Pay money to ex-prisoners, yes, definitely a good idea. Pay money to people who have already got food, clothes, housing because they are currently in prison???
It only makes sense if they are charged for those things while away. While the cost of prison per inmate I am pretty sure runs higher than the figures we are talking about, they don't have to be charged for the security measures, just the things done in their interest. They are kinds double dipping if they get it all for free (however unpleasant) and still get the money while deserving of the less not more. On Tue, Dec 16, 2014 at 11:56 AM, Jed Rothwell <jedrothw...@gmail.com> wrote: > > John Berry <berry.joh...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Give money to people in prison??? >> >> Why? They can't really spend it, unless they are then charged for their >> accommodation. >> > > They would be charged. They would have to pay taxes if their income is > high enough. People in prison often have sources of income. > > I say, no means testing means no means testing. > > Granted, Social Security, which is the only present non-means tested > program, is not paid to people in prison. See: > > http://www.ssa.gov/reentry/#a0=0 > > > Instead it would just build up. >> > > Well, they could give it away to charity or to their families. But if it > built up, that would be okay. Someone would inherit it if they die in > prison. If not, the government would get it back. > > > >> Heck, sounds like a saving scheme, just commit a crime to get into a >> white collar prison and when you get out you have a nice nest egg built up. >> > > Why not? Do you think it would be better for society to have ex-prisoners > starve, or wander around homeless? Remember we are talking about a world > with unlimited robot-supplied material wealth. Ex-cons will not be taking > away resources that other people might have because they will be enough for > everyone. There will be no reason to be jealous of them or to restrict > their access, any more than we would today restrict their access to the > Internet or public libraries. > > > >> No, the money needs to be given to people who will pump it straight back >> into the economy, and people in need will spend it, prisoners aren't in >> need. >> > > Actually those who do not pump it back into the economy will also help > because that will reduce resource consumption somewhat. Even if material > goods are very cheap they would still cost something, so people who do not > consume them would be doing the rest of us a favor. A miser leaves wealth > for others to use. A problem arises when everyone saves and no one spends. > > - Jed > >
