The election has come and gone and we’re all breathing easier and looking forward to 2028. I think universal healthcare is finally in the cards and climate change investment will pick up again, benefitting the economy as well as the climate.
It is time to add universal basic income to the public conversation. I support UBI+ which compliments other investments we must make rather than substitutes for them. As I and many others have argued, automation - which now includes generative AI - means that wages will continue to stagnate in real terms, even if there are jobs. The best and simplest way for us to reduce income and wealth inequality, and for us all to share in the fruits of productivity, is through a modest income transfer that leaves the rich wealthy but that nearly doubles the income of the working poor.
Today’s short post is about two activities we are testing to help spread the word about UBI, and we need your help!
The first is a poll to find out what people think about universal basic income: do they know about it? What inclines them toward it? What concerns do they have? We will use the results to help us frame the case for UBI, possibly for different audiences. The poll is anonymous. You can fill it in here.
The second activity is a movie night! I attended the BIEN basic income conference in Toronto this August and was at the opening of a couple of really well done and emotionally engaging documentaries which followed the lives of households receiving a modest basic income supplement. This coming Thursday, November 12, we’ll be having a watch party for one of these documentaries, It’s Basic , which was produced by Mayors for a Basic Income. The virtual showing is at 7PM EST and will be preceded by a short intro and followed by an open discussion and Q&A. Please register here and we’ll send you the info you need to join. Here's the movie's trailer.
We’d really appreciate your taking these actions and it would be great if you could share this post and also maybe post this on other social media sites. Comments and shares always welcome!
See you Thursday!