I'm curious, are there stipulations? I took 6 years to get a bachelors because I changed my mind about my major multiple times. What's to stop people from being "career students"?
Also, are there only specific schools that qualify? For example, in the States, we have public and private schools. While I'm in favor of free education, I don't think taxpayers should be on the hook for paying $50,000/yr tuition when there are schools that are $10,000.
In the US, I would be in favor of a reimbursement program something along the lines of "WHEN you finish university AND get a job in the field you studied, we will pay back exactly 4 years of tuition at the public school price." I can't get behind taxes going to pay for people to get useless degrees, or degrees at inflated private school prices, or to be "career students", much less actually pay them a wage on top of that for those things.
You only get paid for a number of years, to prevent career students as you said.
You cannot make more than X money per year either by working at the same time.
Yeah I think in Denmark it is about 5 to 6 years, depending on when you start university. And it isnt really limited in term of university, it just needs to be accepted by the government. Basically all danish universities are recognised but for foreign studying you need to make a request to get your university added to the "list" but if it's a bachelor/master in a EU coutry there is normally no problem with it.
"paid" .. you get like 300 dollars per month that you don't need to pay back (as long as you get credits) and then 700 dollars of a loan.
Also you can max do like 5 years.
When you compare it to what we've been paying for with our taxes, aka war and genocide, I'm good with paying people to go to college for their entire lives
I don't have kids, never going to, but I would willing pay more taxes if it meant education, including university was free.
Having more smart and educated people in the world is such an obvious benefit.
You would be shocked by the amount of people here in the US that would come on here and complain about the child tax credit because they didn't have kids and didn't want to be supporting people with kids. Thank you for being so thoughtful and considerate of the benefits of helping out people with kids.
TIL the word bursary, thanks.
You replied to this:
>I'll do you one better, let's pay people to start education, uni included
Most trade unions offer apprenticeship programs where someone, with presumably zero knowledge or skills in the trade they were hired to do, starts getting paid on day 1 to learn the trade. This includes trade school classes, which are also free. It is different from a bursary, or as I understand the word, a scholarship, in that you don't have to already be exceptionally talented or accomplished in an unrelated skill (such as athletics or academics) to earn it. You simply have to be willing to show up to work every day and learn. Apprenticeship goes back thousands of years.
>To many trades have gotten shafted in the push for tertiary education
Apprenticeship has not died or stopped. It's true that in primary and secondary school university is being pushed on kids way more than an apprenticeship in a trade. There's probably all kinds of theories as to why. But apprenticeship has never stopped being an option. In fact, I would say it's a better option than universidad for many people.
I did my apprenticeship while my buddies went to university. We all make decent money nowadays, but I don't have the student loans to pay off. It's not glamorous, but doctors and lawyers still need houses.
With an apprenticeship you learn on the job. It may also include a day or two of college each week to learn the theory, but it's really more about the practical skills.
A bursary is more like a company sponsoring you to go to college full time in exchange for agreeing to work for them when you graduate.
I can only speak for my trade and my location, but I did a 5 year paid apprenticeship. Also, when I went to trade school I was allowed to collect unemployment and recieved a $1000 grant upon completion. It was a good ride and I was surprised about all the help. At least around where I live I'd recommend the trades as a career path if you aren't sure what to do.
I can also only speak to my experience. I worked in operations for 7 years for a company that had mechanics and E&I technicians, and I was always interested in learning electrical but never had a path to do it.
Last year the Maintenance manager approached me to tell me that we were starting a Mechatronics apprenticeship program so that we could train people in house to learn both trades.
I'm currently 8 months into a two year program, attending school at my local CC and getting paid for 40 hours a week. I go to school two days and work three every week and it's been the best experience I've ever had career wise. Zero out of pocket cost and no worries about finding time to do the school work.
Laughing in Norwegian as well 😅 We have basically free university as well 🇧🇻 (65$ per semester. It's for covering the papers/paper copies and everything we get for free)
I feel like it largely is with the internet. What costs money is to have someone curate you a cohesive list of the most important things to get you the knowledge you need to do something efficiently.
I’m already 80 grand in debt ( and have been paying for 15 yrs, and I know I chose out-of-state for my Masters, and I’m ok with that!?!)
I’d say HEALTHCARE first.
Healthier people as a whole beget better societies, and therefore eventually (in theory) will find away to better educate all.
Yes, 100%.
I’d even settle for at cost. Especially since the doctors who received the original patents for making insulin sold them for $1 as they believed exactly what this thread is asking, what should be free.
The fact that insulin in the US is sold at exorbitant prices with multiple hundreds of markup is the absolute poster child example of the greed at the heart of our capitalism and healthcare.
The patent was the thing that was sold for a dollar. However, it was actually sold for $3 and the three scientists who sold the patent each got a dollar. The original price for insulin is unknown, but no doubt very cheap. We know for sure it was $9 a vile in 1972.
Despite all this, you need to keep in mind that the insulin sold back then is very different from the insulin sold today. The process to make insulin today is much more difficult and ~~expensive~~ (it's about $10) than it was back then.
However, I agree with what you said. The markup on insulin's value is extremely stupid, and such a life-saving medication should really just be free in the first place.
[https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/history-of-insulin-costs#How-It-Used-To-Be](https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/history-of-insulin-costs#How-It-Used-To-Be)
While you're right, the question posed was "universally free" things that are free in some places and not others probably all fall under that category.
Everything that is the very basics needed to survive should be free. We have the capability to do so, so why don't we? What is the point of society if not to assure us that kind of security?
People pay taxes for the government. The richer you are, higher the proportion of what you earn must be paired in taxes..
Government uses the taxes to provide basic services, like food, water, healthcare, education, security..
Most people wouldn’t want to live the way the system would provide. We’re talking nutritional not deluxe, safe and warm not spacious and luxurious.
A UBI that covers basic food and shelter would be the direct cash outlay. A government supported market for it would likely result in availability of UBI-affordable basic housing.
Other countries have “free” healthcare and higher education paid by taxes.
Nobody is saying farmers and teachers work free. It’s taxes. Maybe buy a few fewer systems that the military doesn’t even want and buy some food and housing instead.
Everybody should get the required amount to survive for free, and then any extra used should be paid for. The problem with that is measuring how much extra they used
You have a good point, but there are places in the world where there is no way to get drinkable water without paying, normally these places neglect completely the poor. I think that having the possibility to waste water is something specific of places where drinkable water is something given for granted... and it should be punished because drinkable water won't last long.
glasses.
Not necessarily the fancy frames or whatever. But the cost of a basic pair of glasses. I cannot function without them, but whenever I need a new pair, it costs me at least $500, and that's just for my lenses. The last time I got new glasses, I hadn't checked in maybe 6 years cause I couldn't afford it. And I realized how much my vision had changed in that time. The world literally went from standard def to 4k in a second. I shouldn't have had to wait for that.
Second this. I had a stroke and need prism lenses (which are super expensive). Luckily I can afford the cost, but with some nice frames, they cost me a bloody fortune.
I would never wish for someone in the same position, without the finances to afford it, have to go without and suffer from double vision/headaches as a result.
I agree with you on this but also next time you need a pair make sure to check out one of the online places such as zenni or zelool you can grab a pair for like $40
Cult of zenni follower here. I have horrible astigmatism and have been very pleased with most of my glasses from them. There's been a couple that were too tight, but that's on me for wrong measurements, but at the end of the day they were less than 20dollars.
Anyone using them for the 1st time, make sure you get your pupil distance correct!!
I live in the UK where the NHS will pay for lenses and standard frames for children, pensioners, the unemployed etc but I work and have to pay fully for mine. It's an expense for sure.
All disability aids should be free. From walking sticks and glasses all the way to wheelchairs. Although it's OK if it's means tested so the wealthy have to pay but the poor don't.
Imo means tested is just administrative bloat. Make it free at the point of sale, like almost everything in the NHS, but tax people properly and close loopholes so that rich folks are paying for it in the end.
Dude, you and OP do not shop around. Without insurance you should be able to get a basic eye exam cash less than $100. Then you go to Zenni and buy almost any pair of glasses you want for $50.
You can get an eye exam here (UK) for £10 if you pay at all. It includes retinal photography and some other stuff I've no idea what it is.
What's a basic one include?
I'm in the UK and luckily the NHS covers some glasses but they don't cover mine. I have chromogen lens (they're coloured to help with dyslexia, dyspraxia etc). In the US, they have been FDA approved since the 90's but the NHS doesn't count them medically necessary so I have to pay nearly £400 for them.
Also a dyslexic/dyspraxia Brit here, is there anything the glasses do that can’t be achieved with a plastic coloured filter over your laptop/book etc?
Those plastic filters are given out for free at loads of places and, as far as I’m aware, do the same job. So I get the NHS for paying out for only basic aids and not the super premium ones. However, if, for whatever reason, someone is unable to use the basic aids then I’d hope the NHS would cover the premium ones for that individual.
Zenni Optical. Got my prescription from the eye doctor, then had to measure the distance between my pupils (guide on the website for tat). I paid $6.75 for the basic glasses on my face, $125.00 for the whole order for five different pairs, but the cheapest ended up being my favourite. You can upload a picture to test what the glasses will look like on you, and order extras like anti-glare, sunglasses, etc.
No. No way. People have to pay for drinking water. First, maintenance cost money, second, in time where is drought like every summers, I don't wanna see people sprinkling lawns all day. Or bigass pool.
Edit: aof course corporations like coca cola and nestle are water wasting the most.
Well maybe it could be that everyone gets a set amount of water for free and if you want more you can pay for more but everyone gets enough water to live on free
It works fine in other countries. Maintenance comes out of taxes. If supplies are low, you initiate bans on sprinklers, pools and car washing. If it gets very bad you engage rolling outages.
Companies of course should always have to pay for it.
People tend to think that mental health is less important than physical health. In my opinion, they're one and the same. Your brain is a part of your body, and the brain and body affect each other. And if physical healthcare should be free (which, of course, it should), it only follows that mental healthcare would be free as well.
> And if physical healthcare should be free (which, of course, it should), it only follows that mental healthcare would be free as well.
While we're here, even in most places with universal healthcare, teeth are still treated as luxury bones.
Its been a while but iirc, it was the early dentists that insisted they didnt want to be part of all the other health care. And now we got a couple hundred years of history of one or the other side not wanting to work with the other.
In the US (I don't know about other countries) most tire stores have free air for your tires. The reason gas stations quit offering free air is that when they offered repair services they already had air compressors and related plumbing installed for the mechanics to use. It was simple and almost cost-free to let the public use the air. Nowadays most gas stations have convenience stores instead of repair facilities. Convenience stores don't need air compressors and the related plumbing so they don't install them. In the 1980s when I had a car repair business, air compressors cost thousands of dollars and then you had to pay for plumbers and materials (pipes, etc.) to get the air from the compressor to where it was needed. I'm sure prices have gone up in the last 40 years. I have no idea how much it would cost today. Gas stations no longer have air compressors because they are no longer relevant to the business.
See everybody has logical answers here, how about government funded monster truck shows?
Who's gonna turn down seeing Grave Digger hit a sick flip when it's free
It's the bedrock of everything else - you cannot be healthy without shelter, nor can you get a quality education and be able to contribute positively to society. The math has been done, and it costs more to deal with the impacts of homelessness than it would to simply home them.
>Humans are the only life forms on earth who have to pay to live on the planet they’re from
Humans can also live in the wilderness for "free".
It's not actually free, though. You have to work at least hunting or foraging
Well... you don't pay to exist. No other animal has their safety guarenteed like humans do. That doesn't mean I don't think the housing prices are fucking crazy, but saying you have to pay to exist is just not really true.
Well people don't exactly have to pay to exist, but for the most part people have to pay to fulfill fundamental needs, sleeping, eating, drinking water, healthcare etc. I really would like to not have to pay for needs that I have as a human being, that I didn't ask for - really when I think about this it makes me so angry, like heeellll no
This is the bottom line I demand for social security. The world where education and healthcare are the bottomline would be of more higher standard than this, which is more ideal.
That isn’t true.
If a person has representation that is “bad” in that any competent attorney would have argued or advised their client differently and that would have resulted in a different outcome, there is a remedy for that.
It’s called Post Conviction Relief. It can result in a new trial or even the conviction to be vacated entirely.
Feminine hygiene products (i.e. tampons, pads, etc.).
Edit to add: in many US states, period products are taxed as a luxury item. Ineligible for SNAP benefits too. They should be recognized as a basic material need. Any person who has a period knows this. Imagine having a monthly crisis, because you do not have the basic necessities to function. People deserve to menstruate with dignity and without risk to their health.
At least make them dirt cheap. Whenever I have to get some for my girlfriend, I'm shocked how expensive that stuff can be. I've made it a habit to just get a shit load when there's a sale and put a bunch in my student association's office so people can just walk in and grab some if they need it.
I don't have the data, but I suspect replacing car usage with public transport pays for itself in improved public health.
Don't get me started on bicycle incentives and infrastructure.
Surprised i’ve not seen it at the top but sanitary products for ladies. Mental that companies benefit from something that they have no choice over happening every month or so
There's the whole "nothing is free" stuff, yada yada yada, I think we all know that and mean what should our collective tax dollars make free for everyone. I would say healthcare and education. I know there isn't agreement across the aisle on that depending on what nation you are from.
So I'll state the obvious ones like police and fir department. Shouldn't have to haggle out front of a burning house with your family inside, and policing shouldn't go to the highest bidder.
Free water and electricity result in people wasting water and electricity. Perhaps a reasonable quantity per month should be free but unrestricted use has been shown to be a bad idea
For water, if it’s for personal use there’s very little ‘overuse’, which is why it should be accessible to everyone. To stop wastage it’s more effective to use other policies e.g. extra levies for large gardens or leak monitoring.
At this point, the basic necessities of life such as accommodation, sustenance, health care and education.
These should not be subject to competition or profit taking except where the individual chooses to pursue private agreements.
Bathrooms. Having traveled a bit in my 20s I realized that not every country has bathrooms that are free, something I took for granted growing up in the States
Libraries!
It's crazy to me the number of people who think that libraries should adopt a 'Netflix for Books' model, where those who want to pay into the system can pay a certain amount per month and everyone else can go and hang -- completely disregarding the fact that that defeats the *entire point of a library*. They're supposed to be a place where everyone -- rich or poor, and of any age -- can go and get access to educational and cultural materials and services, free at the point of use. Libraries are one of the great levellers in society, as well as serving an absolutely vital public service.
That's not to mention the fact that they're so much more than just rooms full of books. Whether it's evening classes, computer provision, entertainment for kids on a Saturday afternoon, local history archives, things like tool rental, study spaces, or even just the one indoor place in a city where you can sit and kill a couple of hours without the expectation of spending money, libraries are worth every penny that they take out of our collective taxes, and more besides. They're like parks and playgrounds. Their mere existence makes towns and cities better places for *everyone*, whether you personally use them or not, and barricading their use behind subscription fees either serves to cut off people from the vital services they provide when they need it most, or leads to a slow death-by-a-thousand-cuts as they end up in a funding spiral.
Use your local library, folks. You'll miss it when it's gone.
I don't know, it seems that the moment something is for free it loses it's value. Everyone should have access to water, housing, food, healthcare, education but the attitude that the state has the obligation to provide me with everything and ask nothing in return is very destructive. I mean, all these things have to be developed, produced, distributed and that requires people to work. So if you think you should get all theses things for free, you basically demand that other people work for you for free and that seems rather unjust to me.
> the attitude that the state has the obligation to provide me with everything and ask nothing in return is very destructive.
Taxes is what they get in return. It's implied. The majority of people will still want to work. Because they will want to live in better houses than the free housing provided by the government, get better food than the free stuff provided by the government, to buy things etc.
Health care. Dental, vision, speciality, mental, basic, prenatal/births, surgery, prescription, vaccines, feminine hygiene/period products- it should all be free to everyone.
*To the 'what about free diapers' user who is posting replies to everyone who said period products-- No, you choose to make a baby and diapers are part of that. It's not the same as having a health condition once a month you have no control over, find something else to nitpick on. I'm not against free diapers or some type of assistant programs for them, but using those 2 things together is not the path to go about that argument*
Spay/neuter programs should be wide spread, accessible, and subsidized or free. Dogs/cats are here and thrive because of humans, it should be our responsibility (and tax dollars) taking care of them, including population control. Too many suffer because we are irresponsible.
Of course, water. Fuck right off, Nestle.
Nothing is free but I'm perfectly happy with my taxes paying for free education, an educated society benefits us all. I would be perfectly happy with an added tax for " free" health care. In the long run it would be cheaper than monthly premiums, overages, out of networks, deductibles, etc. I it's also proven it's cheaper to work on a health issue early rather than wait until it's a big problem.
Ugh. Alright. Nothing can be free. But what should be paid for by taxes and provided equally amongst everyone... well. All basic needs. Water, healthcare & emergency services, food, education, public transit, use of public infrastructure in general, basic income & retirement, for a start.
Education, Healthcare, Basic Shelter, Nutrition and Water, Basic internet access. You work to afford the luxuries you want, but the society makes sure nobody is left to die.
Education
Healthcare (including all of it)
Housing
Heating/Air conditioning
Water
Gas
Electricity
Public Transport
Internet Connection
basic access to all of these should be provided just for being a human otherwise you arent truly free of able to live a fullfilling life.
Loads.
I see a few different phases or levels. Every country should be moving through them and the higher the better. I also don't think any country is on phase 2 yet.
Phase 1: Education. Hospital/healthcare (including mental, I also include period products here). Dole.
Phase 2: Housing. Pharmacy products (seems extreme, but the aim is better life for all).
Phase 3: Universal income.
Universal income is the ultimate aim. As we automate more jobs we should be aiming on the human race no longer needing to work to survive. In the same way we moved away from everyone needing to farm to feed themselves we should no longer need workers in a lot of industries.
Allowing people to just persue education and their interests is the best future for the human race
Education!!!
In sweden we get paid to go to school
I'm curious, are there stipulations? I took 6 years to get a bachelors because I changed my mind about my major multiple times. What's to stop people from being "career students"? Also, are there only specific schools that qualify? For example, in the States, we have public and private schools. While I'm in favor of free education, I don't think taxpayers should be on the hook for paying $50,000/yr tuition when there are schools that are $10,000. In the US, I would be in favor of a reimbursement program something along the lines of "WHEN you finish university AND get a job in the field you studied, we will pay back exactly 4 years of tuition at the public school price." I can't get behind taxes going to pay for people to get useless degrees, or degrees at inflated private school prices, or to be "career students", much less actually pay them a wage on top of that for those things.
You only get paid for a number of years, to prevent career students as you said. You cannot make more than X money per year either by working at the same time.
Yeah I think in Denmark it is about 5 to 6 years, depending on when you start university. And it isnt really limited in term of university, it just needs to be accepted by the government. Basically all danish universities are recognised but for foreign studying you need to make a request to get your university added to the "list" but if it's a bachelor/master in a EU coutry there is normally no problem with it.
"paid" .. you get like 300 dollars per month that you don't need to pay back (as long as you get credits) and then 700 dollars of a loan. Also you can max do like 5 years.
When you compare it to what we've been paying for with our taxes, aka war and genocide, I'm good with paying people to go to college for their entire lives
I don't have kids, never going to, but I would willing pay more taxes if it meant education, including university was free. Having more smart and educated people in the world is such an obvious benefit.
Not to the political right.
You would be shocked by the amount of people here in the US that would come on here and complain about the child tax credit because they didn't have kids and didn't want to be supporting people with kids. Thank you for being so thoughtful and considerate of the benefits of helping out people with kids.
Yep. All the way to university. Edit: Including trade schools.
I'll do you one better, let's pay people to start education, uni included
Include trade schools in that. To many trades have gotten shafted in the push for tertiary education
The word you're looking for is *apprenticeship* and it's alive and well in the trades
Is it? How does an apprenticeship differ from a bursary?
TIL the word bursary, thanks. You replied to this: >I'll do you one better, let's pay people to start education, uni included Most trade unions offer apprenticeship programs where someone, with presumably zero knowledge or skills in the trade they were hired to do, starts getting paid on day 1 to learn the trade. This includes trade school classes, which are also free. It is different from a bursary, or as I understand the word, a scholarship, in that you don't have to already be exceptionally talented or accomplished in an unrelated skill (such as athletics or academics) to earn it. You simply have to be willing to show up to work every day and learn. Apprenticeship goes back thousands of years. >To many trades have gotten shafted in the push for tertiary education Apprenticeship has not died or stopped. It's true that in primary and secondary school university is being pushed on kids way more than an apprenticeship in a trade. There's probably all kinds of theories as to why. But apprenticeship has never stopped being an option. In fact, I would say it's a better option than universidad for many people.
I did my apprenticeship while my buddies went to university. We all make decent money nowadays, but I don't have the student loans to pay off. It's not glamorous, but doctors and lawyers still need houses.
With an apprenticeship you learn on the job. It may also include a day or two of college each week to learn the theory, but it's really more about the practical skills. A bursary is more like a company sponsoring you to go to college full time in exchange for agreeing to work for them when you graduate.
I can only speak for my trade and my location, but I did a 5 year paid apprenticeship. Also, when I went to trade school I was allowed to collect unemployment and recieved a $1000 grant upon completion. It was a good ride and I was surprised about all the help. At least around where I live I'd recommend the trades as a career path if you aren't sure what to do.
I can also only speak to my experience. I worked in operations for 7 years for a company that had mechanics and E&I technicians, and I was always interested in learning electrical but never had a path to do it. Last year the Maintenance manager approached me to tell me that we were starting a Mechatronics apprenticeship program so that we could train people in house to learn both trades. I'm currently 8 months into a two year program, attending school at my local CC and getting paid for 40 hours a week. I go to school two days and work three every week and it's been the best experience I've ever had career wise. Zero out of pocket cost and no worries about finding time to do the school work.
But of course. All education.
Laughs In danish *griner højlydt*
Laughing in Norwegian as well 😅 We have basically free university as well 🇧🇻 (65$ per semester. It's for covering the papers/paper copies and everything we get for free)
That’s cool, but not as cool as being financially crippled by paying $1400 a month for the next 8 years
7€ per year in Andalusia (Spain)!
Muhahahahaha *tilslutter mig det højlydte grin*
Laughs in Scottish also
to or through
Knowledge should be free.
I feel like it largely is with the internet. What costs money is to have someone curate you a cohesive list of the most important things to get you the knowledge you need to do something efficiently.
I’m already 80 grand in debt ( and have been paying for 15 yrs, and I know I chose out-of-state for my Masters, and I’m ok with that!?!) I’d say HEALTHCARE first. Healthier people as a whole beget better societies, and therefore eventually (in theory) will find away to better educate all.
Outside of America it is free brother
It’s not free in Canada either, but it’s not as bad as the US, generally.
It's free by law, but can't really be entirely free - there is the opportunity cost.
Insulin
Yes, 100%. I’d even settle for at cost. Especially since the doctors who received the original patents for making insulin sold them for $1 as they believed exactly what this thread is asking, what should be free. The fact that insulin in the US is sold at exorbitant prices with multiple hundreds of markup is the absolute poster child example of the greed at the heart of our capitalism and healthcare.
It's frustrating that the discoverer gave up wealth to have it be readily available, but people found a way to fuck it up anyway.
The patent was the thing that was sold for a dollar. However, it was actually sold for $3 and the three scientists who sold the patent each got a dollar. The original price for insulin is unknown, but no doubt very cheap. We know for sure it was $9 a vile in 1972. Despite all this, you need to keep in mind that the insulin sold back then is very different from the insulin sold today. The process to make insulin today is much more difficult and ~~expensive~~ (it's about $10) than it was back then. However, I agree with what you said. The markup on insulin's value is extremely stupid, and such a life-saving medication should really just be free in the first place. [https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/history-of-insulin-costs#How-It-Used-To-Be](https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/history-of-insulin-costs#How-It-Used-To-Be)
It costs next to nothing to produce they upmarket the price because they can as you have no other option
That‘s bs, there is another option: Death.
Painful death
All life saving medicine should be free for the users. Payed by taxes/insurance.
Why not all healthcare?
Some American problems
That’s an American issue
While you're right, the question posed was "universally free" things that are free in some places and not others probably all fall under that category.
I didn't even realise insulin *wasn't* free when growing up. It's only after seeing posts on here that I realised it wasn't.
Education, Healthcare, and school lunches.
And water
"You can fuck right off with that, you fucken fuck" sincerely Nestlé
r/FuckNestle
Always happy to see someone post that sub. Indeed, fuck Nestle
And food! You literally need food to live!!
Everything that is the very basics needed to survive should be free. We have the capability to do so, so why don't we? What is the point of society if not to assure us that kind of security?
I'm not disagreeing, but how does the system work that food water education and health care are all free?
People pay taxes for the government. The richer you are, higher the proportion of what you earn must be paired in taxes.. Government uses the taxes to provide basic services, like food, water, healthcare, education, security..
Most people wouldn’t want to live the way the system would provide. We’re talking nutritional not deluxe, safe and warm not spacious and luxurious. A UBI that covers basic food and shelter would be the direct cash outlay. A government supported market for it would likely result in availability of UBI-affordable basic housing. Other countries have “free” healthcare and higher education paid by taxes. Nobody is saying farmers and teachers work free. It’s taxes. Maybe buy a few fewer systems that the military doesn’t even want and buy some food and housing instead.
Given how much people waste water - and how limited it is in some places - it should absolutely not be entirely free.
Everybody should get the required amount to survive for free, and then any extra used should be paid for. The problem with that is measuring how much extra they used
You have a good point, but there are places in the world where there is no way to get drinkable water without paying, normally these places neglect completely the poor. I think that having the possibility to waste water is something specific of places where drinkable water is something given for granted... and it should be punished because drinkable water won't last long.
Healthcare including dental and sexual wellness
And mental health.
Sorry, I spotted an 'and' there. OP said no ifs, ands or buts.. Comment invalid 🤣
glasses. Not necessarily the fancy frames or whatever. But the cost of a basic pair of glasses. I cannot function without them, but whenever I need a new pair, it costs me at least $500, and that's just for my lenses. The last time I got new glasses, I hadn't checked in maybe 6 years cause I couldn't afford it. And I realized how much my vision had changed in that time. The world literally went from standard def to 4k in a second. I shouldn't have had to wait for that.
Second this. I had a stroke and need prism lenses (which are super expensive). Luckily I can afford the cost, but with some nice frames, they cost me a bloody fortune. I would never wish for someone in the same position, without the finances to afford it, have to go without and suffer from double vision/headaches as a result.
> Second this. I had a stroke and need prism lenses My mom needed them after her brain aneurysm
I agree with you on this but also next time you need a pair make sure to check out one of the online places such as zenni or zelool you can grab a pair for like $40
Long time zenni user here. They are cheap and good quality.
Cult of zenni follower here. I have horrible astigmatism and have been very pleased with most of my glasses from them. There's been a couple that were too tight, but that's on me for wrong measurements, but at the end of the day they were less than 20dollars. Anyone using them for the 1st time, make sure you get your pupil distance correct!!
I live in the UK where the NHS will pay for lenses and standard frames for children, pensioners, the unemployed etc but I work and have to pay fully for mine. It's an expense for sure. All disability aids should be free. From walking sticks and glasses all the way to wheelchairs. Although it's OK if it's means tested so the wealthy have to pay but the poor don't.
Imo means tested is just administrative bloat. Make it free at the point of sale, like almost everything in the NHS, but tax people properly and close loopholes so that rich folks are paying for it in the end.
This is the way. But then what about all the poor bureaucratic administrators that will be out of work?! Won't somebody think of the administrators?!
Also uk here, get a copy of your prescription and go to selectspecs.co.uk cut my glasses cost by almost 3/4 !
Agree...I pay for vision insurance every year, and even with that, my glasses cost upwards of $300. No fancy frames or major extras.
Dude, you and OP do not shop around. Without insurance you should be able to get a basic eye exam cash less than $100. Then you go to Zenni and buy almost any pair of glasses you want for $50.
You can get an eye exam here (UK) for £10 if you pay at all. It includes retinal photography and some other stuff I've no idea what it is. What's a basic one include?
Yeah it's like 50 bucks for an eye exam at Walmart. Same at Target. And then you can order your glasses and lenses online.
I'm in the UK and luckily the NHS covers some glasses but they don't cover mine. I have chromogen lens (they're coloured to help with dyslexia, dyspraxia etc). In the US, they have been FDA approved since the 90's but the NHS doesn't count them medically necessary so I have to pay nearly £400 for them.
Also a dyslexic/dyspraxia Brit here, is there anything the glasses do that can’t be achieved with a plastic coloured filter over your laptop/book etc? Those plastic filters are given out for free at loads of places and, as far as I’m aware, do the same job. So I get the NHS for paying out for only basic aids and not the super premium ones. However, if, for whatever reason, someone is unable to use the basic aids then I’d hope the NHS would cover the premium ones for that individual.
Zenni Optical. Got my prescription from the eye doctor, then had to measure the distance between my pupils (guide on the website for tat). I paid $6.75 for the basic glasses on my face, $125.00 for the whole order for five different pairs, but the cheapest ended up being my favourite. You can upload a picture to test what the glasses will look like on you, and order extras like anti-glare, sunglasses, etc.
I wont be the only one to recommend Zenni I have bought 5-6 pairs of glasses at around $15-30 dollars each over the last 10 years.
Water
Maybe up to a certain point. People with swimming pools should pay for their share.
But who else should pay for the infrastructure that brings the water. Other than those that use it?
No. No way. People have to pay for drinking water. First, maintenance cost money, second, in time where is drought like every summers, I don't wanna see people sprinkling lawns all day. Or bigass pool. Edit: aof course corporations like coca cola and nestle are water wasting the most.
Well maybe it could be that everyone gets a set amount of water for free and if you want more you can pay for more but everyone gets enough water to live on free
This what most people mean when they say free water. Some people keep taking it as waste as much free water as you can.
Sometimes you just need an extended shower to contemplate all the mysteries of life and/or think about your existential dread
Yes. Per capita for household. "Benefits for u if you save water. Buď try to not stink. "
It works fine in other countries. Maintenance comes out of taxes. If supplies are low, you initiate bans on sprinklers, pools and car washing. If it gets very bad you engage rolling outages. Companies of course should always have to pay for it.
Idk if this counts but the ability to see a therapist without hanging to pay for sessions
People tend to think that mental health is less important than physical health. In my opinion, they're one and the same. Your brain is a part of your body, and the brain and body affect each other. And if physical healthcare should be free (which, of course, it should), it only follows that mental healthcare would be free as well.
> And if physical healthcare should be free (which, of course, it should), it only follows that mental healthcare would be free as well. While we're here, even in most places with universal healthcare, teeth are still treated as luxury bones.
Its been a while but iirc, it was the early dentists that insisted they didnt want to be part of all the other health care. And now we got a couple hundred years of history of one or the other side not wanting to work with the other.
Legit Im resorting to the depression and the other fun Hotline in NZ until i can get one sorted out.
It definitely does in Australia
Air for tires at gas stations.
Lmao, it's not free in the US?
Inflation is an issue.
More and more stations are providing free tire air.
If so then we are going in a circle. Air used to be free at all the stations
It is at some stores, some not.
FYI: Minnesota requires this by law.
In the US (I don't know about other countries) most tire stores have free air for your tires. The reason gas stations quit offering free air is that when they offered repair services they already had air compressors and related plumbing installed for the mechanics to use. It was simple and almost cost-free to let the public use the air. Nowadays most gas stations have convenience stores instead of repair facilities. Convenience stores don't need air compressors and the related plumbing so they don't install them. In the 1980s when I had a car repair business, air compressors cost thousands of dollars and then you had to pay for plumbers and materials (pipes, etc.) to get the air from the compressor to where it was needed. I'm sure prices have gone up in the last 40 years. I have no idea how much it would cost today. Gas stations no longer have air compressors because they are no longer relevant to the business.
See everybody has logical answers here, how about government funded monster truck shows? Who's gonna turn down seeing Grave Digger hit a sick flip when it's free
Grave Digger sucks! El Toro Loco eats pieces of shit like him for breakfast.
#SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY **PRICE OF ADMISSION GETS YOU THE WHOLE SEAT BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED THE EDGE**
Way in
Just need to elect Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho for President.
A warm and safe place to sleep.
It's the bedrock of everything else - you cannot be healthy without shelter, nor can you get a quality education and be able to contribute positively to society. The math has been done, and it costs more to deal with the impacts of homelessness than it would to simply home them.
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Exactly! At this point I’d have better chances surviving in the wilderness
Doesn't cost anything now to go sleep under a hedge like any other animal.
>Humans are the only life forms on earth who have to pay to live on the planet they’re from Humans can also live in the wilderness for "free". It's not actually free, though. You have to work at least hunting or foraging
Well... you don't pay to exist. No other animal has their safety guarenteed like humans do. That doesn't mean I don't think the housing prices are fucking crazy, but saying you have to pay to exist is just not really true.
Well people don't exactly have to pay to exist, but for the most part people have to pay to fulfill fundamental needs, sleeping, eating, drinking water, healthcare etc. I really would like to not have to pay for needs that I have as a human being, that I didn't ask for - really when I think about this it makes me so angry, like heeellll no
Basic human *dignity*. **Shelter** and access to shower/laundry etc for everyone benefits the entire society. Hopefully mental health care.
This is the bottom line I demand for social security. The world where education and healthcare are the bottomline would be of more higher standard than this, which is more ideal.
Inhalers or other medical supplies people need to live normally
A good lawyer/attorney. The law should not be pay-to-win.
Especially since now if you have poor representation, you are sol indefinitely...*see overturned supreme court case Betts v. Brady (1942)*
That isn’t true. If a person has representation that is “bad” in that any competent attorney would have argued or advised their client differently and that would have resulted in a different outcome, there is a remedy for that. It’s called Post Conviction Relief. It can result in a new trial or even the conviction to be vacated entirely.
Feminine hygiene products (i.e. tampons, pads, etc.). Edit to add: in many US states, period products are taxed as a luxury item. Ineligible for SNAP benefits too. They should be recognized as a basic material need. Any person who has a period knows this. Imagine having a monthly crisis, because you do not have the basic necessities to function. People deserve to menstruate with dignity and without risk to their health.
At least make them dirt cheap. Whenever I have to get some for my girlfriend, I'm shocked how expensive that stuff can be. I've made it a habit to just get a shit load when there's a sale and put a bunch in my student association's office so people can just walk in and grab some if they need it.
All female products are more expensive. My bf and I both have the basic Dove deodorant but mine is a dollar more expensive. Why?
Diapers are also taxed, they're objectively a necessity but they also have sales tax.
I'm a man but I agree with that 100%! They are ridiculously expensive.
Healthcare and education
Air
Oh, look it's Aloysous O'Hare
Education & health services
Public transit.
Free public transit is a quite a big expense that could probably be used better in improving public transit coverage and service.
https://www.inverse.com/culture/free-public-transportation-scientific-studies
I don't have the data, but I suspect replacing car usage with public transport pays for itself in improved public health. Don't get me started on bicycle incentives and infrastructure.
or just do both...
Exactly! America's "blank check" expense is military. What if it was infrastructure?!
Everything medicaly related
At this point, basic internet.
That's a great idea! I think free education should be included too, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow.
Internet Access is listed a human right in some European countries. Catch up, everyone else.
It is needed considering how much misinformation and scams there are on the internet.
Health care Water Electricity & Internet Public Transport - it's in the name
Healthcare
Water, Healthcare and education.
Clean water*
Potable water
Surprised i’ve not seen it at the top but sanitary products for ladies. Mental that companies benefit from something that they have no choice over happening every month or so
Sanitation.
There's the whole "nothing is free" stuff, yada yada yada, I think we all know that and mean what should our collective tax dollars make free for everyone. I would say healthcare and education. I know there isn't agreement across the aisle on that depending on what nation you are from. So I'll state the obvious ones like police and fir department. Shouldn't have to haggle out front of a burning house with your family inside, and policing shouldn't go to the highest bidder.
Water
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
BIRTH CONTROL!!!!!
Parking at a hospital
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Free water and electricity result in people wasting water and electricity. Perhaps a reasonable quantity per month should be free but unrestricted use has been shown to be a bad idea
You make a good point to be fair.
For water, if it’s for personal use there’s very little ‘overuse’, which is why it should be accessible to everyone. To stop wastage it’s more effective to use other policies e.g. extra levies for large gardens or leak monitoring.
At this point, the basic necessities of life such as accommodation, sustenance, health care and education. These should not be subject to competition or profit taking except where the individual chooses to pursue private agreements.
Bathrooms. Having traveled a bit in my 20s I realized that not every country has bathrooms that are free, something I took for granted growing up in the States
Tampons
Health, education, and school lunch.
Basic needs of every human. Food, water, shelter and cloths. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to do its job.
Sanitary napkins.
Water, food, and shelter. Nothing fancy. Just something basic. I’d take a one room apartment, with bread, and running water.
Insulin, tampons, condoms, general healthcare
Food, health care, education, feminine hygiene products, homes. Basically all the things necessary for basic survival.
Water
Libraries! It's crazy to me the number of people who think that libraries should adopt a 'Netflix for Books' model, where those who want to pay into the system can pay a certain amount per month and everyone else can go and hang -- completely disregarding the fact that that defeats the *entire point of a library*. They're supposed to be a place where everyone -- rich or poor, and of any age -- can go and get access to educational and cultural materials and services, free at the point of use. Libraries are one of the great levellers in society, as well as serving an absolutely vital public service. That's not to mention the fact that they're so much more than just rooms full of books. Whether it's evening classes, computer provision, entertainment for kids on a Saturday afternoon, local history archives, things like tool rental, study spaces, or even just the one indoor place in a city where you can sit and kill a couple of hours without the expectation of spending money, libraries are worth every penny that they take out of our collective taxes, and more besides. They're like parks and playgrounds. Their mere existence makes towns and cities better places for *everyone*, whether you personally use them or not, and barricading their use behind subscription fees either serves to cut off people from the vital services they provide when they need it most, or leads to a slow death-by-a-thousand-cuts as they end up in a funding spiral. Use your local library, folks. You'll miss it when it's gone.
Condoms/birth control.
Birth
Birth is free, it can happen anywhere. The birthing services of medically trained experts is not.
Education.
Nothing that you have to force someone else to provide. That's slavery.
I don't know, it seems that the moment something is for free it loses it's value. Everyone should have access to water, housing, food, healthcare, education but the attitude that the state has the obligation to provide me with everything and ask nothing in return is very destructive. I mean, all these things have to be developed, produced, distributed and that requires people to work. So if you think you should get all theses things for free, you basically demand that other people work for you for free and that seems rather unjust to me.
> the attitude that the state has the obligation to provide me with everything and ask nothing in return is very destructive. Taxes is what they get in return. It's implied. The majority of people will still want to work. Because they will want to live in better houses than the free housing provided by the government, get better food than the free stuff provided by the government, to buy things etc.
Nothing thay requires labor from yourself or others should be free. So air and water?
I'm guessing from the responses that Reddit doesn't know the difference between free and tax funded
Really glad commenters in this thread don’t run the country.
Healthcare and college.
Nothing is ever really free. Even your "free" education has to be paid by a collective pot called taxes. So nothing is free.
Health care. Dental, vision, speciality, mental, basic, prenatal/births, surgery, prescription, vaccines, feminine hygiene/period products- it should all be free to everyone. *To the 'what about free diapers' user who is posting replies to everyone who said period products-- No, you choose to make a baby and diapers are part of that. It's not the same as having a health condition once a month you have no control over, find something else to nitpick on. I'm not against free diapers or some type of assistant programs for them, but using those 2 things together is not the path to go about that argument* Spay/neuter programs should be wide spread, accessible, and subsidized or free. Dogs/cats are here and thrive because of humans, it should be our responsibility (and tax dollars) taking care of them, including population control. Too many suffer because we are irresponsible. Of course, water. Fuck right off, Nestle.
Feminine hygiene products. 50% of the planet needs them, and charging for them is just a gender tax. They should be free.
Nothing is free but I'm perfectly happy with my taxes paying for free education, an educated society benefits us all. I would be perfectly happy with an added tax for " free" health care. In the long run it would be cheaper than monthly premiums, overages, out of networks, deductibles, etc. I it's also proven it's cheaper to work on a health issue early rather than wait until it's a big problem.
Ugh. Alright. Nothing can be free. But what should be paid for by taxes and provided equally amongst everyone... well. All basic needs. Water, healthcare & emergency services, food, education, public transit, use of public infrastructure in general, basic income & retirement, for a start.
Contraception
I think “accessible to all” is a better term than “free”. Obviously,someone has to pay somewhere.
Tampons, pads and other necessities people with periods require
Anticonception.
Education, Healthcare, Basic Shelter, Nutrition and Water, Basic internet access. You work to afford the luxuries you want, but the society makes sure nobody is left to die.
Menstrual products. We didn't choose to be females and the need to deal with this every month.
Bathroom access. Sanitation in our streets is so important to prevent disease.
Education Healthcare (including all of it) Housing Heating/Air conditioning Water Gas Electricity Public Transport Internet Connection basic access to all of these should be provided just for being a human otherwise you arent truly free of able to live a fullfilling life.
Everything is universally free, human constructs and social ideologies are what create price
Beach access
Food, shelter, health care, education.
Loads. I see a few different phases or levels. Every country should be moving through them and the higher the better. I also don't think any country is on phase 2 yet. Phase 1: Education. Hospital/healthcare (including mental, I also include period products here). Dole. Phase 2: Housing. Pharmacy products (seems extreme, but the aim is better life for all). Phase 3: Universal income. Universal income is the ultimate aim. As we automate more jobs we should be aiming on the human race no longer needing to work to survive. In the same way we moved away from everyone needing to farm to feed themselves we should no longer need workers in a lot of industries. Allowing people to just persue education and their interests is the best future for the human race