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How Nixon, of All People, Attempted to Eradicate Poverty with Universal Basic Income
What Happened, Is it Feasible, and What Can We Do Now?
During the 2020 presidential election, millions of Americans heard about universal basic income for the first time, but the debate for UBI in the United States has persisted for fifty years now. As a continuation of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, which aimed to eradicate poverty for good, Nixon introduced the Family Assistance Plan in 1969. The program would provide $500 to every adult and $300 to each child, meaning a family of four would receive $1600 a year, which is nearly $12,000 a year in 2021.
Surprisingly, it garnered support from both sides of the aisle, and it passed in the House in both 1970 and 1971. Unfortunately, it was shot down both times in the Senate, which struggled to agree on how much money was enough, and ultimately was never signed into law. The Family Assistance Plan would provide a basic federal minimum in every state, in order to lift the entire nation into prosperity as a whole. This meant the program sought to stimulate parts of the country that did not have the same opportunities, like in poor districts, rural areas, or parts of the country that had a lot of seasonal workers.
Nixon justified his plan by saying America is the richest country in history. He…
