{"sourceInsights":[{"id":"117694514","lede":"\"To be sure, you probably don't want to run a program that hunts out every family below the poverty line and brings them right up to it. Such a program would effectively involve imposing a 100 percent marginal tax rate for all income made below the poverty line. But, things like strategically expanding the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, SNAP, and related programs could make enormous strides toward poverty reduction. Implementing a mild basic income and a negative income tax would also help a great deal. The policy solutions for dramatically cutting poverty exist, they are used by countries elsewhere, and they could be used here, if we chose to do so.\"","slug":"in-2012-it-would-ve-cost-usd175-3-billion-to-raise-every-u-s-citizen-s-income-to","title":"In 2012, it would've cost $175.3 billion to raise every U.S. citizen's income to the poverty line, or 1.08% of GDP. Poverty-line unemployment insurance is estimated to cost between 6 to 35 times less than a UBI.","showTitleAsQuote":false,"epistemicStatus":"theoretical","reports":[{"id":"19519421","title":"Basic Income","slug":"basic-income"}],"tags":[{"slug":"poverty","name":"Poverty","id":"100414757","lede":"

Despite consistent reductions in global poverty over the decades, even centuries, there remains a stubborn relationship between progress and the persistence of poverty.

\n\n

In 2021, the poverty line for an individual was in income of $12,880 per year. The threshold rises to $17,420 for a two-person household, $21,960 for three, and $26,500 for four.

\n\n

In 2019, the U.S. poverty rate was 10.5% (34 million Americans), down from 11.8% in 2018.

\n","ledeExcerpt":"Despite consistent reductions in global poverty over the decades, even centuries, there remains a stubborn relationship between progress and the persistence of poverty.\n\nIn 2021, the poverty line for an individual was in income of $12,880 per year. The threshold rises to $17,420 for a two-person household, $21,960 for three, and $26,500 for four.","featured":true},{"slug":"stability","name":"Stability","id":"23916385","lede":"

We define stability as the resiliency, robustness, and constancy of our nested social, financial, and environmental systems. Stability is the degree to which our systems can withstand stress and maintain their functionality over time.

\n\n

Why do we need stability? All else equal, a stable society is preferable to an unstable society. Stability - the product of the harmonious interaction between parts, or interwoven systems - protects against uncertainty and decay. For example, a healthy body regulates its blood glucose levels to provide cells with their required energy. Too much glucose makes cells sticky, with a paralyzing effect. Too little glucose starves them. What's important is the constancy of glucose regulation within functional limits, and the resiliency to maintain this regulation amidst adversity.

\n\n

Instability occurs when systems transgress functional limits, causing the breakdown of other systems and suffering for those who depend on them. When interlocking systems remain stable, they provide a fertile foundation for positive expectations that fuel investments in progress and broad cooperation throughout society.

\n","ledeExcerpt":"We define stability as the resiliency, robustness, and constancy of our nested social, financial, and environmental systems. Stability is the degree to which our systems can withstand stress and maintain their functionality over time. \n\nWhy do we need stability? All else equal, a stable society is preferable to an unstable society. Stability - the product of the harmonious interaction between parts, or interwoven systems - protects against uncertainty and decay. For example, a healthy body regulates its blood glucose levels to provide cells with their required energy. Too much glucose makes cells sticky, with a paralyzing effect. Too little glucose starves them. What's important is the constancy of glucose regulation within functional limits, and the resiliency to maintain this regulation amidst adversity.\n\nInstability occurs when systems transgress functional limits, causing the breakdown of other systems and suffering for those who depend on them. When interlocking systems remain stable, they provide a fertile foundation for positive expectations that fuel investments in progress and broad cooperation throughout society.","featured":true}],"sources":[{"id":"117694502","lede":"\"It would take only 1 percent of GDP, or a fourth of what we spend on defense every year, to lift every American below the poverty line up above it.\"","link":"https://prospect.org/power/much-money-take-eliminate-poverty-america/","slug":"how-much-money-would-it-take-to-eliminate-poverty-in-america","kind":"Article","title":"How Much Money Would It Take to Eliminate Poverty In America?","year":"2013-01-01","researchers":[{"id":"117694468","location":"People's Policy Project","name":"Matt Bruenig","seoDescription":"","slug":"matt-bruenig"}]}]}],"source":{"id":"117694502","lede":"\"It would take only 1 percent of GDP, or a fourth of what we spend on defense every year, to lift every American below the poverty line up above it.\"","link":"https://prospect.org/power/much-money-take-eliminate-poverty-america/","slug":"how-much-money-would-it-take-to-eliminate-poverty-in-america","kind":"Article","title":"How Much Money Would It Take to Eliminate Poverty In America?","year":"2013-01-01","researchers":[{"id":"117694468","location":"People's Policy Project","name":"Matt Bruenig","seoDescription":"","slug":"matt-bruenig"}]}}