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Comment by nawitus | Hacker News Reader

It's interesting how so many Americans are against basic income, when there's a form of basic income already: receiving food stamps while working in a full-time job. I don't see any problem with receiving benefits / basic income when working for a smaller wage, if the amount of basic income is large enough. Therefore I wouldn't try to "force" Walmart to increase wages, rather I'd vote for politicians who support basic income.

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I don't think people know enough to be against it.

I'm a university student and within the last year I've talked to 20+ people about it (mostly students), and mostly people don't know what it is.

That's a good point, it's more known here in Europe. Anyway, I'd estimate that most people are against it after hearing about it.

It's NOT a full time job, that's the whole point of walmart!

Walmart only employs part time employees for most of their positions, so they do not have to pay all the extra costs of a full time employee.

They have a system where every worker only works up to the part-time hour limits.

So the answer to all these people in the videos problems is get a second job, that is what my mother had to do. Instead they are lazy and work part time, then they take handouts because they aren't making enough.

Spoken like a true scumbag apologist.

Okay, they get a second job. What happens when one of the two jobs demands that they work at that place during the same time that they're supposed to be at the other job (or doesn't allow for enough time to travel to the other)? They get fired from one. They're now back at square one.

Also, what about cases where people live somewhere where there ARE NO OTHER AVAILABLE JOBS and can't afford to leave?

> Spoken like a true scumbag apologist.

Personal attacks are not allowed on Hacker News.

What about the many cases where people don't make enough to maintain a meager style of living but "too much" to qualify for things like food stamps?

Well, I certainly don't advocate the current form of food stamps, rather I think it should be replaced with basic income. My point was that most people use arguments like "if people can get benefits without working, then nobody would work", and Walmart employees are a counter-argument to that.

Walmart or Mac Donald's jobs ARE subsidized jobs, period.It means everybody is paying so Walmart or MC Donald's can make more short term profit. But i'd say it's not the heart of the problem,just a symptom.

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