"Today, for instance, the plan includes a universal minimum income of $500 per month as it delves into social equity. There have been a couple of pilot programs on guaranteed income and Oakland is preparing to launch one. That type of program seems way too similar to what President Joe Biden and most Democrats are trying to jam down Americans' throats with the $3.5 trillion bill pushed by Socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders�"a favorite of California progressives.
The guaranteed income program will take an act of the Legislature."

It's a "guaranteed" income tax rate hike/wealth tax from the state legislature and/or a "guaranteed" sales tax increase from Alameda County to pay for all this. When more residents/businesses leave (because they don't want more of their income taxed) and the funding runs out, just keep raising the tax rates!

It is ok that the top 745 rich people in the US have INCREASED their wealth by $2.1 TRILLION just in the past 19 months. Top 1% are richer than the whole middle class in the US.

But, oh no, don't do a PILOT PROGRAM of $500 / month of guaranteed income to see if / how it will work.

We need ESSENTIAL WORKERS to make sure economy and supply chain run smoothly and grow. But, oh no, don't give them essential living wages - keep the federal minimum wage at $7.25 for the PAST 12 YEARS.

Tim says:
“The guaranteed income program will take an act of the Legislature. It's among the elements of a $1.5 trillion program�"no sources of revenue to fund it have been identified. "

First of all, it is a pilot program. There are a lot of people smarter than you and me who think it will work to reduce poverty. Why not give it a try?

If you listen to Biden and read both the infrastructure bill and the Build-Back-Better bill, you will see that they will be fully paid for by raising taxes on the rich and corporations.

Republican's biggest accomplishment was 2017 tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations.

What a Bunch Of BS.......

NO FREE RIDE!

There is nothing healthier for mankind then hard work, saving money, fearing God and honoring country.

The welfare system in this country has destroyed cities and is inclined to destroy this country. Oakland fatherless homes is what drives the crime rate in this county.

Giving away tax payer money will further instill the lawlessness. Free money that will buy more dope, generate greater crime against innocent people. Children as young as eleven years old are being arrested in this county for countless felonies.

"Child poverty is an ongoing national concern, but few are aware that its principle cause is the absence of married fathers in the home"...Robert Rector - Leading authority on Poverty.

"First of all, it is a pilot program. There are a lot of people smarter than you and me who think it will work to reduce poverty. Why not give it a try?"

Why not just expose it for a failure upfront instead of hitting up taxpayers for more in a state with some of the highest income/sales taxes already? Or maybe you can fund the "try" out of your own pocket instead?

The government has already spent trillions of dollars fighting poverty (welfare programs) since the Great Society programs were started in the 1960s. And poverty is still around. We need more people employed/self sufficient vs. more receiving "free" money/dependent on the taxpayers. The federal welfare reforms in the mid 1990s worked despite left wing naysayers ("smart people") predicting it would be a disaster. Your comment about the "rich" speaks volumes. More of the irritating left wing argument that income/wealth are "rights" you are "entitled" to, the economy will never expand, and someone doing well equals someone else getting "ripped off".

MichaelB, i am all for jobs and everyone working hard. And yes, some people take advantage of government benefits. But they are in minority and not all from Oakland (shaking my head in disgust that people think that way). The big problem is wages are low. In 1968, CEOs make 20 times their employees on the average. Now, CEO to employees wage ratio is 320-1. One reason employees are resigning and there is a shortage of workers is because workers want more in pay, benefits, etc.

I know I am not going to convince you and people like you. Your thinking and approach is outdated and aligned with old-timers. The young get what I have said above. It is just a matter of time that your style, approach and politics will disappear.

-The top 1% in wealth pay 40% of all taxes.

-ESSENTIAL WORKERS is a Nazi concentration label- I would reframe from using that phrase.

-We can't keep the supply chain moving because there is no one home in Sacramento or the White House. Pete took two months off while he gets paid $215,000 plus. Not enough intelligence to go around.

-Tax the corporations all you want, but they will increase prices and we always pay for their theories.

-lastly, will the Democrats give away program be given to American citizens or a work around to aid illegals and all the Middle East translators. Boy, there sure were a lot of translators.

People receiving the free money are the minority, and not just Oakland it is every major city. Wages are what they are for the times. My first job paid me sixty-five cents an hour. I was absolutely thrilled to have the job.

Kevin (the guy who gets his comments deleted) says: “I am having fun exposing the stupidity that comes out of Tim's blog." Thanks Kevin, you told us all we need to know about you.

@Michael Austin- Your comment is absolutely correct. People are so afraid of not being politically correct that they refuse to address the real problem driving the gap between incomes, and rising crime in the inner cities: Fatherless homes...Imagine how incredibly difficulty it must be for woman in the inner cities to attempt to be father, mother, breadwinner, disciplinarian, teacher of values and morals, and every other parental job that really requires two involved parents. Instead of addressing the real problem, politicians have failed for decades in ending this cycle by simply raising taxes and attempting to throw money at these families...How about increasing the marriage tax benefit, and encouraging fathers to get married and stick around and be active participants in their children's upbringings? Society use to "shame" fathers who abandoned their children, but now we are so afraid of being labeled a racist that society does not speak up and call them on their behavior that is destroying families and the inner cities. We need to speak up for the children, and let these dead beat dads know what they are doing is wrong, and have legislation and tax incentives that encourage these guys to get married, stick around, and be there for their children. It would "not take a village" to raise children if these dead beat dads simply did their job.

“Social equity" is code for socialism/communism, where theoretically everyone has an equal outcome. This system has never worked.
It is no surprise that these unelected, unvetted committees want to do their part to destroy America. The feckless Democrats who are pushing the Build Back Broke spending plan have no problem spending the money earned by citizens who actually work. This is all about total cradle to grave government control. But don't worry, you will have nothing and be happy.

Based on the various comments it's acceptable in the nation that constantly claims "we are the best nation in the world" to have millions of people unable to put 3 meals a day on the table, massive wealth concentrated in the hands of a few while millions have no healthcare (did Jeff Bezos really spend $552 million on his new toy boat?...oh, and he went to space, sort of...and, that's good because he's a successful businessman), and people like him don't want to pay even close to a living wage?

The game of capitalism is rigged for a few and, unfortunately, leaves millions behind. For those who have, it's a great way of keeping score. For those who don't, I guess the attitude is "it sucks to be you"...

Here's what the Karl Marx Kevin from Castlewood said:

“One reason employees are resigning and there is a shortage of workers is because workers want more in pay, benefits, etc."

Wrong (as usual).

Those “employees" would rather receive money from the government to not work. Kevin's socialist utopia is nothing more than a pie in the sky.

Not surprised how stupidity runs amok in the mind of a socialist; especially considering the fact that socialism has failed everywhere. And where socialism/communism exist, you have repressive governments. It's all about the act of a state entity controlling a citizenry by force for political reasons, particularly for the purpose of restricting or preventing the citizenry's ability to take part in the political life of a society, thereby reducing their standing among their fellow citizens.

Not surprisingly, those same repressive governments are the first to limit free speech, religion, etc. Kevin's thinking is in-line with those very same governments. Hey Kevin, at least 1 million Muslim minority Uighurs are held in Chinese government-run detention centers - more commonly known as re-education camps. And was it not you Kevin who attacked Tim on religious grounds back in 2020? Here's one from Kevin:

Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Dec 9, 2020 at 8:51 pm
Kevin is a registered user.

“...This is why religion is on major decline in the US - because of people like Tim, right-wing pastors..."