Free Republic

Forget grassroots movements. Two Democratic billionaires are currently trying to purchase the Democratic nomination for president. Billionaires Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg have already thrown millions around in their efforts to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Michael Bloomberg has used his philanthropic foundation to mask the candidate's purchase of political influence. The New York Times recently reported on how Bloomberg's foundation is strategically giving millions to certain cities across the country, and now the mayors of those cities are beginning to line up to endorse Bloomberg for president. (Via The New York Times) Bloomberg Philanthropies, which has assets totaling $9...

Michael Tubbs, the 27-year-old mayor of Stockton, California, has a radical plan to combat poverty in his cash-strapped city: a “no strings” guaranteed basic income of $500 a month for its residents. Starting in early 2019, Tubbs plans to provide the monthly stipend to a select group of residents as part of a privately funded 18-month experiment to assess how people use the money. “And then, maybe, in two or three years, we can have a much more informed discussion about the social safety net, the income floor people deserve and the best way to do it because we’ll have...

The mayor of Stockton, California, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to criminal charges stemming from a strip poker game he is accused of playing while furnishing beer to minors at a summer camp he hosts for underprivileged children.Anthony Ray Silva, 41, was arraigned in Amador County Superior Court on a felony eavesdropping charge and three misdemeanor counts - contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child endangerment and supplying alcoholic beverages to underage persons. Silva, who is free on $20,000 bond, entered not guilty pleas to all four charges. His next court date was set for Sept. 7. Outside the...

A Black Lives Matter chapter publicly praised a Starbucks barista for spiting in an officer’s coffee at a local California coffee shop Wednesday night. The Facebook page “Stockton Police Department, Corruption Reporting Page” posted a photo of the officer and his family, reports Fox 40. “We are happy to report that today this officer from the Stockton Police Department got to have coffee at Starbucks … served with a side of spit,” the caption alleged.

Michael Tubbs, the 26-year-old mayor of Stockton, California, thinks handing out $6,000 a year to low-income residents (with no strings attached) is the way to lift people out of poverty. “Stockton is absolutely Ground Zero for a lot of the issues we’re facing as a nation,” Tubbs told CBS San Francisco (video below). “Ideally, I would like to serve 100 families for 18 months at $500 a month.” Stockton is experimenting with a welfare program called “universal basic income,” which gives low-income residents $500 a month, no questions asked. The money is coming from a private grant. The California city,...

Of all the candidates for utopia, Stockton, California would be on the bottom of my list. But a 27-year-old mayor, with the backing of a foundation, is trying for utopia, as seen by supporters of the Mommy State: Universal Basic Income. Futurism.com writes: Stockton, California, is about to become the first city to test government-supported universal basic income in the U.S. The program is the idea of the city's 27-year-old mayor and will be primarily funded by the basic income advocacy group Economic Security Project.

Residents to get $500 a month, no questions asked, as starting point The mayor of Stockton, California, is leading an experiment with “universal basic income,” which is set to start by giving low-income residents $500 a month, no questions asked. Mayor Michael Tubbs calls his city “ground zero” for issues like wage stagnation, rising housing prices and loss of middle-class jobs that affect the nation. The Central Valley city went bankrupt in 2012, and for decades it has been trying to diversify its agriculture-based economy. “I feel that as mayor it’s my responsibility to do all I could to begin...