Scott Santens Responds to Steve Forbes' UBI Explainer Video

This video is in response to the video titled "Universal Basic Income: Free Money For Everybody?" posted on August 13, 2020 where Steve Forbes gave a quick overview of the idea of UBI in the U.S. before warning everyone what a disastrous idea it is, because it would lead to the elimination of the work ethic, and would require huge tax increases that would destroy the American economy.

As someone who has been trying to better inform the UBI discussion since 2013, I felt the need to respond to help explain all the many ways Steve Forbes is wrong in this particular matter.

Steve Forbes' UBI explainer video:

Link to my pinned tweet compilation of UBI evidence:

For more info about UBI, please refer to my UBI FAQ:

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Special thanks to: Gisele Huff, Haroon Mokhtarzada, Steven Grimm, Zack Sargent, Floyd Marinescu, Andrew Stern, David Ruark, Larry Cohen, Bridget I Flynn, Jeff Lu, Mike Jones, Kerry Bosworth, Tom, Myles McLane, John Hamilton, Xiaohu Xie, Laurel Gillespie, Mark Hechim, Dylan J Hirsch-Shell, Tricia Garrett, Tom Cooper, Michael Tinker, Athena Washington, Robert Collins, Joanna Zarach, Ace Bailey, Justin Walsh, Daragh Ward, UBIVisuals, Victor Lau, Albert Wenger, Tríona Ni Bholguidhir, Sean Zimmermaker, Laura Palmer, Diane Pagen, LMSW, Nelly Yiptong, Thomas SV, Heidi, Marie Janicke, Michael Finney, Garry Turner, Peter T Knight, Toby Green, Jess Allen, Myi Baril, Michael Hrenka, Jack Canty, Will Ware, rachel perkins, Max Henrion, Che Wagner, Elizabeth Corker, Daniel Brockman, Reid Rusonik, Gray Scott, Gerald Huff, Michael Honey, Natalie Foster, Joe Ballou, Chris Rauchle, Jan Smole, chris heinz, Madeleine Webb, Jeff Tidball, Jay & Christina, Paige Havener, Yang Deng, Jeremie Rodriguez, Elliot Lee, Daniel Helsten, Terry Wei, Jeff , richard kilshaw, Kathryn Schelonka, Yan Xie, Ben Stephens, Ivan Vazquez, Iggy C, engageSimply - Judy Shapiro, Reid Knight, AYFAQ.com , Phuong Truong, Stephen Starkey, Jessica Wales, Tim , Timothy P O'Connor, Janos Abel, Meshack Vee, Oliver Bestwalter, Kev Roberts, Chris Boraski, Nicolas Pouillard, Philip Jackson, Walter Schaerer, VilliHaukka , Elizabeth Balcar, Casey L Young, Kai Wong, Kirk Israel, all my other funders for their support, and my amazing partner, Katie Smith.

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#UniversalBasicIncome #BasicIncome #SteveForbes

[ForAnAngel]

Just as I learned from the movie Parasite, it's not the poor that are leeching on the rich. It's the rich that are leeching on the poor.

[aaldrikbakker]

"Poor people should work, so that rich people have a good and happy life".

[adamdominguez]

NOTICE That "They" always say..."Others will Stop Working" no one ever says "I will stop working"

[a.y.greyson]

We all know the hesitancy is due to the fear of losing power and control.

[sugarsweet]

Old money has difficulty relating to people who are not wealthy. Walmart just reported how sales surged due to stimulus check we received. They now hope people get another stimulus check as sales are way down again. Trickle up economics ⬆️

[bPermaculture]

It will happen, sooner better than later. To stop suffering with dignity is the right way to help people live.

[sugarsweet]

Also UBI could change the consciousness of society in a nurturing way. More than any philanthropic organization. People would feel part of society like how inheritance is passed on to family members.

[BRMX]

Amazing response, I respect you and your work greatly.

[jimparkgm]

Here's my response: I didn't even know Steve Forbes' had a voice or that it mattered at all until this moment. The dinosaurs are just making incomprehensible noise at this point.

[annalee]

Excellent response! From a spiritual/energetic perspective, if you paid someone to give them an opportunity to do what they want (even if they choose to not work), you would contribute to the tone level of humanity which is the entire purpose of our existence. Having a happy person who does not work is far more valuable to the evolution of humanity than an unhappy person working at a job they hate and experiencing anger, resentment, anxiety, stress, frustration, despair, dissonance, etc. it would be money well spent.

[billyhoffman]

This is the best UBI argument I've heard yet. Maybe we should thank Steve for something to bounce off! Or then again maybe not thank him at all. 🙄

[MuditVerma]

Phenomenal video, Scott! I especially resonated with the point towards the end about Earth's land and the ongoing implications of private property. Thank you!

#YangGang #HumanityForward

[wanttoseemore]

Love the format great video. Looking forward to more. Is their any info on the people who got a UBI in NY? My favorite statement was that there is no creditable argument against UBI. If there was one it would be that people hate each and cant get along and will kill each other if given the chance. Or at least that is what it seems like they are saying when against it.

[afuturemodern]

almost got into land value tax there, keep going

[LiamStojanovic]

I'm glad you made this video, Scott.

Steve Forbes's article is just terrible. It 's clickbait, has no citations, and doesn't expand on any of his points in meaningful ways. How am I supposed to trust a Forbes article in the future, when their very own chairman and editor-in-chief half-asses his own content? Embarrassing.

[ernestbyers]

Thank you, Scott. We appreciate everything you're doing for us.

[katherinebanbury]

Thank you Scott. This is clear, compelling and inspiring. A good idea to reply in video for folks that wouldn't otherwise have the attention/context to follow along. I see you have over 400 thumbs up and no thumbs down. Well done. I hope Steve was listening, but it doesn't matter, we need poor folks/working folks/even middle class folks w/some income and property to hear this. In my experience it takes videos and many explanations like this that are fact based, fun, and offered in a relaxed fashion to get people to even start considering it. Its an important context to properly lay out. We as a society have been deeply conditioned to believe in a made up and cruel rugged individualism. This pseudo theory is completely at odds with nature and because we are in fact nature, there will be negative consequences to pretending humans are something other than completely interconnected, interdependent beings that have certain needs to survive and resources to thrive.

[mssantiago]

Wonderful video Scott, keep up the amazing job!!

[universalbasicdividendubd]

Monopoly Game Question...
You're about to start a game of Monopoly, with a small group of people. But before it starts, you're told you'll be the only player not to get the "passing go" money - Still want to play?

[yangdaily-andrewyangnewspo]

A great collection of strong arguments for #UBI. Well done as always, Scott! Will bookmark this one and share it around.