In addition to Iowa, three other states — Arkansas, Idaho and South Dakota — have banned no-strings cash aid. Lawmakers in Wisconsin and Arizona did too, but Democratic governors vetoed those bills.
Some states that banned basic income don’t actually have such programs.
All of this is part of a coordinated push, says Harish Patel, a vice president with the Economic Security Project, which advocates for guaranteed income. He says the backlash is spearheaded by the lobbying arm of a conservative think tank, the Foundation for Government Accountability.
I don’t exactly see the point of laws like this. Reeks of fear more than anything. What are they afraid of, that the policy will work and become popular?
Yes, they are. They even said that out loud for Obamacare.