Category: Basic Income

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar Introduces ‘Guaranteed Income’ Bill

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar Introduces ‘Guaranteed Income’ Bill

Amid the ongoing feud between progressive Democrats and their more moderate counterparts over a $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill and legislation to abolish the filibuster, one progressive House Democrat is forging ahead.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) Friday introduced a bill that would pilot universal basic income programs, which she calls “guaranteed income,” in certain geographic areas, before taking the program national within the next seven years.

The SUPPORT Act allocates $2.5 billion for a program that would give $1200 per month to most Americans in “hundreds of communities” across the country between 2023 and 2027. After that, the program would be implemented […]

Why I support UBI but fear a pilot scheme that’s not carefully thought through

Why I support UBI but fear a pilot scheme that’s not carefully thought through

Dr. John Ball. Picture by Mark Mansfield Dr John Ball is a former lecturer in economics at Swansea University.

It seems that the Welsh Government’s commitment to a Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot scheme has been exercising the media and encouraged the shadow Minister of Finance to misrepresent, indeed disparage the idea. Any experiment, for this is what the pilot will be, must be carefully constructed so that its outcome is measured and useful policy ideas result. This may not be the case.

The philosophy and practice of UBI is clear. It is a universal payment available unconditionally to all. […]

Ilhan Omar’s New Guaranteed Income Bill Would Send $1,200 Monthly To Most Americans

Ilhan Omar’s New Guaranteed Income Bill Would Send $1,200 Monthly To Most Americans

Can confirm, the sentiment I hear (from friends, family, and plenty of people I’ve talked to while working retail) more often than any other point, when talking specifically about some form of basic income, is that if these people were financially well off without the additional help, they would not support it if they weren’t included in the payments.

This makes sense, as people are naturally self-interested, but I think it’s still worth pointing out because so many people get confused about why it must be truly universal. It’s not about whether everyone needs it, or if some might get […]

Omar Unveils Guaranteed Income Bill to Send American Adults $1,200 a Month

Omar Unveils Guaranteed Income Bill to Send American Adults $1,200 a Month

Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks during a press conference at a memorial for Daunte Wright on April 20, 2021, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) plans to introduce a bill that would create a guaranteed income program that would send $1,200 a month to most Americans. The bill, she argues, could be a major step toward ending poverty in the U.S.

The SUPPORT Act would send $1,200 a month to U.S. adults making up to $75,000 a year, or a head of household making up to $112,500 a year, with supplemental income for children, according to HuffPost . The […]

Usa needs this: Omar Unveils Guaranteed Income Bill to Send American Adults $1,200 a Month

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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) plans to introduce a bill that would create a guaranteed income program that would send $1,200 a month to most Americans. The bill, she argues, could be a major step toward ending poverty in the U.S.The SUPPORT Act would send $1,200 a month to U.S. adults making up to $75,000 a year, or a head of household making up to $112,500 a year, with supplemental income for children, according to HuffPost . The bill would phase out payments at higher income brackets.The bill strives to include groups that are traditionally left out of government aid […]

Basic income grant: weighing up the pros and cons

Basic income grant: weighing up the pros and cons

Calls for government to introduce a basic income grant have become louder following the recent spate of riots and looting that afflicted the Gauteng and KZN provinces. According to Riaan Salie of African Liberty, this has prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to respond to the pleas, suggesting that the ANC is indeed considering it. With nearly half the population living below the poverty line, a basic income grant would drastically reduce poverty in South Africa – but as Ivo Vegter explains, it’s not as simple as that. – Jarryd Neves The pros and cons of basic income

By Ivo Vegter* […]

The politics of a basic income

The politics of a basic income

28 July 2021: South Africa’s most impoverished people were in an even more desperate situation when the government discontinued its Covid-19 relief grant, which is said to be one of the triggers of the riots in mid-July. South Africa will not be the same after the campaign of sabotage allegedly organised by Jacob Zuma’s supporters in and around the ANC, and the massive riots that emerged in the disorder. As expected, the state’s initial response is taking the form of increased spending on both security and welfare. R950 million has been allocated to the police and the army, and […]

R1 out of every R5 raised in taxes is being used to service South Africa’s debt

R1 out of every R5 raised in taxes is being used to service South Africa’s debt

While the government has committed to providing financial help to South Africans impacted by the social unrest and Covid-19 lockdowns, Treasury has also made it clear that the country’s fiscus is not in great financial shape.

In a media briefing this week, finance minister Tito Mboweni said it is vitally important that the country reflects on its fiscal challenges and how to address them.

“South Africa’s fiscal situation remains serious and should not be conflated with the capacity of advanced economies, as some commentators mistakenly do,” he said.“Government finances remain at substantial risk, including due to the debt burden of over […]

Lack of flexibility with telematics data charges during lockdown, says Aeris

Lack of flexibility with telematics data charges during lockdown, says Aeris

More than three-quarters (77%) of fleet operators reported a lack of flexibility and understanding of managing data costs incurred by their telematics provider, even when their fleets were side-lined due to the first Covid-19 lockdown.

That’s according to a survey of fleet operators from technology company Aeris, which says for fleets using a telematics service, managing costs is vital, particularly in these uncertain times when vehicles can spend long periods of time stationery due to restrictions on travel.

Aeris reports the main impact was around the insurance Pay-As-You-Go/UBI or the Universal Basic Income fleet segment, whereby cars were parked, and not […]

Ilhan Omar’s New Guaranteed Income Bill Would Send $1,200 Monthly To Most Americans

Ilhan Omar’s New Guaranteed Income Bill Would Send $1,200 Monthly To Most Americans

Ilhan Omar’s New Guaranteed Income Bill Would Send $1,200 Monthly To Most Americans – Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is set to introduce bold legislation on Friday that would create a guaranteed income program in the U.S. to send $1,200 a month directly to most Americans.

The SUPPORT Act — co-sponsored by progressive lawmakers Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Dwight Evans (D-Penn.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) — would first create a $2.5 billion grant program to fund local pilots in guaranteed income. These would run in hundreds of communities across the country from 2023 to 2027 and provide findings […]