Are the Swiss smarter than Americans??

[Lowe0]

Well, maybe you can be on one of those death panels. If yer gonna do socialism, yer gonna need significantly more givers than takers. And if you want to reduce population, yer gonna need to kill off the retirees. Or, I guess we could continue with unsustainable debt until we can't make the payments. Yay other people's money!

Maybe. Death panels actually already exist; we call them insurance companies. Anyone telling you that we can take finite resources and use them on an ever-expanding population without some kind of rationing is lying to you.

But until then, I don't see the point in actively making things worse in the meantime. And having a kid certainly fits my description of making things worse. I don't begrudge everyone else their right to make that choice, but I want no part of it.

 

[mrjarrell]

To get this back on track...the Universal Basic Income is an old idea. No less a personage than Thomas Paine suggested it when he was alive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrarian_Justice

Milton Friedman also suggested it back in the 60's, for a variety of reasons. He termed it a negative income tax, but it's still the same. A guaranteed basic income.

https://medium.com/basic-income/why...teed-income-5-reasons-da6e628f6070#.xx9xef5bm

It would certainly serve to reduce the hodgepodge of welfare programs in the country and would, by necessity, encourage budgeting and responsibility in those that chose to exist solely on that base income. Those who work would also be better off, as they would have added income and a number of economic burdens could be lifted off of their employers. Funding is the only issue that I have considerations about. That's what tanked the Swiss referendum. It was proposed but they had no funding mechanism proposed and had left that up in the air. As automation takes over in our manufacturing sectors, this idea will certainly be gaining traction, as more and more people find themselves replaced by robots.

 

[jamil]

Maybe. Death panels actually already exist; we call them insurance companies. Anyone telling you that we can take finite resources and use them on an ever-expanding population without some kind of rationing is lying to you.

But until then, I don't see the point in actively making things worse in the meantime. And having a kid certainly fits my description of making things worse. I don't begrudge everyone else their right to make that choice, but I want no part of it.

Yeah. Death panels exist. I've seen them in action. It was called the United States Department of Veteran's Affairs. And as for insurance companies. Well, if it weren't for government intervention and their crony relationship with insurance companies, health care could be affordable enough for most needs. As it is now, consumers have no say at all. You can't price shop for a colonoscopy. Our health care system is designed to extract the most money from the public as possible.

 

[jamil]

To get this back on track...the Universal Basic Income is an old idea. No less a personage than Thomas Paine suggested it when he was alive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrarian_Justice

Milton Friedman also suggested it back in the 60's, for a variety of reasons. He termed it a negative income tax, but it's still the same. A guaranteed basic income.

https://medium.com/basic-income/why...teed-income-5-reasons-da6e628f6070#.xx9xef5bm

It would certainly serve to reduce the hodgepodge of welfare programs in the country and would, by necessity, encourage budgeting and responsibility in those that chose to exist solely on that base income. Those who work would also be better off, as they would have added income and a number of economic burdens could be lifted off of their employers. Funding is the only issue that I have considerations about. That's what tanked the Swiss referendum. It was proposed but they had no funding mechanism proposed and had left that up in the air. As automation takes over in our manufacturing sectors, this idea will certainly be gaining traction, as more and more people find themselves replaced by robots.

Wow, MR J. You're feeling rather distributey today, aren't you?

Not just NO, but HELL NO!

 

[KellyinAvon]

No

 

[mrjarrell]

Not just NO, but HELL NO!

I can understand the reticence, but what is your reason? In a single stroke we would do away with Social Security, state and federal welfare programs, food stamps, WIC, and many other "entitlements". We could also see the end of medicare/aid, and Obamacare. The student loan debacle would become a thing of the past, as 18 year old's would have something to pay their way.

As I said, the funding mechanism is the hold back for me. By necessity it would be the taxpayers, corporations and such funding it, but at what levels would be my concern. Not sure anyone's really worked those numbers, yet.

 

[BugI02]

More magic in here than Hogwarts has

View attachment 47702

 

[rob63]

More magic in here than Hogwarts has

IDK, you may well have explained his popularity with the Harry Potter generation.

 

[IndyDave1776]

IDK, you may well have explained his popularity with the Harry Potter generation.

I think you're on to something!

 

[patience0830]

The first rule of hoped: if you find yourself in one, stop digging. I don't see how the solution to our unsustainable population is for me to pop out another parasite.

The problem with your logic is, the stupid breed like rabbits. Intelligent folk who think like you remove the intelligent threads from the fabric of society. I say if your IQ IS over 130 you should have at LEAST 6 kids.