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RE: Freedom is what you have when no one is forcing their will on you...

in #freedom7 years ago

Successful private corporations lease land from the state of Alaska, they make a profit, and the money earned from those leases is put into a fund to give to people as a bonus each year. It's about 2K a year currently.

Let me repeat that first fact. It's a private corporation. You know what I mean. Those evil capitalists are making hand over fist in profits from a successful business! Clearly, we should use that as a model for government provided universal income, right? LOL

2K isn't even close to enough. The money is provided through a fund. That fund wouldn't work at the amounts needed to actually give universal income. You all know that though, and you would simple demand/force the corporation to pay more.

Guess what happens though? You end up with a situation like Venezuela.

Again, you guys don't understand basic economics. Nothing is free. Hell, oil prices fluctuate horribly anyway, so basing any payment system off that would not work. The fund Alaska uses:

"Our current portfolio includes global bond, stock and real estate investments, private equity, infrastructure, multi-asset funds and hedge funds," --Laura Achee

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/jp5wdb/only-state-free-money-alaska

Did you even research the concept before trying to use it as your primary argument for universal income? I suspect you did not. In case you still do not understand, let me break it down for you.

  1. Private corporations produce and bring oil to market from Alaskan land.
  2. They pay "rent" to the state for that access.
  3. Part (25% if I remember correctly) is used to put into the fund.
  4. The fund INVESTS in private markets to make more money (or lose in market collapses)
  5. People get tiny checks each year from that fund as long as it is profitable.

That model will not work for universal income, and everyone here knows it. Therefore, how would you propose to expand your plan to make it work? More "rent" charges to corporations perhaps? Maybe you'd raise the price of other corporate provided goods too?

Hell, let's raise the prices of all goods brought to market by 10%, and then use that 10% to pay the poor people. Sure, that'll work...