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When over two dozen Democratic presidential candidates launched their campaigns in early 2019, young entrepreneur Andrew Yang (who was polling below 1%) proposed a $1,000/month dividend to all American adults. At the time, the idea seemed about as likely to happen as the U.S. declaring war on Canada.
Fast forward to 2020: The pandemic and economic recession prompted widespread direct payments from the government for the first time in U.S. history. They were wildly popular and passed with bipartisan support.
Although the checks have been relatively small ($1200 last March, $600 last December, $1400 coming up), they represent the crossing of a Rubicon in American life. The once-unthinkable notion that the government can distribute cash with no middle man and no strings attached can revolutionize our politics. And as we’ve seen with entitlements, once the American people experience a relief program, they typically don’t want it taken away.
The Politics of UBI
The concept of universal basic income (UBI) is often associated with progressives. It’s indeed true that Yang’s idea picked up support from liberal-minded notables like Robert Reich, Keith Ellison, and even Pope Francis. It’s also true that right now a large majority (71%) of Democrats support UBI compared…
