[dragonwriter]

> Libertarians who support UBI think of it as replacing the other stuff. This is a wildly unpopular opinion on the left

AFAICT, as a left-wing UBI supporter who sees it as replacing lots of other stuff, that depends which other stuff and how you plan on replacing it; phased (such as by counting a UBI introduced at a low rate and increased over time) displacement of means-tested welfare programs is not all unpopular on the left. Displacing means-tested healthcare (Medicaid/CHIP) has more mixed reactions (healthcare policy in general is contentious within the left). Displacing earned benefits (Medicare, Social Security, Unemployment insurance) is even more likely to be rejected (though in this case the general controversy over healthcare works in your favor with Medicare, as its probably the least universally toxic of these on the left.)

Displacing minimum wage with it also isn't too popular on the left.

Where you run into problems with some stuff that isn’t problematic on its own is when you don’t have a plan for a robust, mature UBI but you want a big-bang cold-turkey replacement of programs that what you do propose for UBI can’t come close to dollar-for-dollar substituting for for current recipients.

[rriepe]

> can't come close

Maybe, but that's comparing real market dollars vs. government spending dollars. When you're not spending 20k on a hammer and 30k on a toilet seat, prices go down. Half of the people will waste their UBI money, yes, but the government is going to waste half the dollars they spend.

Ask your friends if they want to send a check to Bill Gates every month. You'll find that most people on the left don't actually believe in UBI. It's a great talking point because a politician says it and people imagine whatever they want (yours was a great breakdown of potential disagreement points). But the people around you are imagining very different things.