The Political Movement Starting for a Guaranteed Minimum Income for Every American

As far as political goals go, the one Basic Income Action has organized to fight for stands to prove pretty popular: Give free money to everyone, every year, no questions asked. This is not a collective of high school class presidents seeking to expand upon their winning junior year campaigns, but a dead-serious national nonprofit touting a legitimate economic solution to rising joblessness and inequality. And they’re bringing it to Washington.

Basic Income Action is, according to co-founder Dan O’Sullivan, “the first national organization educating and organizing the public to support a basic income.” In an email, he tells me that “Our goal is to educate and organize people to take action to win a basic income here in the US.”

Interest in a basic income, also called a guaranteed or universal income, an annual unearned salary, or just “getting handed a giant lump sum of free cash every year,” is percolating. Of late, it’s been the subject of magazine features, it’s been championed by economists from major financial institutions, and it’s even been touted on the presidential campaign trail.

link.