to survive. Carter said gainful employment will be harder to come by as the nation tries to overcome the crisis, making it difficult […]

Programme for Government: The key points from Nicola Sturgeon’s speech

Programme for Government: The key points from Nicola Sturgeon's speech

Nicola Sturgeon said Covid-19 could accelerate Scotland’s ambitions FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.

Sturgeon said the suppression of Covid-19 would be the priority, adding that a resurgence of the virus would hit the economy hard.

Sturgeon said that the Covid-19 pandemic could act as "an accelerant" for the ambitions of Scotland.Here’s some of the key issues the First Minister discussed: – Independence Unveiling the Programme for Government, the First Minister said that a similar announcement in an independent Scotland would outline plans for an extension to the furlough scheme, more money in borrowing, a […]