There is a lot wrong with how things currently work. I don't think that fact proves that we would be better off with basic income.
I am currently homeless. While homeless, I started a website to try to help me keep track of services that were actually useful to me with as few strings attached as possible so that I could, in fact, work on solving my problems and not get trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. There are some things that are currently being done that are useful. And I think we would be better off identifying those things and trying to grow those things and get more attention for those things than simply throwing it all and starting over with something entirely new, which tends to have the effect of fucking over the people who are familiar with the current system and managing to get something out of it without ever delivering the sweeping benefits that are always promised.
I am very much for finding a solution the terrible problem of "housing inflation" where new housing now is around 2500 sq. ft. The rise of homelessness in the U.S. is directly related to the rise in size and cost of housing.
I am also very much for developing more gig work that actually works. A lot of it is done very badly, but gig work has allowed me to develop an earned income of my own while still homeless and my problems are getting gradually better. I think this is a better approach than basic income.
I also think we are at a place where we can help people be physically healthier and where we can start to resolve the root causes of mental illness. Getting myself physically healthier has been a cornerstone of my plans to resolve my problems and get off the street. Poverty relief problems are terrible about not trying at all to actually help people improve their health status or mental health status. This helps make them more intractable problems.
Thank you for your excellent comment, and for the work you have done to help homeless people.
I am currently homeless. While homeless, I started a website to try to help me keep track of services that were actually useful to me with as few strings attached as possible so that I could, in fact, work on solving my problems and not get trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. There are some things that are currently being done that are useful. And I think we would be better off identifying those things and trying to grow those things and get more attention for those things than simply throwing it all and starting over with something entirely new, which tends to have the effect of fucking over the people who are familiar with the current system and managing to get something out of it without ever delivering the sweeping benefits that are always promised.
I am very much for finding a solution the terrible problem of "housing inflation" where new housing now is around 2500 sq. ft. The rise of homelessness in the U.S. is directly related to the rise in size and cost of housing.
I am also very much for developing more gig work that actually works. A lot of it is done very badly, but gig work has allowed me to develop an earned income of my own while still homeless and my problems are getting gradually better. I think this is a better approach than basic income.
I also think we are at a place where we can help people be physically healthier and where we can start to resolve the root causes of mental illness. Getting myself physically healthier has been a cornerstone of my plans to resolve my problems and get off the street. Poverty relief problems are terrible about not trying at all to actually help people improve their health status or mental health status. This helps make them more intractable problems.
Thank you for your excellent comment, and for the work you have done to help homeless people.