A next-gen Bernie needs to run hard on economic populism. Universal basic income, universal healthcare, universal college, universal school meals, really lean into universalism in general and taxing the rich. Fuck the billionaires and big corporations. Make them pay for all the universal programs. - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

scottsantens.com • 93 days ago

A next-gen Bernie needs to run hard on economic populism. Universal basic income, universal healthcare, universal college, universal school meals, really lean into universalism in general and taxing the rich. Fuck the billionaires and big corporations. Make them pay for all the universal programs.

Comments

theonlylight.bsky.social•93 days ago

I am afraid we are going to get a middling Andrew Yang-Forward Party run with only a fraction of those policies. Might be more electable. As long as he has a robust UBI program, it will be something.

gtbtr.bsky.social•92 days ago

Yes! This please. I'd leave my world behind to volunteer for a campaign running on Universal everything.

yadonkey.bsky.social•93 days ago

It would really help if people could be educated more on the subjects too... Folks have decades of propaganda against those kinds of policies that give them knee jerk dislike of them until they understand them better... At the end of the day, those policies would greatly benefit the US

davidhinckley.bsky.social•92 days ago

We need Ranked Choice Voting so the next-gen Bernie Sanders can run this platform against a Democratic candidate, and we can see the relative strength of this vs. a more moderate corporatist Democratic platform.

scottsantens.com•92 days ago

I agree.

rtanderson.bsky.social•93 days ago

I hope someone can do this, but I'm not sure if elections are even going to be a thing anymore. 😕

chap-of-steel.bsky.social•93 days ago

People without pressing (and depressing) money problems will spend money on things the billionaires and corps want them to buy. Money flows around the economy. Win/win

It's not rocket science. It's common sense.

lieutenentstan.bsky.social•93 days ago

@scottsantens.com I largely agree and would add one very important thing…figure out how to message this to rural voters in way that resonates with them. I know it should, but it has to be done in way that breaks through the culture war echo chamber.

lieutenentstan.bsky.social•93 days ago

For instance, is there a simple way to make and them establish the point that the industries they largely rely upon, farming, ranching, railroads, assembly manufacturing have consolidated to the point that it screws them over the same way they perceive the federal government does?

foxfae969.bsky.social•87 days ago

Add in needing someone who can speak to each vastly different communal dialect and still get the big messages across without contradicting themselves, or lining up pot shots for the media to take advantage of... There's gotta be one in 300+million people.

maxismad.bsky.social•92 days ago

A next gen Bernie like.... @aoc.bsky.social ?

theonlylight.bsky.social•92 days ago

As much as I bristle at that, if she is supporting robust, universal policies, then we should welcome her with open arms.

scottsantens.com•92 days ago

It's possible.

victusfate.bsky.social•92 days ago

I don't think UBI has to be at odds with high networth individuals. It doesn't make much sense to hate people for being good at investment or building companies, ie Warren Buffet is evil because he's made good choices.

scottsantens.com•92 days ago

He's not evil but he should pay more in taxes than he gets in UBI.

manelcamacho.bsky.social•93 days ago

The worst of all is that this is not populism but basic common sense on taking care of your people D:

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

Often called socialism! Moreover, 'the rich' are not required to 'pay for' it - don't need them. Govt is issuer of the currency, and does not (in fact cannot) spend tax. An intro:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_udbs-wuDA

manelcamacho.bsky.social•92 days ago

The worst is that it is simply state welfare... you care about your population so they can develop themselves and also push the economy as they suffer less burden from health/education/food and other issues.

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

Here's another one:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sTK-UVBfXY

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

'Job Guarantee' solves that, plus stabilises the economy.

clashirony.bsky.social•93 days ago

IIRC, Bernie and other SocDems oppose UBI. Do you have a list of politicians that have supported UBI?

scottsantens.com•92 days ago

https://medium.com/basic-income/on-the-record-bernie-sanders-on-basic-income-de9162fb3b5c

clashirony.bsky.social•92 days ago

Who are likely the next-gen UBI/universalism politicians?

clashirony.bsky.social•92 days ago

I really wish Andrew Yang took a job in the Biden administration and continued to advocate for UBI (and was better at politics).

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

'Job Guarantee' does a much better job than UBI.

final-thread.bsky.social•92 days ago

We should try to progress beyond employment. UBI does a better job of that regardless of what it's supporters or detractors say.

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

Can you explain what you mean by 'progress beyond employment'? How does that realte to JG?

final-thread.bsky.social•92 days ago

Cooperatives. The way I see it UBI = ones less part time job for many. More time for many = more co-operatives over time. That doesn't mean everyone with move to this theoretical co-op sector just tend to. I also suspect as UBI grows more popular this will become more the intent.

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

But JG doesn't prevent cooperative development & support. As long as the the coop had a beneficial agenda (i.e. not proposing being a hedge fund or a gambling den ...) then it fits right in.

actioneer.bsky.social•93 days ago

Another tax option to cover our cultural stewardship is to replace the current 100+ year old tax model with the Automatic Payments Tax. It would cover basic income, health, education, wellbeing, government budget, and lower our taxes by 99%. No... really.
https://www.civilution.org/post/tax-the-economy-not-the-individual

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

But Govt doesn't spend taxes - or need to,

scottsantens.com•92 days ago

Government doesn't spend taxes but government does need to tax. Unless you love inflation and highly suboptimal outcomes.

https://vocal.media/theSwamp/why-we-need-modern-monetary-theory-mmt-and-why-it-needs-universal-basic-income-ubi

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

Ah, you threw me with 'make the rich pay ...'
I say just ensure they have the bulk of the tax burden & regulate them into equality;otherwise ignore them.
But not UBI - Job Guarantee. Let govt dictate a good min. wage that private sector has to match & provide work that's useful... including artists!

actioneer.bsky.social•92 days ago

You are correct sir. As your profile points out, it's MMT - money supply extraction and injection at the fed level. The 0.2% extraction by the transaction manager (banks usually) is not transferred. It's just removed. Here's a more in depth discussion on that:
https://www.civilution.org/post/balance-macroeconomics

raffia.bsky.social•92 days ago

Lordy, that is advanced detail! I'm still trying to figure out the best way for ppl to accept that govts don't spend tax and are the issuers of the currency... & that the 'deficit' isn't a debt handed on to children & grandchildren ...