[quote=FlyerInHi] . . . BG, I understand that some consumers would make bad choices… too bad. UBI would be better, and maybe cost less than the vast welfare bureaucracies we have today.[/quote]UBI will most certainly disincentivize real employment among the able-bodied masses. Even though individuals could earn more income up to a certain level and still receive UBI, I believe there is a HUGE portion of the population who will just figure out how to make their $10K stretch so they will never have to get a job. They’ll live on futons with 6 or more adults to a household (ALL with UBI) in expensive cities. They’ll take public transport and ride bicycles thereby not having to own a vehicle. They’ll share bulk food among the entire household. They’ll try to use less utilities and not use water outside.
We would all be looking at a ton of run down properties with dry yards which no landlord in expensive counties (like SD) would want to maintain (due to being forced to rent to multiple unrelated people … all with their own UBI payment). There would be a lot more rental homes (and maybe even for-sale homes) on the market as well, due to doubling and tripling of family member/friend roommates so that no one in the household would need to hold down a real job. Subsequently, RE values would go down.
In short, I believe a HUGE amount of the US population (50-60% ?) would just choose UBI over work or just work a tiny bit to supplement it (perhaps earning up to an additional $10K yr, excluding any “under the table” income, of course). Employers will go wanting for employees (especially in lower-paid service sector jobs) and few of working age will be interested in taking them. Especially in places like SD County with great weather and beaches. Throw “legal weed” into the equation and the mantra of the masses will be, “Why bother to stress ourselves? We have everything we want and need.” We can just collectively invest our “excess UBI” in fans, fertilizer and grow-lights and make more money selling our homegrown weed and enjoy life :=0
