Posted on 10/04/2013 12:36:48 PM PDT by Kip Russell
Switzerland will hold a vote on whether to introduce a basic income for all adults, in a further sign of growing public activism over pay inequality since the financial crisis.
A grassroots committee is calling for all adults in Switzerland to receive an unconditional income of 2,500 Swiss francs — about $2,800 — per month from the state, with the aim of providing a financial safety net for the population.
Organizers submitted more than the 100,000 signatures needed to call a referendum on Friday and tipped a truckload of 8 million five-cent coins outside the parliament building in Bern, one for each person living in Switzerland.
Under Swiss law, citizens can organize popular initiatives that allow the channeling of public anger into direct political action. The country usually holds several referenda a year.
In March, Swiss voters backed some of the world's strictest controls on executive pay, forcing public companies to give shareholders a binding vote on compensation.
A separate proposal to limit monthly executive pay to no more than what the company's lowest-paid staff earn in a year, the so-called 1:12 initiative, faces a popular vote on Nov. 24.
The initiative's organizing committee said the basic income could partly be financed through money from social insurance systems in Switzerland.
The timing of the vote has yet to be announced, pending official guidance from the government.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.msn.com ...
If they are going to do this, they should eliminate all other social programs. It might actually be cheaper to administer - just make sure the penalties for fraud are severe.
Where do I apply?
and where will this money come from if every decides not to work?
You get $2,800.00.
But you are taxed 100%.
Charles Murray had a book about a similar proposal. He claims one can replace all the spending on redistribution programs with a $10,000 check to every US citizen.
“and where will this money come from if every decides not to work?”
Don’t be silly. Corporations and the rich, of course. ] The have plenty of “spare” money they “don’t need.” Because, “at some point, you’ve got enough money.”
And what is the cost of living in Switzerland?
“Unconditional Income” is not income. It’s Welfare. And people will not work. So a beer will cost 50 Swiss Francs. That’s $55 American.
From Wikipedia:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Switzerland
In 2011, the federal income tax varied from a bracket of 1% (for single tax payers) and 0.77% (for married taxpayers) to the maximum rate of 11.5%. Individuals earning below 13,600 and couples earning below 27,000 Swiss francs were exempt. On cantonal level, tax rates varies heavily, Obwalden adapted a 1.8% flat tax on all personal income following a cantonal referendum in 2007. In most cantons, the rate is proportional with a maximum rate of 6.5% in Bern, whereas in Zurich it was 13% and in Geneva 17.58-.76 % (depending upon taxes as single or jointly).
As I read it, the tax rate appears relatively low (unless you live in Zurich or Geneva)
and if no one has an incentive to work, who is going to pay for this?
lol
It goes back further than that. During the Nixon Administration, Milton Friedman proposed that the entire welfare bureaucracy be replaced by a “negative income tax”.
Ooooo.... Zurich, we have a problem.
So we get the EITC and dozens of welfare programs.
lol
I always laughed at Gov per diem travel reports.
They would pay 5 auditors to pour over your report to make sure you didn’t screw the Gov for a tube of toothpaste.
Spend $5k so save $5 LOL
I think it’s all flat rate now, as it should be.
When Cloward and Piven originally came up with their strategy, the purpose was to force us to move to THIS instead.
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