Switzerland: An Initiative to Establish Basic Income for All

[ModerateCoward]

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/05/07/switzerland-an-initiative-to-establish-basic-income-for-all/

[I left.]

I think the amount being discussed is too high, but I'm not opposed in principle to a basic minimum income. A lot simpler and less bureaucratic than 100 seperate state programs for every little thing.

[Old Europe]

Is also part of the Pirate Party's platform in Germany. Greens and Left have discussed this as well and have settled on a scaled-down and modified version of this.

[Tender Branson]

In Austria this is already implemented - sort of (ca. 800€ a month, ca. 1050$).

[greenforest32]

This coupled with non-profit housing/utilities would do so much good.

Naturally it will be opposed by the greedy neoliberals who demand profit and ownership of everything

[Vosem]

Naturally it will be opposed by the greedy neoliberals who demand profit and ownership of everything

Yeah, this was basically my reaction as a neoliberal.

[Redalgo]

I think this is a splendid idea but cannot say whether the amount of money proposed is proper, excessive, or deficient because I am not savvy as to what the costs of living are in Switzerland.

[ModerateCoward]

I think this is a splendid idea but cannot say whether the amount of money proposed is proper, excessive, or deficient because I am not savvy as to what the costs of living are in Switzerland.

[opebo]

Very nice! And so nice that they actually suggest a reasonable, liveable amount rather than an offensive pittance.

[ZuWo]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

[Simfan34]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

[Χahar]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

Yeah, Swiss voters are great:

[ModerateCoward]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

Yeah, Swiss voters are great:

Well looks like I've lived in the near the right part of Switzerland then(Geneva).

[ZuWo]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

Yeah, Swiss voters are great:

You are right!

[Insula Dei]

Xahar ought to have posted the classic referendum on granting women the right to vote. (The 1959 one, though the 1971 one is also chilling in places)

[opebo]

...the country's productivity and international competitiveness

Come on, how can Switzerland be productive or internationally competitive?  Its cost structure is like 50 times China's.

[Simfan34]

...the country's productivity and international competitiveness

Come on, how can Switzerland be productive or internationally competitive?  Its cost structure is like 50 times China's.

It's called comparative advantage, opebo.

[opebo]

...the country's productivity and international competitiveness

Come on, how can Switzerland be productive or internationally competitive?  Its cost structure is like 50 times China's.

It's called comparative advantage, opebo.

I'm quite familiar with that bit of neo-liberal fluf, Simfan.

[ModerateCoward]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

Yeah, Swiss voters are great:

You are right!

Should I form the impression of German speaking Swiss based on you & this map? It won't be pretty...

[Sibboleth]

This post nails matters, I think:
 

I love the Swiss, they are just so reactionary that it's funny.

[Χahar]

Xahar ought to have posted the classic referendum on granting women the right to vote. (The 1959 one, though the 1971 one is also chilling in places)

Alas, I couldn't find a map of that one quickly on Hashemite's blog. It's too bad it wasn't around back in 1959.

[ZuWo]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

Yeah, Swiss voters are great:

You are right!

Should I form the impression of German speaking Swiss based on you & this map? It won't be pretty...

If you are able to form an opinion on an entire region based on a single poster from that region and the result of a single popular initiative, there's nothing I can do to stop you.

[Senator Sbane]

If this comes to a vote, this will be voted down just like the recent popular initiative that demanded 6 weeks holidays a year for every employee. The Swiss electorate is very careful - and mature I think - when it comes to voting on economic proposals. Any proposal that will lead to a massive rise of public expenditures or harm the country's productivity and international competitiveness has usually no chance.

Switzerland is like the US, except it functions properly. Wow. I am in awe of the Swiss voter right now. Democracy can certainly work there.

Yeah, Swiss voters are great:

You are right!

LOL you are in favor of banning minarets? So ridiculous....

[ZuWo]

LOL you are in favor of banning minarets? So ridiculous....

Is there a point in discussing an issue with someone who considers your point of view "ridiculous" from the outset? I don't think so. Nevertheless, I'll give it a try.

In a nutshell, I voted in favor of this initiative because I regard minarets in this country as a symbol of a form of Islam that I consider to be at odds with the values of Western society. Keep in mind that a minaret in an overwhelmingly non-Muslim country like Switzerland does not serve any religious purpose; there is no muezzin who calls people to prayer. So in fact, a minaret ban does not infringe on the religious rights of Muslims in the slightest.

[Senator Sbane]

Thanks for your response, I do appreciate it. To me banning minarets just seems like a way of pissing off/antagonizing a minority group for racist or xenophobic reasons. And how is a minaret symbolic of a form of Islam that is at odds with western society? This means you are saying that all of Islam is at odds with western society? Which means you are sending a not so friendly message to a minority community within your nation......