Once again a guest post to get started.
July 19, 2015 at 4:43am
Almost as important is what a mentor at Pan Am called "Fuck You Money" that puts you in a position to as he put it "To do your job right." If you are dependent on your job for your day to day lifestyle, you can't afford to disagree meaningfully with your bosses to do what is right instead of what is expedient. UBI gives you the safety net along with your Fuck You Money you saved from your productive work to get the next job to use your skills properly.
The biggest reason I support UBI (Universal Basic Income) has nothing to do with our possible automated future, as labor becomes less essential, or at least as we need much less of it, though that's a great reason to support it. It's not even about eliminating poverty or making the unemployment rate a non-issue, though those are very good reasons too.
The reason I want a UBI is to make work at least -technically- optional. I want this because so long as work is not optional, so long as it is mandatory, it is coercive. I want UBI so that every low wage worker whose boss screws them on hours, who reprimands them for taking sick days, who asks them to work too fast in unsafe conditions (see the current fast-food lawsuit), every young employee whose boss secretly grabs their ass while no one is looking, who's constantly making lewd comments, or racist comments, or any other sort of hateful bullshit... So that every employee who finds themselves trapped in the fiefdom of some petty little tyrant of a boss, which is actually The Majority Of Low End Workers, so that they can say:
"TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT"
So that they can really, truly, meaningfully walk the fuck away. And not have it mean they end up on the streets or their kids starve or they find themselves turning tricks to keep the water running and the lights on. Or for that matter just ending up in yet another job with a slightly different petty tyrant. And they can do this, deal with this, without having to deal with lawyers or Union Reps, who though are better than -not- having them it'd be nicer to just be able to do it ourselves. Because if -enough- of them (us) say 'NO' to this petty fucking bullshit, then firms will be forced to stop letting the petty bullshit happen (those who fail to will simply not get workers), and work in general will end up less awful for everyone.
Because the ability to say 'NO' to someone who's actively abusing you... that should be pretty high on the list of 'Liberties' worth defending. In my mind.
The effect of UBI on workers willing to put up with unreasonable working conditions is probably why the establishment is trying to bury the concept despite its obvious advantages for all except the slave driver bosses.
UBI is "outside" money to low income people who spend locally for necessities provided by mainly other low income people. The bodega proprietor, (there would be food trucks on every corner) and other neighborhood business would thrive and economic benefits would trickle UP to landlords, food truck lessors, food truck builders, etc. They might even buy a solar food truck with a Powerwall 2 from Tesla if they are really successful.
Entry level jobs and indeed all jobs would be supplemental to UBI and under conventional income tax theory would be taxed progressively. The big difference would be that entry level jobs would be optional so wages and working conditions must be attractive enough that people would want to work. Most people would rather be productive, whether as an artisan, an entrepeneur, or as a service worker as long as they feel that they are being useful to their community but they won't do it without reasonable compensation with the UBI as a backup.
Creativity is a fundamental drive for humans once they get beyond subsistence. Cave people drew on the walls of the cave, ordinary pots and pans became works of art in ancient and indigenous cultures. The key to success for an artisan or an entrepreneur is being able to fail without consequences to one's family. A trust fund is the traditional back up for them, but that limits the pool of creative and risk taking to rich people. Imagine the creative surge if anyone with a dream could pursue it.
Similarly artisans and artists can pursue their muse without having to worry about the necessities of living, and the best of them will be rewarded for their talent. Those with lesser talent will at worst provide amusement for themselves and perhaps a few of their neighbors. I would expect that the piano will once again be feature of most homes and impromptu chamber groups will provide amusement for many. Again a sorting will occur and the best chamber groups will find paid performance venues to supplement their UBI. If the work is saleable they get extra income to support the local economy and the Government. If not they can try harder or learn to do something else.
Unpaid volunteer workers could choose to be idle but work anyway. Also most people I know in the class of comfortable retired people are still working hard at something paid or otherwise. Why would that not become a way of life for those with no saleable skills? Some people living on UBI might need TLC, companionship, shopping, and other services not covered by UBI that neighbors not forced to work long hours could easily supply. Note the win-win here, volunteer caregivers might well need some of that TLC and companionship as well.
The UBI will solve the problem of automation moving the rewards of productivity to the owners of the production lines. A few mass produced items will survive in the UBI economy but most of the economy will be based on the exchange in custom made items and home produced food. Productivity will no longer be a driving force for specialty food items, although the basics like flour and soy products and cultured meat will probably still be produced in automated factory establishments, the tacos and pizzas will be made and sold by the neighbors as well as more elaborate meals. When a food entrepreneur does not need to survive on herm gross income, hesh* can spend the time to provide a special meal service that herm neighbors will pay for, and the best will make a nice (taxable) supplemental wage for their efforts.
The few couch potatoes living off the stipend are probably just as well off the streets and not making trouble to survive. They still are consumers. They eat, buy couches, TVs, and pay rent. If we make the "idle" comfortable enough to live a decent, if not easy, life what they do with their life is of no consequence to society.
Those who want to work will have plenty of opportunities under UBI. There are many jobs that require human input. But a job, which is working for someone else will be only one option, and an option at that. Employers will have to compete on working conditions as well as pay to attract those who wish to work. If a restaurant owner or retailer needs people, hesh will have to make the job more attractive than opening a lunchroom or storefront shop.
Job availability will exceed demand, given the "Be your own boss" drive most people have. If a tradesperson with a truck can supplement UBI working for herm* neighbors the job premium would have to be very attractive to drag herm across town instead.
Implementing UBI could be very simple. Social Security for all adults! The basic social security benefit would cover basic needs for a family split between two adults. All income over the basic social security benefit (UBI) would be subject to a social security tax with no cap as well as a progressive income tax for government services. Retirees paid as currently, based on social security income tax paid on income over UBI. Grandfathers grandfathered in at current rate. Work optional until dead but all income over UBI benefit is taxed. Merge Federal SSA, state welfare, and unemployment, and let employees sort themselves out.
J'C 11/23/2017
*Hesh, herm: Gender inclusive pronouns, https://jcarlinbl.blogspot.com/2016/04/gender-inclusive-pronouns.html
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