if you're from the EU and haven't done so yet, please please please sign the petition for unconditional basic income!
it needs 1 million signatures by the 25th june, as well as reach a certain threshold in at least seven countries which it only has in three, and it's also still missing so many signatures to reach 1 million and time is running out
please just do it, it's free, it should be safe cause it's quite literally an official EU site, and literally all you need to do is put your name and address on there (not visible to the public, but they will check if the signatures are legit so please don't fake any signatures, that'll just make it look like the goal was reached when it wasn't)
please just do this, time is running out for this initiative. if there's any reason you haven't signed it yet and won't do it, tell me the reason, maybe i can debunk it
here's the link to the petition: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/014/public/#/screen/home
Some of you may be sceptical, so here are some points that would very likely be part of this (because they're always part of the discussion when this topic comes up) :
- It will not be unconditional 1200€ (or whatever) for everyone. You will not help to make the rich even richer. When this is introduced, the taxes will increase, depending on your income through work, rent etc. Someone with, let's say, 10k a month will not receive any money, because they will get a tax increase of at least the amount of this unconditional income. Someone who earns 3000 a month (this is a made up number, obviously) will only get part of the money to use. After paying the extra taxes, they will have 800€ (or whatever) left of the 1200€. Someone who works on minimum wage basis will get a huge part, if not all of the money, and so will someone who doesn't have a job, university students, retirees etc. They will be able to push the economy, to afford a home, some food, clothes and maybe something small extra without having to scrape every cent together.
- You, as tax payers, wouldn't pay for "lazy people's fancy holidays and new iPhones", as some people phrase it. It's (probably about) 1200€ a month. If that's a fortune to you, then you're definitely not the one paying for anyone's anything with your taxes. It will allow everyone to live a life under humane conditions. Not much more, and not less (unless you're really bad at handling money, have severe drug problems etc). People will still have to work to afford any luxury. People will still WANT to work. There is a project happening in Germany as we speak, and literally 0 of the participants have quit their jobs. Some have changed nothing, some have cut back some hours to spend more time with their family, some have taken jobs with less salary because they like them more, some have started a business, some have gone back to school and some have finally had the security to risk making a living of something creative. Almost all of them are happier, healthier, more relaxed and have a more balanced private/ family life. None of them have used the extra money as an excuse to be lazier than before. (This is one of the sources, unfortunately it's in German)
- The money will not be taken out of other projects such as education, infrastructure etc. The money will (most likely) be gained
a) through increased taxes for the rich,
b) from the funds that are now used for other government-fundings (unemployment money, student aids, living support,...),
c) of the money saved because the officials that need to grant money for special purposes will not be needed anymore
d) because increased income leads to an improved economy, which leads to more taxes that can be put into that project again.
This income has been thought through by many many clever minds already and they have come up with ideas to actually introduce it. They will only need to get the support to finally push it past those who want others to suffer so they can feel superior. Please support this.
I just realized that I wrote this from a very German perspective. Yes, 1200€ can be a fortune in some countries, even in EU countries. I'm pretty sure that the amount of money will depend on the cost of living in every country. The income would most likely not be the same everywhere and it would never make anyone rich.
Sorry, it didn't even occur to me that 1€ isn't the same for all of us.
@biggest-gaudiest-patronuses You are probably the biggest gaudiest tumblr blog I know, please help spread this link ❤️
