[randycupertino]

Given how resistant American voters and politicians are against any sort of welfare or social assistance I doubt UBI would ever be possible here. Remember the backlash against "ObamaPhones" and "welfare queens!" We can't even get mandatory paid parental leave approved; UBI would be a non-starter.

Americans are fine with low taxes for billionaires and don't mind high inequality as one of their core beliefs is that upward class mobility is achievable and they might also get rich.

[bluecheese452]

When the checks had trumps name on them during the pandemic they loved it. They don’t hate welfare on principle, they hate it when the propaganda tells them to hate it.

[thomascgalvin]

They love programs that benefit them, and hate programs that benefit the "wrong" people. Also, the definition of "wrong people" is very easy to guess.

[ethbr1]

The irony is when political advertising manages to convince people that a policy that would benefit them (because they're poor) would benefit someone they dislike (because they're racist), and they vote against their own self-interest.

See: poor Republicans supporting cuts to ACA

[ToValueFunfetti]

You do have to imagine the political environment where unemployment is rapidly climbing among the middle class rather than the current status quo if your intent is to accurately predict the future.

[randycupertino]

I'm skeptical. Even during the great depression FDR was only able to get work programs approved that assigned jobs like Conservation Corps, Public Works and WPA rather than just handing out cash.

And even then amongst bank collapses, failed farms, starving people and catastrophic unemployment there was STILL heavy opposition to any government assistance programs because there is a very deep fear entrenched in the American psyche that government aid creates dependency and weakens individual responsibility. There is a widespread false narrative that any sort of government help is leftist socialism and communism.