'He just handles certain things a little better'

'Trump is making significant headway with Catholics'

'I welcome your thoughts'

Some politicians and activists are eager to give you “free” money. They call it universal basic income, or UBI—cash for everyone, no strings attached. Comedian Dave Chappelle thinks UBI would “save my community almost instantly.” In my new video, UBI activist Conrad Shaw agrees, “You would effectively get rid of extreme poverty immediately.” He says a UBI will help people “start businesses, fix their homes or invest in sustainable gardens.” Well, “sustainable gardens” might be nice, but someone still has to make stuff. And that requires work— often difficult work. When I was young, If I hadn’t needed to work to support myself, I wouldn’t have pushed so hard to overcome my fears, my stuttering and my reluctance to speak publicly. I wouldn’t have become successful. I might have stayed in bed most of the day. But Shaw disagrees. “I don’t believe you,” he says. “Nobody actually wants that … people find their passions not simply because they need to make money.” We could argue about this all day. It would be nice if someone ran a serious test of UBI—give a lot of people significant money for, say, three years. Would people still work? Improve their lives? Their families’ lives? It turns out that Sam Altman, the guy behind ChatGPT, helped create such a test. His big study gave 1,000 low-income people $1,000 per month for three years—no strings attached. What happened? Not the great things that were promised. After three years of getting $1,000/month, UBI recipients were actually a little deeper in debt than before. Why? Because they worked less. Their partners did, too. Some recipients talked about starting businesses, but few actually tried it. Most who said they did start a business waited until the third year of the study—when their free money was about to end. I’m not surprised. Give people free money, you take away an incentive to work. Incentives matter. Shaw argues, “We conflate the idea of work with jobs.” It’s true, people do meaningful work outside jobs. But being paid to do a job does say you’re worth that amount to somebody. “How much money are you worth to the kid you’re raising?” Shaw replies. “The parent who’s sick that you’re taking care of?” A lot. “But it doesn’t address that other people have to work to pay for it,” I say. Shaw replies: “We pay taxes toward things that are better for our population, for the general welfare. It’s … something we do as a country.” “But this would pretty much double it!” I point out. “We already spend almost $2 trillion on welfare programs. You want to add to that?” Shaw says, no, universal basic income should “replace existing welfare programs.” That’s an interesting idea. “If we were to get rid of unemployment insurance, food stamps, welfare, and all the other insane policies we have, and just have a moderate universal basic income,” says Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron, “I think it would be a huge improvement.” But that will never happen. Anytime anyone tries to cut any government program, people freak out. Imagine trying to cut all welfare. “The chances politically that will happen are probably zero,” says Miron. Progressives want to add UBI to already existing programs. “Adding more programs is insane,” says Miron. “It will make the entire country melt down. The people who will bear the brunt of that will be people who are poor. The rich will move to other countries … hide their assets. We will have a debt crisis like nobody’s ever seen before.” We already have a debt crisis like nobody’s seen before! Let’s not make it worse with a universal basic income. COPYRIGHT 2024 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post The Cost of Free Money appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Biden Approves Military Aircraft Support for Trump Force One

M.I.A. — full name Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam — has always been wild. Rapper, artist, fashion icon, activist, she navigates the world with the same energy that bursts from “Paper Planes” and “Galang.” She’s even irked the NFL — surely you remember her middle finger during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. On a recent "Zero Hour," James Poulos sat down with Arulpragasam for a conversation that tackles the complexities of life under COVID restrictions, the transformative power of music and technology, and the ongoing spiritual quest amid a tech-dominated era.'Merging Only Fans with the music industry is where we're at in tech.'Arulpragasam and Poulos examine many of the pitfalls of modern life, particularly those at the intersection of technology with health.'Not an analog situation'She scrutinizes the mental health industry, offering music as a sanctuary for healing. This deep dive into the ramifications of AI and tech culture leads to a poignant reminder to keep humanity and spirituality at the forefront of our rapidly evolving world.She bemoans the proliferation of powerful devices, recalling that, when she was a teenager, she didn’t even have the internet in her home. “Slowly, slowly,” she tells James, “gadgets got added, but now my own lifestyle as a musician, I'm constantly surrounded by machines and everything is on and all the WiFi is on and everything needs WiFi."She adds: “So you can't even make music anymore unless you're logged into the programming app, into the microphone app. It's not an analog situation.”Techie tasteWhile tech increasingly dominates music, Arulpragasam notes that its leaders are woefully out of touch, content to stick with pornified artists like Cardi B, Ice Spice, and their various clones. "Merging Only Fans with the music industry is where we're at in tech," she says. "These techies advising governments [on how] to program AI and to program the technological future ... even they think the avant-garde is exactly the same as the mainstream, and all they want is a sexy female every time," she says.Faraday fashionThese days, Arulpragasam has shifted her focus to fashion. The “Queen of anti-brand” brings a unique twist to the streetwear with Ohmni, her line of EMF-protective clothing. Designed to shield against electromagnetic fields, her collection integrates faraday-lining and materials like silver, copper, and nickel to guard against potentially harmful radiation.While the debate over EMF safety continues, M.I.A. advocates for proactive protection rather than waiting for definitive evidence of harm.Her line includes everyday garments such as hats and track pants, fashioned from silver-infused fabric that merges functionality with style. M.I.A. emphasizes that her jersey fabric offers the comfort of a regular T-shirt while providing essential protection. Key items, like boxer shorts and track pants, are engineered to safeguard critical areas such as the heart and reproductive organs.M.I.A. also links the concept of protective clothing to broader themes of privacy and creativity, stressing the necessity of maintaining a personal haven in a tech-saturated world. Inspired by the technology surrounding Julian Assange, particularly a faraday phone case, M.I.A. was motivated to explore protective fashion.Et tu, Hypebeast?She also realizes, however, that the production of this specialized fabric poses its own challenges. Currently sourced from China — ironic given its reputation for surveillance — the fabric highlights a paradox: Protective technology is manufactured in a country known for its watchful eye, while it remains elusive in the "land of freedom."Looking ahead, M.I.A. envisions expanding her brand as awareness of EMF exposure grows. She believes that, with increasing concerns over advanced technologies like 5G and 6G, the demand for protective clothing is expected to rise, marking a new frontier in the intersection of fashion, health, and technology.On top of it all, she fights the resistance caused by a media that once worshiped her. Hypebeast, who once adored her boldness, accused her of going “full tinfoil hat.” These days, that’s quite the compliment.

With three weeks until the presidential election, voters deserve a critical debate on education, yet it remains absent from the discussion. Last month’s debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) touched on various issues, including immigration, abortion, and the economy, while Donald Trump criticized both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. However, not one of the candidates has faced substantive questions on education, a crucial area of public policy.The only education-related moment in the debate came when Tim Walz made an awkward remark about being friends with school “shooters” instead of “victims.” Just like in the earlier presidential debate, the moderators missed an opportunity to spark a meaningful discussion on a policy that directly impacts millions of Americans and their families.Voters should renounce the anti-parent stance of Harris and Walz, support parents and students, and reject the education cartel dismantling our public schools.Education affects voters daily when their children attend school. It also has long-term consequences for the entire nation. The strength of the education system shapes the next generation’s ability to drive economic growth and uphold the values that define our way of life.The lack of discussion around education policy doesn’t just leave voters uninformed; it also allows Harris and Walz to sidestep scrutiny on positions that would likely alarm and outrage most parents.Walz often emphasizes his background as a teacher and assistant coach, but his record on education reveals a history of anti-parent policies.As I’ve detailed elsewhere, Walz supports removing children from parents who oppose gender transitions, as shown by his signature on Minnesota’s “sanctuary” law for such procedures. During the George Floyd riots in 2020, as Minneapolis faced chaos without National Guard intervention, Walz kept Minnesota schools in lockdown, leaving students behind due to pressure from national teachers’ unions. And he is a steadfast opponent of school choice, ensuring taxpayer money remains tied to government-run schools.Kamala Harris is unlikely to do more than endorse Walz’s anti-parent stance. During her time in the U.S. Senate, she held one of the most radically progressive voting records, consistently aligning with the interests of major teacher unions. Her fealty earned their swift endorsement after Joe Biden withdrew from the race in July.But Harris and Walz would rather you ignore these details. This has always been the tactic of the education establishment that dominates public schools and, by extension, influences American students. Harris and Walz aim to highlight the politically advantageous aspects, relying on talking points about expanding government services.They don’t want you to notice that American test scores have plummeted to historic lows in recent years. They hope you won’t question what your child is being taught — whether it’s topics on sex and gender, critical race theory, or a revised history of America’s founding. They definitely don’t want you examining the presence of pornographic books in school libraries.Rather, they want you to think about subsidized cafeteria lunches and preschool programs, all the while expecting you to hand over more of your tax dollars and the keys to your children’s hearts and minds in exchange.America’s students have a brighter future as Harris and Walz face a changing political landscape less favorable to the education establishment. I’ve spent my career in education and witnessed a big shift in recent years. Education freedom programs are expanding across the country, and activists like my friend Chaya Raichik are exposing the truth about indoctrination in many public schools. As a result, parents nationwide are demanding better education for their children — and they’re right to do so.Elections give us options. Donald Trump and JD Vance have proven themselves to be champions of parental rights in the White House and the Senate. They support diverse, innovative approaches to public education, offering what students truly deserve. That’s why voters should renounce the anti-parent stance of Harris and Walz, support parents and students, and reject the education cartel dismantling our public schools.

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