Republican Lawmakers Across Multiple States Push Back Against Basic Income Programs
Democratic-Led States Minnesota and Washington Champion Statewide Basic Income Trials
According to Alternet, in America where some people have a lot of money and others don’t lawmakers are talking a lot about basic income. Republican Senator John Wiik from South Dakota led a law to stop cities from starting basic income programs because he thought it might make people not want to work. He’s not alone—other Republican leaders in six states feel the same way and want to stop these programs from growing.
But in states like Minnesota and Washington Democrats are pushing to start basic income trials across the whole state. They want to help people who are struggling with money.
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Republican Concerns Over Costs and Permanence Clash with Basic Income’s Positive Impact
However, some Republicans are worried about how much it will cost and what might happen if these programs become permanent. Despite all the arguments stories from places like Stockton California show that giving people can help them feel more stable and happier. This debate shows that old ways of helping poor people might not be enough anymore and new ideas like basic income are getting a lot of attention.