Universal Basic Income - Why It Should Be Embraced

Returning to share his thoughts with Stars Over Washington readers is millennial astrologer Kevin Estes in an article that originally appeared on his Left Wing Astrology blog, June 19, 2017:

Universal Basic Income - Why It Should Be Embraced

by Kevin Estes

Similar to gay marriage 10 years ago, one of the ideas that is slowly building steam today is that of a Universal Basic Income for everyone. What is Universal Basic Income? It is an unconditional fixed amount of money, similar to Social Security, but given to everyone in the country. It is an idea praised by people on the left because it combats economic inequality, and praised by Libertarians because it grants freedom from being a wage slave to the state, yet not embraced by people on the right because it's "socialist" and enables people to be lazy. That being said, here are eight reasons why Universal Basic Income should be embraced, and eventually be reality:

Freedom - In order to survive comfortably in today's society, you have to work for an average of 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for around 40 years before retirement, which is a nice way of saying "you're too old to produce for us, so here's a fixed amount every month because you're not useful anymore". Life should be more than being away from your family 5 days a week in order to survive. A work/life balance is extremely important, yet many, if not most, don't have that. Universal Basic Income would allow for a balance between work and family life and give people the freedom to be what they want to be without struggling for survival.

Wage Increases - With a Universal Basic Income, employers would need to implement higher wages in order for employees to feel justified in working for that company or business. If everybody got $5,000 a month, which would equal $60,000 a year, unconditionally (if they save a certain amount every month, they could live extremely comfortably), they wouldn't HAVE to keep working at a job that is unsatisfying if they don't need to.

Growth Of Technology - With cars that drive themselves in the works, it is very likely that technology, mainly in the form of robots and computerized machines, will be doing the jobs that humans have done (Pluto will enter Aquarius, the sign of technology, in early 2023). With humans being replaced by machines, there won't be enough jobs for everyone, hence why Universal Basic Income will soon need to be reality.

The Old Ways Are Outdated - With the US Pluto return coming up in 2022, then Pluto entering Aquarius, a sign that represents individuality and freedom, systems that suppress those qualities simply won't cut it anymore. At the time of the Pluto return, the oldest Neptune in Aquarius natives will be 24 years old, and the oldest Pluto in Sagittarius (another sign that is about freedom) natives will be 27 years old. These people will demand freedom from oppressive systems, just like how us Pluto in Scorpio natives (the oldest being 38 years old at the time of the Pluto return) demand the truth.

Fewer Programs - With everybody of working age having a Universal Basic Income, the rest of the safety net programs wouldn't have to exist outside of Medicare, which should be free for everyone (the doctors and nurses would all have Universal Basic Income, and would be getting higher wages for their services, so they'd be compensated very well). One program and one fixed wage for everyone would mean A LOT more simplicity.

Less Class Warfare - Right now, the middle class is declining rapidly, as a result of the wealth of select billionaires (Koch Brothers, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Walton Family, etc.) ballooning to a point where they can purchase every property in certain cities, which results in an extremely large poor and working class. This is an issue that needs correction, and needs to never happen again when it is fixed, and Universal Basic Income will prevent that from happening.

Less Crime - It's a fact that most crime occurs in low income neighborhoods. With everybody 18 and over having Universal Basic Income, low income neighborhoods will become high income neighborhoods, which will heavily reduce crime in those neighborhoods, making the people in those neighborhoods feel safer.

Better Working Conditions - With a Universal Basic Income for everyone, working conditions would need to be improved in order for people to justifiably work at places that historically have poor working conditions.

Because of these reasons, the positives far outweigh the negatives in regards to Universal Basic Income, which is why it needs to be implemented sooner rather than later, regardless of the fear of it from conservatives due to its being a "socialist" policy. The needs of humanity as a whole trump the need for some to have a higher status than others, which is another result of the divide and conquer scheme.

Stay turned for more coming soon from your West Coast millennial astrologer Kevin Estes!