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A sign warns residents to take steps to contol the coronavirus outbreak at the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn on March 19, 2020 in New York City. (Photo: Victor J. Blue/Getty Images)
A majority of Americans--including over half of Republican respondents--support a monthly $2,000 universal basic income check to help defray the effects of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak on the U.S. economy, according to new polling from Data for Progress and the Justice Collaborative Institute.
A wealth tax proved most popular among all respondents in a follow-up question presenting options for paying for the universal basic income (UBI) policy.
"UBI and taxing the rich: two ideas whose time has come," tweeted historian Rutger Bregman.
According to The Appeal reporting on the results:
Our polling found that 68% of the public prefers receiving a pre-loaded debit card to a deduction on next year's income tax. This includes a majority of both Democrats (73%) and Republicans (65%).
[...]
Imposing a wealth tax (42%) was supported the most from the public, followed by adding to the deficit (35%) and then by using new currency (24%). Republicans preferred adding the deficit the most (42%) and Democrats preferred the wealth tax the most (50%).
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who has been at the forefront of efforts to provide UBI to everyone in the U.S. during the pandemic, said on Twitter that the polling reflects a changing national mood on the benefit.
"A majority of Americans know what I've been saying from the start of this: one-time payments to a portion of the population simply aren't enough to get us through this crisis," tweeted Tlaib.
Tlaib introduced with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) the Automatic BOOST to Communities (ABC) Act on Thursday.
The bill would provide "a $2,000 payment using BOOST debit cards to every person in America as critical relief during the COVID-19 crisis, followed by $1,000 recurring monthly payments for one year after the end of the crisis to help our country and families recover."
"The ABC Act provides immediate relief to those in need--regardless of their immigration status--and ensures that relief lasts the duration of the pandemic," Jayapal said in a statement. "We're in an unprecedented public health and economic crisis and the American people desperately need Congress to take this bold action."
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
A majority of Americans--including over half of Republican respondents--support a monthly $2,000 universal basic income check to help defray the effects of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak on the U.S. economy, according to new polling from Data for Progress and the Justice Collaborative Institute.
A wealth tax proved most popular among all respondents in a follow-up question presenting options for paying for the universal basic income (UBI) policy.
"UBI and taxing the rich: two ideas whose time has come," tweeted historian Rutger Bregman.
According to The Appeal reporting on the results:
Our polling found that 68% of the public prefers receiving a pre-loaded debit card to a deduction on next year's income tax. This includes a majority of both Democrats (73%) and Republicans (65%).
[...]
Imposing a wealth tax (42%) was supported the most from the public, followed by adding to the deficit (35%) and then by using new currency (24%). Republicans preferred adding the deficit the most (42%) and Democrats preferred the wealth tax the most (50%).
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who has been at the forefront of efforts to provide UBI to everyone in the U.S. during the pandemic, said on Twitter that the polling reflects a changing national mood on the benefit.
"A majority of Americans know what I've been saying from the start of this: one-time payments to a portion of the population simply aren't enough to get us through this crisis," tweeted Tlaib.
Tlaib introduced with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) the Automatic BOOST to Communities (ABC) Act on Thursday.
The bill would provide "a $2,000 payment using BOOST debit cards to every person in America as critical relief during the COVID-19 crisis, followed by $1,000 recurring monthly payments for one year after the end of the crisis to help our country and families recover."
"The ABC Act provides immediate relief to those in need--regardless of their immigration status--and ensures that relief lasts the duration of the pandemic," Jayapal said in a statement. "We're in an unprecedented public health and economic crisis and the American people desperately need Congress to take this bold action."
A majority of Americans--including over half of Republican respondents--support a monthly $2,000 universal basic income check to help defray the effects of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak on the U.S. economy, according to new polling from Data for Progress and the Justice Collaborative Institute.
A wealth tax proved most popular among all respondents in a follow-up question presenting options for paying for the universal basic income (UBI) policy.
"UBI and taxing the rich: two ideas whose time has come," tweeted historian Rutger Bregman.
According to The Appeal reporting on the results:
Our polling found that 68% of the public prefers receiving a pre-loaded debit card to a deduction on next year's income tax. This includes a majority of both Democrats (73%) and Republicans (65%).
[...]
Imposing a wealth tax (42%) was supported the most from the public, followed by adding to the deficit (35%) and then by using new currency (24%). Republicans preferred adding the deficit the most (42%) and Democrats preferred the wealth tax the most (50%).
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who has been at the forefront of efforts to provide UBI to everyone in the U.S. during the pandemic, said on Twitter that the polling reflects a changing national mood on the benefit.
"A majority of Americans know what I've been saying from the start of this: one-time payments to a portion of the population simply aren't enough to get us through this crisis," tweeted Tlaib.
Tlaib introduced with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) the Automatic BOOST to Communities (ABC) Act on Thursday.
The bill would provide "a $2,000 payment using BOOST debit cards to every person in America as critical relief during the COVID-19 crisis, followed by $1,000 recurring monthly payments for one year after the end of the crisis to help our country and families recover."
"The ABC Act provides immediate relief to those in need--regardless of their immigration status--and ensures that relief lasts the duration of the pandemic," Jayapal said in a statement. "We're in an unprecedented public health and economic crisis and the American people desperately need Congress to take this bold action."