1C Agenda 4-4-19: UBI Lesson #5: Give People Money, Chapters 8-end

UBI Lesson #5: Give People Money, Chapters 8-end

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:

Maslow Argument for UBI

Case for and against UBI in USA according to Vox

No Strings Attached in LARB, 2018

The Hill, 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)

Jordan Peterson, Part 2 (16)

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 Chapter 8 to the End

One. What is the Uncompensated Work Argument?

Care workers, who don’t get paid through parenting or other types of care, account for 15-65% of GDP.

Two. What is the Class Division Argument?

In Chapter 9, Lowrey makes the claim that class divisions and our divisive country could find the tensions lessening with UBI. Could UBI reduce the momentum of neo fascist populists?

Is Lowrey making too much of a panacea of UBI?

Three. How could UBI instill racism?

On page 216, we see that UBI would be designed for Americans, and Americans would be hostile to seeing immigrants come to America to collect UBI.

We also read that UBI could develop a two-tiered labor market with lower pay for immigrants who would not have UBI for bargaining leverage as the rest of American population.

Universal Basic Income: For and Against by Robert Murphy and Dominic Frisby

Review Supports or “For” Arguments for UBI

One. UBI is better than welfare because UBI avoids the Cliff Effect in which people get trapped in cycle of poverty because welfare benefits add up to more than a job promotion or full-time job. Within ten years, we may lose one-third of the workforce.

Two. UBI would give employees more leverage to avoid hellish jobs and hellish bosses.

Three. Volunteer workers could now be compensated and be free to do their volunteer work.

Four. UBI would simplify welfare benefit labyrinth. By eliminating welfare, we can save about a trillion dollars, according to Ryan Rogers, author of The Citizens’ Dividend: A Case for Universal Basic Income (87).

Five. UBI would take a chunk out of poverty-induced stress, which is considered a huge health hazard.

Six. UBI would help people pursue higher education.

Seven. UBI would give people time and resources to pursue entrepreneurship, going into self-made business.

Eight. UBI would be necessary for future with permanent unemployment due to AI and technological advances. Engineers are developing software that will replace workers.

Nine. UBI would reduce or outright eliminate the stigma of those who get aid as “parasites.”

Ten. UBI is a moral response to people who have fallen through the welfare net’s holes and are suffering from starvation and destitution. According to United Nations, out of 10 developed countries America ranks last in creating a viable safety net for the poor. In any affluent society, many argue, abolishing poverty is a moral obligation and UBI is a necessary step in that direction.

Eleven. The tech economy is created a stratified economic world with 15-20% of Americans enjoying comfortable income while the rest slog in penury, according to Tyler Cowen of George Mason University. In the new economy, there can be economic growth while 80% of Americans suffer decline in real wages.

Cons

One. Those who are doing “necessary” work will subsidize people who are doing “optional” work and living more casual, laid-back lifestyles. You’re working in a coal mine and your tax dollars are going to a guy who is training to be a yoga instructor. How does that feel?

Two. Millions of people will make decent money and won’t need Universal Basic Income, a waste of tax dollars.

Three. Many will find UBI is a work disincentive. As a result, work productivity will go down creating less goods and services, resulting in inflation.

Four. UBI may encourage people to a life of the hammock, entertainment addiction, laziness, and spiritual emptiness. But according to Ryan Rogers, the opposite is true. Studies show people work more and have less children (89).

Five. UBI doesn’t target specific poverty and health needs the way the current welfare does and in fact UBI will result in less aid to the poor.

Six. UBI cannot address the complexities of immigration; in fact, UBI may cause more anti-immigration sentiment.

Seven. No one has a clear explanation of how society will pay for UBI.

Eight. UBI is the precursor to communism.

Vox Counterarguments Against Two Main Objections to UBI

Excellent article: Critique of UBI: “A Universal Basic Income Is a Poor Tool to Fight Poverty” by Eduardo Porter in The New York Times.

Liberal leaning Huffpost critiques UBI in “Don’t Buy the Hype.”

Argument that says Universal Basic Assets program is superior to UBI.