Written by Michael Thervil
With all the job cuts, layoffs, and downsizing many businesses and employees are facing in America, it's safe to say that the vast number of Americans are living in uncertain times. In fact, times are so uncertain that there is an increase of various cities in America that are either trying or outright providing their residents what is known as Universal Basic Income. The people that live in these cities who met the prequalification's in order to be selected for the program are saying that the program is working wonders for them. In fact, it was reported that most people who are receiving their city’s version of the Universal Basic Income program are utilizing that money to pay their rent.
As everyone well knows, the mortgage rates in America are rising due to inflation and the cost of rent has been increasing so much that many people who work can barely afford to pay their rent. For some people it's even worse as they must work almost two and a half jobs to afford an apartment. Here in Houston Texas, where there are no rent control measures set in place and where the rental market wildly fluctuates from day to day, just around 47% of Houstonians who rent an apartment are one paycheck away from receiving an eviction notice on their door.
The American dream has turned into an American nightmare for most people who make less than $50,000 a year. This is due to not only because of “Dragflation” which has been affecting every aspect of their lives. This brings us to where many cities in America are right now, seeing the socio-economic benefits of adopting a Universal Basic Income program for their residents. From a hardliners perspective, they see it as nothing more than another system of public welfare that will drive people to a state of perpetual dependency. But they are severely overshadowed by people who see UBI as a point-blank necessity.
With all the job losses combined with the outdated wages many jobs are paying, it's easy to see why many people hold the perspective that many job wages are completely out of step with today’s living standards, something is needed to fill the economic gap people all over the country are facing. The proponents of the UBI programs are stating that it will help keep crime down, as well as keep people both food secure and with a roof over their heads. But even more than that, it’s a way to fight a social disease called “poverty”. When we spoke to one person about their cities version of the UBI program, they stated: “If employers need to constantly downsize or lay people off just to to maintain their bottom line, it's only fair that those employees be compensated for their job lose.” And that’s considered a fair statement.
However, life isn’t fair, and the reason we’re saying this is because not everyone seems to qualify – even if they have a history of financial struggle due to no fault of their own. To qualify UBI in Houston Texas, it was stated by the Houston Media Source that the participants had to be a part of “a random lottery process. Only about 50% of those households that applied met the criteria to be eligible for the program, including living 200% below the federal poverty line– that’s an annual income of about $40,000 for a family of four, according to the county.”
But living 200% under the poverty line or not, as more and more business around the United States close in combination with employer wages not keeping pace with inflation/Dragflation, it may be necessary for UBI to be distributed on a federal level to all cities within America to not only combat poverty, food insecurity, chronic homelessness, and stimulate the national economy, but to combat crime.
Comments