meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Slate Daily Feed

Better Life Lab: Is America Ready for a Guaranteed Basic Income?

Slate Daily Feed

Slate

News, Business, Society & Culture

3.91.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 May 2022

⏱️ 34 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Michael Tubbs grew up in poverty. And when, at 26, he was elected mayor of his hometown, he decided to do something about it. And what he did in Stockton, California, no American mayor had done before. He started giving poor people cash. No strings attached. Stockton’s pilot program in Guaranteed Basic Income started lifting people out of poverty. It gave parents more time with their kids. And it was actually cost-effective. So as we look to the Future of Work and Wellbeing, could Guaranteed Basic Income programs play a central role in lifting all of us up — and boosting the standard of life for all Americans? Guests Michael Tubbs, elected mayor of Stockton, California in 2016 at the age of 26 — the youngest mayor in the country. He is known nationally for establishing the first city-led Guaranteed Basic Income program in America, which has inspired dozens of other cities across the country to try similar programs. Having lost his re-election bid in 2020, Tubbs recently founded the nonprofit End Poverty in California. Natalie Foster, co-founder, co-director Economic Security Project, which worked closely with Tubbs on Stockton’s Guaranteed Basic Income program John Summers, participant in pilot guaranteed basic income program Cambridge RISE in Massachusetts. Resources Stockton’s Basic Income Experiment Paid Off, Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic The Potential for a Guaranteed Income: A Conversation with Four Mayors, New America California, 2021. The Future of Leisure, Stuart Whatley, Democracy Journal, 2012 The Evolving Concept of Time for Work, Leisure, Pew Research, 2008 Less Work and More Leisure: Utopian Visions and the Future of Work, CBC Radio, 2018 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Michael Tubbs grew up poor, and when he was elected mayor, he decided to do something about

0:14.9

poverty.

0:16.5

He was just 26, the youngest mayor of any major city in the United States.

0:21.5

And what he did in his hometown of Stockton, California, no American mayor had done before.

0:28.1

He started giving poor people cash.

0:31.0

No strings attached.

0:32.6

I'm a data guy, so once someone says this is what solves this problem, it's like, okay,

0:36.4

well, let's try to implement said solution regardless of the politics will make the politics

0:41.4

work.

0:42.4

Stockton's pilot program in guaranteed basic income proved an amazing success.

0:48.5

Opponents called it an invitation to fraud and corruption, but it started lifting people

0:53.7

out of poverty.

0:56.4

They found better jobs.

0:58.4

Parents got more time with their kids, and it was actually cost-effective.

1:03.2

Many other mayors and presidential candidates too were inspired to take up Stockton's approach,

1:09.2

which begs the question, could guaranteed basic income programs radically reduce poverty,

1:15.7

and in so doing, boost the quality of life for all Americans?

1:21.6

I'm Bridget Cholte, and this is Better Life Lab.

1:25.1

Stay with us.

1:26.4

I'm Bridget Cholte, you're listening to Better Life Lab.

1:44.0

Guaranteed basic income has attracted many fans in recent years, like Dorian Warren, co-president

1:50.0

of Community Change, who was my guest last episode.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Slate, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Slate and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.