An Open Letter to Donald Trump–9/30/2020
- Phoenix Congress 2020 represents members of the American Union, who are willing to vote for both Republicans and Democrats in the 471 federal races who will meet our terms, including Donald Trump. This is part of a series of open letters explaining our demands.
September 30th, 2020
Dear President Trump,
One of the most underreported aspects of America’s evolving job landscape has been the growth of the “gig economy.” The gig economy isn’t clearly defined yet, but it includes independent contractors, on-call, and temp workers. The rise in services provided by mobile apps has caused a spike in the number of workers needed to provide these services–apps such as Uber, Lyft, Postmates, or Upwork. More than 57 million Americans are employed by it, or about 1/3rd of the workforce.
The draw of self-employment and contract work appeals to a range of races, genders, ages, and education levels, according to studies. The dark side to the gig economy is that some workers are forced into a revolving door of temporary and seasonal employment by circumstances such as a lack of education and a lack of financial freedom to acquire new skills.
Mr. President, the coronavirus pandemic revealed how precarious of a position gig workers are in. But in the 21st century, America can do better by giving all of its citizens a universal basic income. UBI creates an economic safety net for all citizens and promotes entrepreneurial risk-taking. Under the Blueprint for a Better America legislative package, Americans will receive a $1,300/month income which will leave zero American citizens in poverty.
UBI benefits the workers who make life in the 21st century easier and more enjoyable. The rise of streaming platforms for music has caused a general shift in the way the music industry is monetized. It is no longer a viable business plan to rely on selling hard copies of albums, and the compensation from streaming services is extremely low. Streaming services provide consumers with ready access to all the music they could want which is a fantastic service, but it comes at the expense of artists. UBI would allow these artists an economic safety net to properly compensate them for the value they add to society.
In the same way, UBI will benefit content creators that are revolutionizing the way Americans receive world news. The internet is littered with YouTube channels and blogs that report events faster and with less bias than mainstream media news sources. These content creators have trouble monetizing their content for the same reason musicians do: streaming platforms are crowded with content. UBI would allow content creators the economic freedom to invest in their content and rise above the crowd. UBI is not enough to encourage Americans to stop working, but it is enough to allow entrepreneurial-minded individuals to take risks that will lead to creations that make valuable contributions to life in the 21st century.
Mr. President, some of the greatest innovations have come from men and women who took a risk. However, for every success story, there are hundreds of stories of failed ventures that leave families in a terrible economic situation. For many skilled workers who want to venture out into the world of self-employment, this is not a risk they can afford. With UBI, entrepreneurial risks become less of an all or nothing proposal, which will drive more people toward taking their chance.
Mr. President, by working to pass the Blueprint for a Better America legislative package, you are working to ensure America’s future economic success. As the employment landscape continues to shift in favor of gig workers, UBI will offer the economic security these workers need to be prosperous, while ensuring no one falls below the poverty line. The Blueprint is ready. Will you build the America the future demands?
Respectfully yours,
Other articles on Medium:
A call to action around Martin Luther King, Jr.’s triple evils: The Marginalized Must Unionize in 2020
A look at our duties as Americans and the legislation they inspire; The Blueprint for a Better America
