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A comment on Massachusetts to tax ride-hailing apps, give the money to taxis. Parent comment

Re:Massachusetts to tax ride-hailing apps, give the money to... by Houshalter on Sunday August 21, 2016 @10:23AM (#12331022)
The solution is a basic income, paid for by taking the rich and middle class. Not a basic income limited to taxi owners, paid for by taxing their competitors. Perhaps subsidies for schools and technical training so people can get better jobs easier.

This doesn't benefit poor people. Maybe a small handful of them. But it just raises the cost of transportation, a service the poor depend on as well.

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Re:Massachusetts to tax ride-hailing apps, give the money to... by rubidium on Sunday August 21, 2016 @10:35AM (#12331056)
Universal basic income is just communism 2.0. It's adapted for the sensitivities of the American middle and upper classes, who want to help the poor but only by giving money to make the problem go away.

Fundamental premise of UBI is everything is justly the property of the state. The state determines who should get what. Throw in a little capitalism and a little "I want to keep my upper-middle class life" and you get UBI. Everyone gets something, but those who make more get to keep some of that.

UBI in practice would likely lead to massive exploitation of the poor.

see also: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12277301

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Re:Massachusetts to tax ride-hailing apps, give the money to... by Houshalter on Sunday August 21, 2016 @10:46AM (#12331083)
It is socialism, and that's great. The problem with communism was that central planning sucks, a lot. Basic income keeps efficient free markets, it just distributes the benefits to everyone, instead of just the rich.

>UBI in practice would likely lead to massive exploitation of the poor.

What a bunch of nonsense. The poor massively benefit from UBI. What are you even talking about.

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Re:Massachusetts to tax ride-hailing apps, give the money to... by throwawaymsft on Sunday August 21, 2016 @01:56PM (#12331903)
How does giving everyone a monthly tax rebate (essentially a negative income tax) change who owns the means of production?
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