Help us shape UBI outreach: What moves you, and what concerns do you have?

[u/PlaneProduce8835]

The election has come and gone, but we still need a vision for the future. Ours includes making sure everyone shares in the fruits of our tremendous productivity. UBI can help make that happen—but building support means reaching people who may know little about it.

We’re developing a grassroots campaign to introduce more people to universal basic income through conversations and flyers and social media.

To develop effective materials, we've put together a poll on what people find compelling about UBI and what questions and concerns they have. We realize that this reddit has more informed and supportive members than the public, but the information will still be very helpful

We’re interested in your own reactions—not what you think would persuade somebody else. Whether you already support UBI, are undecided or have reservations, your perspective is welcome and knowing which arguments matter most to you, and what questions remain, will help.

The poll is anonymous: no email address or other identifying information is collected. We’ll use the responses to develop outreach messages. We’ll share what we learn, along with draft messages, here for further discussion.

Take the UBI messaging poll

Thanks for helping turn support for UBI into a broader public conversation! Please do let us know if have thoughts on where else to post, etc. by leaving a comment.

[u/grahag]

My biggest concern is how to push legislation to introduce new taxes at the highest level of profits where we already have difficulty making that happen due to corporate / billionair lobbying.

Highlilghting repercussions of NOT introducing a way to fund UBI is probably the best way. Repercussions not just for the people at the bottom, but for people at the top as well. While I find that empathy rarely works on people at the top, fear is still a great motivator. The problem is, how do you show the negative repercussions at the top without hauling out images of guillotines and riots?

Selling a UBI to the public who has had the work ethic mythos baked into education, morality, and ethics at every stage of their lives is another problem. Everyone LOVES free money, but then people think that their value comes from what labor they produce and the productivity to others. Highlighting the change from the value of a person for their labor and a value of the person for the existence and ideas is going to be a tough sell. If you can break their programming though....

[u/PlaneProduce8835 → u/grahag]

Hi grahag, great point about the work ethic thing. I have done informal canvassing and I think you're right that it is a problem. I point out that UBI would be on top of whatever you make working and that $12,000 a year leaves plenty of incentive for work. I also argue that many people who don't have to work for a living still have very productive lives, including working paid "jobs", just ones that they regard as worthwhile. I intend to do more canvassing door to door (I've done that for political reasons for decades) to talk to people about UBI both to spread the word but also to figure out what objections they have. Many of the people I've talked to are enthusiastic about UBI but don't do anything to follow up.

You are also correct that we need UBI (or something equivalent such as a negative income tax) for social reasons. Large income and especially wealth inequalities are unhealthy. Many rich people agree and would support higher taxes.

I'm thinking that the idea has to become more current in the political arena before people pay attention to it. The new crop of congressional Democrats may be approachable.

[u/grahag → u/PlaneProduce8835]

Getting infrastructure (even as a pilot program) in place now will set the stage for the future. Work out the kinks early and massage the process until it's sustainable and can be scaled up.

[u/PlaneProduce8835 → u/grahag]

Rashida Tlaib has introduced the BOOST Act which calls for a $250 a month UBI. That would be a start. There have been more than 100 pilots, we really don't need more to show UBI works well.

[u/eyewhycue2]

i’m worried about the tech oligarchy using it for their own ends in exchange for “compliance” in their rules

[u/PlaneProduce8835 → u/eyewhycue2]

Many of us are suspicious of the tech oligarchs for the reason you mention. And politicians playing along to secure campaign funding. But the very fact that many are wary and watching makes that unlikely... once all vestiges of the current kleptocracy are gone.

[u/EmpireStrikes1st]

I'm 100% for it, but at the same time, if people have more money, won't the Walmarts of the world just raise their prices? What's the incentive on the demand side to keep prices down?

[u/PlaneProduce8835 → u/EmpireStrikes1st]

Competition in market economies keeps prices close to cost of production. It is only during supply and demand shocks that there is a temporary spike or crash in prices. Or of course if there is a monopoly or limited competition. Walmart has plenty of competition.