Al Grillo/AP Photo
A portion of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline crossing the tundra north of Fairbanks, Alaska
I’ve never been a big fan of universal basic income. The reason is that we can’t give up on full employment at decent pay. People need not just earnings; they need an occupation, a profession, or a calling.
But lately, I’ve had second thoughts. With depressed wages and job prospects, we need both.
The closest thing in America to the UBI idea is the Alaska Permanent Fund. It’s not enough money, but it suggests the political potential.
Each year, every man, woman, and child in Alaska gets a check from the state government as their share of Alaska’s oil revenues. The program began in 1976 after the discovery of oil on Alaska’s North Slope.
The then-governor, a renegade Republican named Jay Hammond, concluded that this windfall was too good to just give to the oil companies. So he devised the program to share the revenue with Alaska residents.
The annual per-person check has bounced around between about $1,000 and over $2,000, depending on the price of oil and flows of product. To a large family, that’s a lot of money. In some native Alaskan villages, it’s the largest source of cash income.
Despite the political power of the oil companies, the program has proven far too popular to repeal (who doesn’t want free money from the government?).
OK, here’s the idea for President-elect Biden:
Bring 20 of the Trumpiest-looking Alaskans to a press conference. Unveil a plan whereby every man, woman, and child gets a $1,000 check every month from the government.
Finance it with taxes on large wealth, fossil fuels, financial transactions, and intellectual property resulting from taxpayer-funded public research.
Invite the Alaskans to describe the joy of getting their checks: no middleman, no means tests, no government forms to fill out—just free money as everyone’s share of the American commons.
Dare Mitch McConnell to oppose it.
