Biden's First Priorities

David Brooks Op-Ed in the Times today will certainly draw a lot of the kind of comments that I read just now.  While I have no faith in the Republican party to do anything except be obstructionist, it is really important to pick the first battles wisely.  Here is my response.

"There are real differences between rejoining the Paris Accord, and ruling by "diktak" as you say. But the point is still essentially valid. 

As much as I love Obama, and like the ACA, in hindsight, the central focus should have been on creating more economic equality and opportunity for ALL Americans through extremely popular measure like a $15 minimum wage (which Florida voted for in 2020 61% despite also voting for Trump). However, given that the first priority will certainly be COVID-19 response, policies like the $15 min wage won't help much. And the generous unemployment benefits not only don't reach those that need it, but also have a downward drag on employment. 

It is time for the increasingly popular idea of a Universal Basic Income. Not the one time "targeted" stimulus check, but a real Universal Basic Income for the remainder of the crisis. Lets then see what the effects are on a scale the size of the US. If it is the same as all the trials seem to suggest, we will keep it forever. Improved health care, education, mental health, labor power, basic security, just to name a few. 

Importantly, refusing to give every citizen cash to spend as they please in a free market, during a pandemic, would be hugely unpopular and there are a lot of Republicans up for re-election to the Senate in 2022."

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