Topic: Net Cost

The actual cost of UBI is significantly lower than the "napkin math" gross cost because it functions as a net transfer rather than a total new expense. By consolidating existing welfare programs, eliminating bureaucratic overhead, and removing various tax subsidies, the net cost to the federal budget could be reduced to a few hundred billion dollars. This transition focuses on transferring wealth from the top 20% who benefit most from automation to the bottom three quintiles of the population.