News on Basic Income in the U.S., Jan. 27, 2000

An informal group of basic income supporters had our first seminar on Jan. 20 at the Hunter School of Social Work in New York. Charles Clark of St. John's University spoke presented a paper coauthored with John Healy called "How the Irish Might Save Civilization Again: A Basic Income Proposal for Ireland." They found amoung other things that Ireland could support a basic income sufficient to lift all Irish above the poverty line with a marginal tax rate of as little as 39 percent. The issue is currently receiving considerable attention in Ireland and the Irish government may soon be sponsoring a basic income experiment.

Dr. Clark's seminar was followed by a discussion of what we can do to increase discussion of basic income in the United States. To that end we will be having more seminars in the near future, putting together a website, and hopefully, within the next two years, organizing a basic income conference in the United States.

In other basic income news, Sally Lerner, Charles Clark, and Bob Needham will do a book launch for their new book, "Basic Income: Economic Security for all Canadians" (Between the Lines, Toronto, 1999) from 7-9 pm on Friday, January 28 at the Bloor Street United Church, 300 Bloor St. W., Toronto. All are welcome. Also in Canada, a lively email discussion group on basic income is up and running. If you're interested contact:

Sally Lerner

The new issue of the OASIS newsletter advocating basic income in Australia is out. Anyone interested in receiving a copy should contact:

Allan McDonald

The Basic Income European Network (BIEN) will have its next conference this fall in Berlin. If you are interested in finding out more about it see the BIEN website:

http://www.econ.ucl.ac.be/ETES/BIEN/bien.html

If you have any news on basic income, please let me know. If you know anyone who would like to be added to this list please send me their email address or ask them to contact me. If you'd like to be removed from this list please email me and let me know.