UBI Lesson #4: Give People Money, Chapters 6 and 7
Essay #3 Due 4-23-19
In the context of Annie Lowrey’s Give People Money, support, refute, or complicate the argument that Universal Basic Income is a necessary implementation for human rights, social order, and permanent unemployment.
For other sources:
Read Oren Cass’ “Why a Universal Basic Income Is a Terrible Idea” and write an essay that supports, defends, or complicates the author’s position that UBI will do more harm than good. For sources, I refer you to Universal Basic Income explained, UBI being used in other countries, UBI explained by Jordan Peterson as a life-purpose problem.
Option B (New Addition): Should Community College be Free?
Develop an argumentative thesis that addresses the claim that community college should be free.
"Free Cheese in the Mousetrap?"
Look at pros and cons from Forbes article.
3-21 Essay #2 due on turnitin. Homework #7: Read Give People Money, Chapters 1-3 and write a 3-paragraph essay that explains how the job market will change in ways that make a compelling case for Universal Basic Income. We will go over essay 3 options. Read Oren Cass’ “Why a Universal Basic Income Is a Terrible Idea” and write a 3-paragraph essay that explains the author’s position. You can also consult Nathan Heller's New Yorker essay "Who Really Stands to Win from Universal Basic Income?" See YouTube video explained; Wall Street Journal on YouTube; Yuval Noah Harari argues life without work will result in meaning of life crisis. Other sources:
Case for and against UBI in USA according to Vox
No Strings Attached in LARB, 2018
3-26 Homework #8: Read Give People Money, chapters 4 and 5, and write a 3-paragraph essay that explains how the kludgeocracy makes a compelling case for Universal Basic Income.
3-28 Homework #9: Read Give People Money, chapters 6 and 7, and write a 3-paragraph essay that explains how America’s racial injustice makes a compelling case for Universal Basic Income.
4-2 Homework #10: Read Give People Money, chapters 8 to end of the book, and in a 3-paragraph essay explain the practical, economic, and philosophical problems raised by trying to give everyone a Universal Basic Income.
4-4: Give People Money, chapter 8 to end of the book;
4-16 Develop an argumentative thesis that addresses the claim that community college should be free.
4-18 Peer Edit for Essay 3 and Portfolio Grading Part 1
4-23 Essay #3 Due.
UBI Sources & Ideas
UBI LifeHacker
New Yorker, 2018
UBI, Bloomberg
UBI, Dissent
UBI, New Republic
Videos
UBI Explained (10 minute video)
UBI Jordan Peterson (11 minutes)
Andrew Yang (18)
Sam Harris (8)
What countries have tried UBI? (8)
Next Homework #15: Read Garrett Hardin's "Lifeboat Ethics" and write a 3-paragraph essay that identifies 3 possible objections to his argument.
Study Questions Chapters 6 & 7
One. How does Lowrey argue that UBI may be superior to current welfare safety net?
We read that current safety net doesn’t catch many poor people who are left starving and destitute.
Part of the problem is a deeply rooted prejudice against the poor that says there is the deserving and the undeserving poor and this line is not clear.
She argues that the “safety net holes are not defects but design flaws but intentional features” (142).
Part of the “intentional feature” that punishes the poor are work requirements.
UBI Pro Argument: UBI is better than current welfare system, which includes work requirements.
Washington Post article addresses work requirements directly.
Economist article addresses how work requirements hurt poor children.
The Atlantic article also addresses the shortcomings of work requirements.
We see similar claim in this Washington Post article.
We see similar support of UBI in New Yorker synthesis of various UBI arguments.
Two. What is the racism problem in addressing America’s needs of the poor?
Lowrey observes that monoracial countries have healthy welfare safety nets but a multiracial country like America has hostility toward the poor class, largely people of color (161).
She cites evidence that racism collapsed attempts to deliver Universal Health Care (165).
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