10-06-2013, 03:11 AM
Life is good *(:>*
http://www.carbonated.tv/news/switzerlan...r-everyone
In the midst of all the debate over the government shutdown, one of the key problems that has been shown is the government paying its own workers, especially those who are not working right now. Only today did Congress and the White House agree to give those "non-essential" federal workers back pay. But what would happen if the government not only paid their workers, but everyone who was a citizen? The Swiss public may vote to make that idea, that of a basic income for everyone, a reality.
In the Swiss capital of Bern, a grassroots organization called Generation Basic Income led an effort to establish a basic income for every Swiss citizen, unconditionally. Due to the nature of Swiss politics, and similar to how politics work in some states in the US, citizens are able to place a referendum on the national ballot, provided they have the required 100,000 signatures. These votes happen a couple times a year, detached completely from the government's business. Consequently, this had led to such efforts varying from the good (decriminalizing marijuana, as of a few days ago), to the bad (banning minarets, and essentially mosques).
With Generation Basic Income, the organization seeks to establish a level of income equality, at a time when the rich get extremely rich and the middle class just become poor. The referendum offered to the Swiss government would require that every Swiss adult would receive a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs, or $2,750. If that seems incredibly high to you, know that the costs of living in Switzerland are incredibly high: To give an example, the iPhone 4S, still sold in Switzerland, costs around $500, before taxes, whereas here it was being sold for $100. $2,750 per month would enough for most people to get by in Switzerland. It would be equivalent to getting a little under $600 per month in America.
http://www.carbonated.tv/news/switzerlan...r-everyone
In the midst of all the debate over the government shutdown, one of the key problems that has been shown is the government paying its own workers, especially those who are not working right now. Only today did Congress and the White House agree to give those "non-essential" federal workers back pay. But what would happen if the government not only paid their workers, but everyone who was a citizen? The Swiss public may vote to make that idea, that of a basic income for everyone, a reality.
In the Swiss capital of Bern, a grassroots organization called Generation Basic Income led an effort to establish a basic income for every Swiss citizen, unconditionally. Due to the nature of Swiss politics, and similar to how politics work in some states in the US, citizens are able to place a referendum on the national ballot, provided they have the required 100,000 signatures. These votes happen a couple times a year, detached completely from the government's business. Consequently, this had led to such efforts varying from the good (decriminalizing marijuana, as of a few days ago), to the bad (banning minarets, and essentially mosques).
With Generation Basic Income, the organization seeks to establish a level of income equality, at a time when the rich get extremely rich and the middle class just become poor. The referendum offered to the Swiss government would require that every Swiss adult would receive a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs, or $2,750. If that seems incredibly high to you, know that the costs of living in Switzerland are incredibly high: To give an example, the iPhone 4S, still sold in Switzerland, costs around $500, before taxes, whereas here it was being sold for $100. $2,750 per month would enough for most people to get by in Switzerland. It would be equivalent to getting a little under $600 per month in America.
