• jpreston2005@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    universal healthcare and basic income, paid with increase in the top 1%'s marginal tax rate, would solve a LOT of Americans problems.

    • Sludgeyy@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Fear of losing basic income is a great crime deterrent.

      Are you going to steal from that gas station if you could lose your basic monthly check for 20+ years?

      You think kids would drive drunk if you told them that if they were caught, they would lose their basic income for life? Most think it’s a slap on the wrist, maybe some community service, IF they get caught.

        • Clent@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Losing it for life is too drastic and isn’t what any behavior specialist would suggest.

          There needs to be a path to earn it back. For example, hours of community service based on the offense and that increase with each offense.

          It would also want to incentivize future legislatures excluding people by targeting groups. The drug war and its imbalance towards treatment of minorities as an example.

          • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            3 months ago

            If I murder someone and lose basic income for say five years does it go up to ten years if I murder another person or could it be served concurrently?

            • Clent@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              I would expect you’d be in prison for at least five years so are you suggesting you’ve killed someone while in prison or that basic income is the only punishment?

              In any case, I am not suggesting anything concrete here, just going forward with the thought experiment. Basic income first, then we can work on how to use it as a deterrence.

              • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                3 months ago

                Oh, I was thinking of it as a replacement of the prison industry. So just let everyone remain free but just lose basic income instead. It interested me because I think I could do without the extra income, save the tax payers money, and accomplish some personal goals at the same time.

        • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Y’all realize what you’re describing is just a poor tax, right? Anyone with significantly higher income over base income would…just break the law anyway.

          If we’re talking using money to deter crimes, it needs to be a sliding scale. You’re a millionaire and got a speeding ticket? That’ll be $50,000.

          • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
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            3 months ago

            Aw dang it, we are only allowed to use one punishment as a country so I guess you are right. Maybe we could like, lock the rich people that commit crimes in a small room with a bed and a toilet.

            • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              I guess you missed the if. The topic is literally regarding monetary related punishments. That does even remotely imply forgoing anything else.

    • Doxatek
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      3 months ago

      That’s along the lines of what I was thinking. Making care more available is good but still having to get financially destroyed for it potentially isn’t a great incentive to use services