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Poverty-alleviation programs like food stamps (SNAP), Social Security, and other "welfare" programs are broadly effective at reducing poverty, a new study from University of Chicago researchers found.
The study, performed by researchers Bruce Meyer and Derek Wu, conducted a more comprehensive analysis than most studies, because it used administrative data from the programs' payment records, not just survey data of recipients from the Census Bureau.
[...] For the elderly, Wu said the research found that Social Security benefits "single-handedly slashes poverty by 75%." Social Security's overall effect on all poverty is also enormous, responsible for by far the largest poverty reduction among all these programs, the study said.
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Study: Public Assistance Programs Lessen Poverty
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Can anyone remember when the times were not hard, and money not scarce?
(Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday May 29 2018, @05:12PM (3 children)
I'm guessing that's because you WANT a reason to believe it can't work.
"Haves" by definition can already afford all the basics they need, why would they buy more? Are you saying that if you got a check for UBI every month, you would eat twice as much as you do now? Does that even make sense to you?
Further, are you acknowledging that our current programs fail to provide necessities to the poor? Because otherwise, why would the price rise on necessities? Unless you also don't believe that markets work?
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Wednesday May 30 2018, @01:28AM (2 children)
If I'm selling food and all of a sudden I know everyone has $UBI extra to spend, if I'm aiming for profit it is in my interest to jack up prices. If I'm surrounded by other sellers who are also profit motivated (quite likely), it is also in their interest to jack up prices. As much as you can argue that competition will bring prices *down*, cartels, oligopolies etc will appear to counteract that. The market will pay what the market can bear, not one iota less, and quite often more.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Wednesday May 30 2018, @01:56AM (1 child)
So you ARE saying that you don't believe that markets work. Sounds like some serious regulation is in order to bust up the cartels and oligarchies.
But consider, people may have UBI to spend, but not all with you. Of course, if you think about it, you're accidentally claiming that any attempt to improve one's situation is futile.
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:14AM
Oh no, I think they work exceptionally well, for what they were designed for - making the unscrupulous rich richer, while presenting a polished straw man to take any flak.
Until such a time when ruthless self-interests are societally condemned and shut down, *any* scheme will be co-opted, exploited and manipulated in the favour of those who don't have any scruples doing so. That's the nature of the beast.