So, now for part 2: How much money are we talking about?
For this, Dr. Milsted himself isn't so sure. He mentions $1000 per month. However, he also states that it would require cutting the budget to $0, and spending all of the money, which is not feasible (He says so himself).
However, when the income taxes are increased (To a flat rate), coupled with elimination of the entire welfare and social security system, I think $1000 a month is feasible, and possibly a bit low.
Right now, many on welfare get about $1500 in benefits per month. So, somewhere in the machinations of our system, we somehow afford $1500 a month in benefits. But, since it's $1500 per family, perhaps $1000 per person is doable. Maybe even a bit lower? $750 per person each month, would equal $1500 per family (Married). Or, with a tax paying child (Yep, they're there, summer jobs, part time, etc etc), the family gets more.
And, he makes an incredible point: With the current welfare system, there is a motivation to not improve your situation. You can stay on welfare, or take a minimum wage job making less. Who would do that? Many do, but it inflicts quite a bit of pain on the family. With Dr. Milsted's plan, you want to make more than the pre-bate? Get a job. You don't lose anything, you'll only gain.
According to the poverty guidelines, $1500 a month is far an above the poverty level in the US (Which is about $10,000/year for a single person). Maybe Dr. Milsted is on the money here: $1000 per month is ample to meet poverty level, and a married couple ($2000) a month is more than above the poverty level for a 2 person household. Getting married raises a couple out of poverty, and doesn't encourage women getting knocked up for a bigger check (It happens, not that I think it's very common, but it does happen).
What it wont help, is with the times where a couple does have a child, but not financially secure enough. It also, however, removes the huge burden of poverty from the system, and might actually allow private charity to pick up the remainder, without expecting either private charity or the government to bear the full load.
So, how much free money for everyone? Is $1000 enough? Too much? $1500? Comment here, and have your say :)
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