A universal basic income is a perfect policy for the lunatic fringe greens as it promises money for everyone but completely fails to account for where the money comes from.

Given that the entire government expenditure is roughly $450bn, (25% of GDP) whacking an additional $250bn on top would require increasing taxes by nearly 60% which in turn would wipe out investment, incentives for working etc.

Something only idiots could seriously consider.

The definition of insanity is to do the same thing & expect a different outcome.

Only a bureaucrat & perhaps the bludgers, could believe government control of the majority of a countries cash flow would be a good thing.

Hasbeen,
"The closest thing was communism in Russia & China"
That sounds very much like you're lazily viewing things through a 1960s cold war prism - you regard communism as "the enemy" and so oppose anything that bears even the slightest resemblance to any form of communism, regardless of the effects it would have.

Your claim is also objectively false, as Toni Lavis has identified something much closer.
There have also been small scale UBI trials which (according to what I've heard on ABC RN) worked well.

There are many good reasons to oppose a UBI. Indeed I oppose it because I regard it as inefficient, expensive, and an excuse for governments to neglect their duty of ensuring sufficient jobs are created. I also think that the reduced incentive to work would, though slight, still be a problem.

But the suggestion that it's akin to collective farming is laughable. And nobody is claiming it would be the majority of a country's cashflow.

The trials mentioned by Aidan were actually one very small one in an part of Finland, and it was too small to extrapolate over an entire country. The people getting money for nothing certainly thought it was 'successful', but like all Reds, they didn't give thought to where the money was coming from. It is a two year trial that hasn't come up with any results yet.

UBI is a leftist dream. In our capitalistic, individually driven society I believe it would not work. Trying to accommodate everyone has never worked. Heck, how many times have I said, democracy sucks. Why because 51% of the population get what they want. The other half can go and get stuffed. It infuriates me to see moron pollies throwing out all these lollies and the other morons catching them saying how wonderful they are and what they're going to do for us. Once they get in, it's all forgotten. So before you all go espousing the virtues of d!ckheads like duh nutterie, and the like think about why their suggestions won't work. These people are not pollies so they have worse than no idea what they're talking about. They are on about the same level as Hanson, and I've got much more time for her than this idiot. UBI's don't work, end of. It's the thing of warm fuzzy feelings, long walks along the beach at sunset, sipping double latte's at some idyllic little cafe setting by the river. Now snap out of it and keep your dreams to yourself because in the real world it is nothing like that. There are still thieves ,cheats, con-men and so on. We do not aspire to communes and the like so UBI's remain a taboo topic.

$23,000 to everyone over 18, including multi millionaires, no means test. Plus a government-owned bank for low cost mortgages. There is no doubt whatever Green is now synonymous with communism.