The biggest reason for a universal basic income is that jobs are becoming less and less as technology improves. It is impossible to expect people to work to afford basic food needs because the jobs are not available. Today around 40% of working age people do not work. There's also the issue of so many low paying jobs. People that makes less than $12/hr for example will have a significantly improved quality of life for $3k a month. We would also have less reason to have these menial jobs available that could easily be replaced by automated systems, like cashiers for example. A universal income of $3k would be sufficient and almost eliminate poverty. That's only $250 mo, but enough to make sure people don't starve. It's $1 trillion a year. In comparison we spend $6 trillion on our military a year atm. Give it to everyone except for illegals that do not pay taxes.