# Proposal: Give everyone $1000 a month **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 8, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294 "2014-01-08T18:47:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/1 "2014-01-08T18:47:53Z")
Well, not everyone: everyone who files a tax return. $1000 for each single person, $2000 for a married couple filing jointly. The payments would be offset by any cash payment you’re already getting: for example, Social Security, disability, or unemployment. People in jail or prison would be ineligible. In round numbers, you’re talking about $1.5 trillion, or less than half the Federal budget, or 10% of GDP. The program would be financed not by taxes, but by special bond issues which would be purchased, directly or indirectly, by the Federal Reserve. The Fed would hold the bonds indefinitely, and return the interest to the Treasury. The program would be reduced or eliminated if inflation rose: say, 10% for every 0.2 above 5%. So, for example, payments would be reduced by 50% if inflation hit 6%, and eliminated at 7%. Any drawbacks? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/2 "2014-01-08T18:53:38Z")
How is that different from the normal standard deduction (besides being much smaller)? Single $6,100 Married Filing Jointly $12,200 Married Filing Separately $6,100 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/3 "2014-01-08T18:54:24Z")
In service of what - driving up inflation? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/4 "2014-01-08T18:55:34Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > Any drawbacks? Inflation, for one. > [@](#): > > The program would be financed not by taxes, but by special bond issues which would be purchased, directly or indirectly, by the Federal Reserve. The Fed would hold the bonds indefinitely, and return the interest to the Treasury. Can you explain in more detail how that works, so it doesn’t sound like magic? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/5 "2014-01-08T19:02:04Z")
And a puppy. $1,000 and a free puppy\* That I could get behind. \*puppy would be tax free ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/6 "2014-01-08T19:04:16Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Can you explain in more detail how that works, so it doesn’t sound like magic? 🙂 This isn’t a continuation of the “David Blaine” thread? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/7 "2014-01-08T19:06:30Z")
Wait, I don’t like puppies, but I do like $1,000. Can I give **spifflog** my puppy in exchange for another $250? Or can I have 2 kittens instead? ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/8 "2014-01-08T19:08:30Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Wait, I don’t like puppies, but I do like $1,000. Can I give **spifflog** my puppy in exchange for another $250? Or can I have 2 kittens instead? Can I count the puppy as a dependent??? ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/9 "2014-01-08T19:09:29Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > And a puppy. $1,000 and a free puppy\* That I could get behind. > > \*puppy would be tax free A free puppy every month? Your $1000 isn’t going to seem like much fairly quickly. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/10 "2014-01-08T19:09:31Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > And a puppy. $1,000 and a free puppy\* That I could get behind. > > \*puppy would be tax free No deal! We demand 15% of your puppy! And we want the cute part! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/11 "2014-01-08T19:12:46Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > No deal! We demand 15% of your puppy! And we want the cute part! I suggest having each household send in the balls and/or uterus as part of a Federal Spay-n-Neuter program. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/12 "2014-01-08T19:16:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I suggest having each household send in the balls and/or uterus as part of a Federal Spay-n-Neuter program. > > Regards, > Shodan This helps the US Postal Service survive, as well. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/13 "2014-01-08T19:19:39Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > Well, not everyone: everyone who files a tax return. $1000 for each single person, $2000 for a married couple filing jointly. The payments would be offset by any cash payment you’re already getting: for example, **Social Security, disability, or unemployment**. People in jail or prison would be ineligible. > > In round numbers, you’re talking about $1.5 trillion, or less than half the Federal budget, or 10% of GDP. > > The program would be financed not by taxes, but by special bond issues which would be purchased, directly or indirectly, by the Federal Reserve. The Fed would hold the bonds indefinitely, and return the interest to the Treasury. > > The program would be reduced or eliminated if inflation rose: say, 10% for every 0.2 above 5%. So, for example, payments would be reduced by 50% if inflation hit 6%, and eliminated at 7%. > > Any drawbacks? So those most in need of a little extra cash get punished instead. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/14 "2014-01-08T19:22:26Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > $1000 for each single person, $2000 for a married couple filing jointly. What would be the advantage of two people filling jointly to get exactly twice the amount? Anyway, this appears to be a variation of Mises negative income tax. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/15 "2014-01-08T19:25:34Z")
So… let me get this straight: People on social security, disability and unemployment are already so unimaginably wealthy that they don’t need any more money. However, those with jobs could certainly use more. Therefore, we’ll send money to all the young, healthy, employed people? And then we’ll finance it through debt that we don’t have to pay back? Sure, yeah. What could go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/16 "2014-01-08T19:28:16Z")
I love this piece of magical thinking: “The program would be financed not by taxes, but by special bond issues which would be purchased, directly or indirectly, by the Federal Reserve. The Fed would hold the bonds indefinitely, and return the interest to the Treasury.” Hey, since it is free money, why stop at $1000? Let’s give everyone $20,000 a month! The program would be financed not by taxes, but by special bond issues which would be purchased, directly or indirectly, by the Federal Reserve. The Fed would hold the bonds indefinitely, and return the interest to the Treasury. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/17 "2014-01-08T19:42:36Z")
Clearly everybody knows its not free money, and if everybody is mostly paying to themselves there’s not really that much problem, tax wise, with it. Such a scheme would however have some other benefits if it supplants the plethora of other public subsidy arrangement there is, with one single uniform one. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/18 "2014-01-08T19:47:46Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Clearly everybody knows its not free money, and if everybody is mostly paying to themselves there’s not really that much problem, tax wise, with it. Such a scheme would however have some other benefits if it supplants the plethora of other public subsidy arrangement there is, with one single uniform one. See [A proposed "welfare" scheme (from another thread) - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=702053) ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/19 "2014-01-08T19:54:37Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > A free puppy every month? Your $1000 isn’t going to seem like much fairly quickly. Not if you crockpot them for 6 hours on low. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294/20 "2014-01-08T20:04:30Z")
It might make sense to do away with the dozens and hundreds of various assistance programs that subsidize dozens and hundreds of things, and just hand everyone in the country a check on the first of the month, and let them spend it however they like. Then we do away with social security, unemployment, WIC, food stamps, home mortgage interest deductions, tax brackets, housing assistance, minimum wage, personal deductions, and on and on. We’ll probably have to increase the nominal tax rate a bit, low income people essentially pay negative income taxes as the monthly is much larger than what they pay in taxes, middle income people pay low taxes as the monthly check is about the same as they pay in taxes, high income people get a drastically simplified tax code that means they’ll have to pay a higher effective rate. It is a simplified version of the negative income tax, the simplicity is that every dollar you earn is a net benefit since you can never edge over income limits to assistance programs. Dramatic decreases in bureaucracy since you don’t have to monitor or administer assistance programs, everyone gets a check whether they’re a crackhead living under a bridge or Bill Gates. I suppose if you’re incarcerated then your monthly check will be garnished to defray the cost of keeping you locked up. It’s a pretty good idea, the primary benefit is simplicity and transparency, since poor people already get all kinds of random-ass direct and indirect subsidies. However, this is why we will never ever implement something like this. Everybody likes the convoluted method because it hides all sorts of things that various people prefer to keep hidden for various reasons. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposal-give-everyone-1000-a-month/678294.md?page=2)