I'm not in the habit of defending @UnderpantsWeevil, but it's pretty clear that their point is that UBI cannot replace public infrastructure investment. You're not really arguing that it can and/or should, are you?
Dude told me to go out in the woods and buy electricity. That would be a relevant argument if people in the woods were poor. But the overwhelming majority of impoverished people live in urban environments, not the woods. Yeah, it's hard to get grid power run out to East Bumfuck Nowhere, but nobody living in East Bumfuck Nowhere wants to be connected to the grid. They all moved out there to dig a bomb shelter and wait for the apocalypse.
There is no shortage of electricity or Internet access in poor urban areas. The reason poor people might not have electricity or Internet access isn't because there is no Internet or electric infrastructure. The reason is because they can't fucking afford it.
I agree, public investment in infrastructure is important, but it is entirely irrelevant to the issue of poverty. The only point I would make about UBI and infrastructure is that if a large group of people have need for a "something", and they happen to have some money, someone is going to step in and try to exchange a "something" for their money.
The "public infrastructure" that most needs investment isn't all the shit that the people want. The most vital piece of "public infrastructure" is the people themselves. Give them the money and get out of their way.
I'm not in the habit of defending @UnderpantsWeevil, but it's pretty clear that their point is that UBI cannot replace public infrastructure investment. You're not really arguing that it can and/or should, are you?
Dude told me to go out in the woods and buy electricity. That would be a relevant argument if people in the woods were poor. But the overwhelming majority of impoverished people live in urban environments, not the woods. Yeah, it's hard to get grid power run out to East Bumfuck Nowhere, but nobody living in East Bumfuck Nowhere wants to be connected to the grid. They all moved out there to dig a bomb shelter and wait for the apocalypse.
There is no shortage of electricity or Internet access in poor urban areas. The reason poor people might not have electricity or Internet access isn't because there is no Internet or electric infrastructure. The reason is because they can't fucking afford it.
I agree, public investment in infrastructure is important, but it is entirely irrelevant to the issue of poverty. The only point I would make about UBI and infrastructure is that if a large group of people have need for a "something", and they happen to have some money, someone is going to step in and try to exchange a "something" for their money.
The "public infrastructure" that most needs investment isn't all the shit that the people want. The most vital piece of "public infrastructure" is the people themselves. Give them the money and get out of their way.