/jp/ - 2D/Random

It's assumed that to fund basic income it would mean scrapping a large amount of welfare programs. Far less military spending, and taxing mega-corps/ultra-rich more.

I've done my own math, to send $500 a month to 250 million people (rough adult population of America), it would cost 1.5 trillion a year.

Let's assume it's not true universal basic income, so social security beneficiaries, people on disability, the rich, prisoners, and other potential exceptions won't get it (or only receive it up to the point of being equal to theoretical basic income).

That's about ~90 million people less

So sending $500 to 160 million people every month only costs $960 billion a year.

$500 isn't enough to stop people from working but it means a world of difference to most Americans (who live paycheck to paycheck), and I think this wouldn't need to increase inflation or instability, if anything it might make the economy better by consumers having this extra money, and the greatly lessened criminal/health costs because of it.