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ChainmailleAddict t1_j3clg0o wrote

Reply to comment by QwertySomething in I asked chatgpt to write a UN resolution in favor of universal basic income, and this is what it returned. by AnneBancroftsGhost

UBI could probably replace several existing programs like food stamps or even social security, at least partially. It's also the only way forward if our jobs continue to be automated.

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ButterflyCatastrophe t1_j3crag3 wrote

Most of the arguments I've seen for UBI replace ALL means-tested programs - Medicaid, EITC, Child tax credit, SNAP, etc - which come to around $800B. Some also propose it to replace non-means-tested programs - Social Security, Medicare - which add another $2,000B. $16,000 UBI for 250M adult Americans costs $4,000B/year, so it's kind of in the right ballpark, if you include SS/Medicare.

But this ignores that replacing current retiree benefits of ~$19,000 Social security plus $11,000 Medicare with just $16,000 UBI will be a huge burden on a very vulnerable population.

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