Let's take an honest look.

[NATI BENGALS]

(06-14-2024, 08:02 AM)Synric Wrote: UBI sounds like an amazing idea until you realize the cost. Just giving the 300+ billion Americans 10k a year would cost roughly 4 trillion. I would rather see the Government force manufacturing jobs back into the US which was the backbone of the Middle class. The jobs don't exist anymore so neither does the middle class.

I think that's what we are trying to do right now.


Hopefully we can avoid the Foxconn's and the Solyndras.
https://wisconsinindependent.com/economy/trump-promise-manufacturing-miracle-failed-foxconn/
https://apnews.com/united-states-government-30189ac3d2eb4daf926f2575cf6d0874

The last guy didn't do us any favors.
https://www.epi.org/press/trumps-trade-policies-have-cost-thousands-of-u-s-manufacturing-jobs-action-is-urgently-needed-to-rebuild-the-manufacturing-sector-after-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
“The Trump administration has taken credit for ‘reshoring’ manufacturing jobs, but the data show that isn’t true. Nearly 1,800 factories have disappeared under Trump between 2016 and 2018,” said Scott. “Additionally, the U.S. trade deficit in manufactured goods rose significantly between 2016 and 2019. In fact, the real U.S. trade deficit has increased in every year since 2016, reducing GDP growth by roughly 0.25% annually over the past three years. Compounded with the devastation left by the coronavirus pandemic, the blue collar manufacturing workers need serious help from policymakers.”

[*Synric*]

(06-14-2024, 09:22 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I think that's what we are trying to do right now.


Hopefully we can avoid the Foxconn's and the Solyndras.
https://wisconsinindependent.com/economy/trump-promise-manufacturing-miracle-failed-foxconn/
https://apnews.com/united-states-government-30189ac3d2eb4daf926f2575cf6d0874

The last guy didn't do us any favors.
https://www.epi.org/press/trumps-trade-policies-have-cost-thousands-of-u-s-manufacturing-jobs-action-is-urgently-needed-to-rebuild-the-manufacturing-sector-after-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
“The Trump administration has taken credit for ‘reshoring’ manufacturing jobs, but the data show that isn’t true. Nearly 1,800 factories have disappeared under Trump between 2016 and 2018,” said Scott. “Additionally, the U.S. trade deficit in manufactured goods rose significantly between 2016 and 2019. In fact, the real U.S. trade deficit has increased in every year since 2016, reducing GDP growth by roughly 0.25% annually over the past three years. Compounded with the devastation left by the coronavirus pandemic, the blue collar manufacturing workers need serious help from policymakers.”

In February the US Gov had a big chance to bring back American steel production but the USITC voted 4-0 (3 Dems, 1 Rep) against raising tariffs on foreign tinplate (against the recommendations of the US Dept of Commerce). The USITC said he would not affect American Jobs which turned out to be false because the next day Cleveland-Cliffs closes its tin production plant in Weirton, WV. Only a month after this took place we start hearing Democrats including Biden about raising steel tariffs lol. It's all BS.

[Dill]

(06-14-2024, 08:02 AM)Synric Wrote: UBI sounds like an amazing idea until you realize the cost. Just giving the 300+ billion Americans 10k a year would cost roughly 4 trillion. I would rather see the Government force manufacturing jobs back into the US which was the backbone of the Middle class. The jobs don't exist anymore so neither does the middle class.

How would that be possible? 

I can see how diplomacy and pro-union trade organizations (as the TPP was to be) might help to raise costs elsewhere, possibly bringing back a fraction
of what has been offshored or outsourced. 

But I don't see how manufacturing jobs could be "forced" back, especially by a US government still essentially liberal (in the economic sense). 

[Dill]

(06-12-2024, 09:32 AM)CJD Wrote: The real minimum wage meaning slavery?

I don't think it can be slavery.

A slave owner has to feed and shelter his slave, and sometimes provide medical care to keep his investment alive.
(Many places in the South, slaves could offset some of the master's expenses by growing their own vegetables.)

With the rise of manufacturing and the dominance of wage labor by the 19th century, it's not clear that slavery was cheaper
than wage labor, which entailed no further responsibilities for an employer than to meet payroll. At least in urban areas
and for manufacturing. 

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(06-14-2024, 07:27 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Take a wild guess which party is looking to kill that idea you like.?


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-17/south-dakota-texas-block-local-universal-basic-income-laws

I think it will be a necessity with AI and automation becoming more prevalent.

There are detractors as well as proponents on each side.

It will be difficult to work out all of the kinks, such as where the money comes from, are there standards to adhere to, how much to give each person/family, are there tiers?



Complicated issue for another thread.