Citizens Dividend Arguments For and Against [Argument #1] [Argument #2] [Argument #3] [Argument #4] Some years ago, a Harris poll found four main objections held by opponents of the guaranteed income concept. We've put those into today's terms, and on this page each objection is considered and answered. Argument 1 "We're already paying too much in taxes, but you are calling for an expensive new program." Certainly, paying part of your own, legitimate earnings to support a new program is no way to make America better. The Citizen's Dividend plan avoids that problem in two ways. First of all, it does not take anyone's earned income at all; the plan will be funded only by revenue that is not earned, not part of the free-market system. Secondly, since the Citizen's Dividend will provide a definite income floor for those who have little or no other income, it can render other programs, such as welfare, needless. We can finally get rid of degrading, ill-managed welfare-style programs, for once and for all, and cut taxes as a result. Would you support that? Argument 2 "We have no business deciding who gets more and who gets less." That's correct. In the Citizen's Dividend plan, everyone receives a dividend, the same amount. That means that no one's RELATIVE economic position is changed. No one gets a bigger benefit than their neighbor, so no one is given an unfair privilege. Our current system gives out huge valuable privileges to some, and tax bills to others -- that's what we need to stop. Do you agree? Argument 3 "Some recipients might work less or quit their jobs." That probably would never happen -- people always want more money to improve their lives and provide for their future and their loved ones. But, suppose two million people in the USA decide that their Citizen's Dividends enable them to quit their jobs. There are over seven million Americans who are unemployed, looking for work. So now two million of them can find jobs. The result is that four million people are happier than they were before, there's less unemployment, employers can get more enthusiastic workers, and you and I can probably get better-produced goods and services now. Marvelous! The very best thing that can happen to make our society more competitive internationally, is for unhappy workers to get out and make way for people who really want to work for a living. Does that sound right to you? Argument 4 "Today's system is good enough." Today's system funnels billions of dollars a year into the hands of people who did not earn it, and takes billions in taxes from people who DID earn it. Meanwhile, our nation is becoming less competitive in the world economy. Instead of a sound economy, we've got a leaky bucket -- and we deserve better. Some people are making loads of money without earning it -- and that's what we need to stop. Unearned revenue, from outside the free-market system, belongs to all of us. No one has any better claim to it than you! You never signed away your claim! So get your equal share, rather than letting some fatcat take it all. You've heard the term "special privilege"? That's what we can get rid of, by converting it from wealth that goes only to "special" interests into wealth that goes to everyone. You can have your own Personal Privilege. What do you think? Share Your Opinion! What do you think is a strong argument for or against the Citizen's Dividend idea? back to the Citizens Dividend main page