"There has been a plunder of the commons... and they've been turned into sources of huge rental income. That is illegitimate, that is unjust, that has no moral principle justifying what's been happening and we should be very angry." — Guy Standing

Let's reward workers, not punish them. Quillette founder makes a powerful, common-sense case for why we should we should replace income tax with LVT.

There are 2 markets for homes: 1) for living 2) for wealth creation These 2 are fundamentally at odds. Homes can't both be affordable and great investments.

BNN Bloomberg acknowledged that no study of basic income has found a meaningful reduction in work. What it does do is let people take risks leading to better careers.

Vinod Khosla on UBI

Basic income could grow Canada's economy more than it costs With no new taxes on working Canadians, while saving us money from the even higher costs of poverty. This is pro-Canada policy.

1/ Sen. Sanders recently introduced legislation that would tax the largest AI companies’ stock to fund a sovereign wealth fund that pays the American people a 5% annual dividend. 🧵⬇️

"Land value tax makes housing affordable overnight. It pushes landowners to either sell or develop, and it starts to cost to deprive the community of the housing it needs." - @opportunityparty.info

The Fraser Institute estimated that the AB Heritage Fund would be 15 times larger if it was managed similarly to Alaska's. The key idea is that paying citizens dividends gives them a sense of co-ownership, tying their net worths to the fund's fiscal rules and performance.

Creator of Magic: The Gathering (world's first and most successful trading card game) supports UBI as citizens dividends from common wealth.

The rentier incentives in our economy continue to reinforce the opposing worldview: viewing natural resource wealth as private property, without sharing the windfall with citizens. A fairer and more productive economy demands we share this common wealth more equitably.

Ireland has shown that basic income works — not just socially, but economically. Give people time and security to develop their skills, and the returns flow back to society. Now let's go further.

Two Canadian Senators and Professors: use AI to fund Basic Income - tax machines, fund people, build an AI Dividend Fund - tax labour less - bundle with AI education & services This is mainstream policy now backed by real examples and smart people

It's commonly accepted that basic income would boost the economy, healthcare, and personal freedoms.

Looks like John Stewart is pro-UBI

Actually, this IS inevitable in a technologically advancing society. Our economy naturally concentrates wealth in LAND and COMPANIES, away from WORKERS. The key is to give everyone a slice: UBI funded by sovereign wealth funds, land/natural resources, and AI.

Vast majority of Canadians say children will be worse off, way above global median (57%) — Pew Research This is a symptom of a nation that treats housing as investments first and homes second, at the expense of real productivity.

The US, UK, Canada and Ireland all have a similar number of housing units per capita, yet Canada is far more expensive. Of course we need more homes built, but this just shows that there's more at play than just supply.

The Economist on housing and LVT: "There are also ways to reduce landlords' profits that do not interfere with housing supply, such as taxing the value of land regardless of how it is used." In fact, research shows shifting taxes to land can promote more supply.

Most of it is land value (80% in urban). Every dollar in land is a dollar not invested in the real economy, building businesses and raising families. Instead of taxing income & productive capital, we should tax land to drive investment elsewhere and put Canada back on track.

By taxing land instead of buildings, owners in both scenarios pay the same amount. This encourages more efficient land use and discourages holding just for appreciation—making our housing system work better.

Land owners enjoy massive windfalls created by public funding. This is the biggest driver of wealth and poverty. A part of that windfall should be returned to us, the public, through lower income taxes and more investments in transit and housing.

If AI is eating the world, give everyone a slice

Author of Bullshit Jobs, David Graeber said basic income unleashes human creativity and innovation, which both the left and right can support. Instead, we're held back by bullshit jobs. The next John Lennon "is lifting boxes in some department store as welfare conditionality".

Canadian TV icon Ed the Sock supports UBI

South Korea launched basic income in rural counties across the nation to boost local businesses Kim Pan-jong, who runs a tomato juice business, said he expanded into local retail after previously selling only online. "We expect more customers from within the region" 🫰

George Stroumboulopoulos on UBI

All technologically advanced societies should prioritize this.

We need a tax system that rewards genuine effort and community building, not just the passive accumulation of wealth.

Top economists agree: stop overtaxing working and building. The best option to fix our economy and housing market is to tax land instead.

Common wealth dividends give everyone a financial stake in the success of our economy.

People working full-time can't get affordable housing.

South Korea's UBI pilot shows major success 1 year. Local businesses grew by 2,000 and rural population went up 4.7%. Most of the money was spent, causing "an increase in new businesses in essential services such as restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, and hair and beauty salons."

We don’t need corporate tax cuts to give the wealthy ANOTHER leg up. We need to tax the rich and even the playing field. Patriotic Millionaires Canada member @floydmarinescu.bsky.social on the “Build Canada Strong” budget.

Many people wonder why land value tax won't just raise rents. Answer: you can't create or destroy land. That's why economists consider it the 'least bad' (even 'perfect') tax. It could lower income or property taxes and encourage more housing supply.

Canadian entrepreneur who sold to Twitter wants higher taxes on the wealthy to fund nonprofit housing, and land value tax. "luxury-property owners should be paying land value taxes even if their homes never sell; that would help to bring prices back down from the stratosphere."

Economic Security Project calls for UBI -- an income floor and AI dividends. 'Establish an income floor for displaced workers... "AI dividend" is modeled after the Alaska Permanent Fund, which compensates Alaskan citizens using investment returns on a sovereign wealth fund.'

Don't forget: basic income has historically had major support among conservatives.

Oracle's workforce now stands at 141,000 full-time employees—down from 162,000 one year ago—and admitted that the AI-centered restructuring "may continue to result in reductions to our workforce."

Two Canadian Senators and Professors: use AI to fund Basic Income - tax machines, fund people, build an AI Dividend Fund - tax labour less - bundle with AI education & services This is mainstream policy now backed by real examples and smart people

Natural resources are gifts of nature owned by all citizens. It should benefit all citizens through universal dividends.

3/4 of Canada's wealth is in real estate. The bulk of it lies within land. The vast majority of that is 'unearned' - not through the work of individuals but from public investment. Recouping part of that back is fair and efficient.

There's no rule that says the economy will always need more workers. In fact, the trend suggests the opposite. The only thing we can be sure of is that a stable society requires stable incomes, especially when the job market increasingly resembles winner-take-all.

Housing policy isn't really working because politicians are dancing around the real issue. You can't have affordability without bringing prices down. And to do that we must make land a worse investment.

If we want affordable homes, we must break our addiction to high and rising home prices, which come mostly from land values.

Citygroup vice chairman said we should give 'mandatory equity' so everyone can participate in wealth creation. This is the path to building common wealth in the AI age.

UBI from sovereign wealth funds, like Alaska's dividend, is elegant and practical. If AI does the work, the public should get dividends.

Land value tax produced what most existing housing policy is not delivering. Lower prices and transforming the market in favour of families over investors.

President of BC General Employees' Union, Paul Finch says it's "relatively inconceivable" that Vancouver can create a housing price shock by supply alone. "There's not enough raw materials and skilled trades people...to build the supply that would create a price shock."

"Chrystia Freeland... she is a Georgist. You're not gonna believe that." — Dr. Frank Peddle, co-editor of The Annotated Works of Henry George. Freeland supports land value tax and has even called for a revival of Henry George's ideas.