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A vast majority of candidates running the next parliamentary elections in Finland said they agree with the principle of the basic income, reveals national media.
With contribution from Johanna Perkiö
As the general elections are approaching, the idea of basic income just breached an unprecedented milestone in Finland, with nearly 65.5% of all parliamentary candidates publicly supporting the policy.
The report released by
national media YLE is based on direct answers from candidates collected through an online platform launched. 1,642 running candidates participated – for a total of nearly 2,000. Among other questions, candidates were asked if they agree with the following statement: “Finland should implement a basic income scheme that would replace the current minimum level of social security.”
Without surprise, the Greens candidates are the most favorable to the policy (99%), followed by the Left Alliance candidates (95%) and the Center (83%). Significant support is also found among the nationalist party ‘True Finns’ (57%) and the Swedish People’s Party (53%).
Altogether, political parties committed to basic income could virtually represent between 40 and 60% of the votes – theoretically enough to form a government.
On the other side, opponents to basic income are the Social Democratic Party (80% of their candidates), the Conservative Party (67%) and the Christian Democrats (57%).
The next parliamentary elections in Finland will take place on April 19th. It seems the opportunity for introducing basic income pilots in Finland – and Europe – have never been so close.
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About Stanislas Jourdan
Stanislas Jourdan has written 11 articles.
http://desiebenthal.blogspot.ch/2013/10/the-rubin-report-switzerland-basic.html
As you know if you have read my articles, I have been concerned with the futility of trying to solve our economic problems by promoting small businesses, bringing manufacturing home from overseas, and building our infrastruture, all noble ideas, but just efforts to postpone the inevitable. These measure don’t address the fact, whatever measures are taken, people aren’t needed anymore in sufficient capacity to put
23,000,000 or 12,000,000 people, take a number, back to work.
Phillips Electronics, manufacturer of most of our lighting modalities, just told the auto industry they needed to retire their robots as outmoded. They needed new ones that would eliminate all human contact as they’ve done in the manufacturing of their light bulbs.
Only the continuation of unemployment insurance, far past it’s intended length, has averted turmoil if not actual revolution. Even the Republicans understand this and weakly protest, but go along knowing until some solution is devised they have no other
alternative. I am happy to report that a Swiss economist, Francois de Siebenthal,
presented a plan at a recent economic conference in Canada, that eases my concern. His plan is well on the way to being submitted to a vote by the Swiss having already gathered 40,000 signatures of the 100,000 needed in just a short time. Siebenthal’s plan would
ensure “an unconditional basic income” for all Swiss citizens and legal residents.
Realizing the futility of ever again providing full employment in an automated world, he proposes all Swiss share in the benefits of this new world and provide purchasing power to all, regardless of their lot in life. His plan replaces traditional welfare systems,
including unemployment insurance, pensions, family allowances, student grants and disability payments. All will receive “dividends” from the wonders of man’s replacements. Suggested payments, converted into U.S. dollars, would be about $3,000 a month and a fair amount for each child. This would amount to about $9,000 a month for the average family. This would make us free to chose the work we want. He says Swizerland’s wide
spread use of automation should continue and the profits shared with government money issued based on the value of it’s gross domestic products (GDP) and not on debt as all
money is today. The benefits of this new world of automation must be shared by all
people.
I am not so naive as to think our banksters, and their bought politicians will agree
to such radical economics readily or that it will happen in my life time, but to continue debt created money and limiting it to 5 percent of society is doomed to fail as it has
repeatedly thru history and those defending it will have to eventually be brought
screaming and ranting into the 21st century. .
I can’t wait to tell of how it took 99 years to get the Federal Reserve System audited how the liberal politicians, almost universally, attempted to prevent it and the
news media, even the financial organs, have failed to publicize it.
A bit of humor. Yesterday my dearly beloved said, “I hope those new chickens
begin laying soon so I’ll have eggs for my Christmas cookies”. I retorted, “Last year you said, this is the last year I’m able to make cookies someone else will have to take over. I can’t do it anymore”. Her response, “Of course I’m going to make cookies, that was last year”.
Who said, “Only wine improves with age”
Alton Eliason
www.totokettimes.com/aman.docx
