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Blake, Wm. Every Man Also Gave Him a Piece of Money. 1805.

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Across the U.S., taxpayer-funded “guaranteed income” programs are providing families below the poverty line with up to $36,000, totaling over $125 million in aid.

One mother in D.C. took advantage of the no-strings-attached funds, spending $6,000 on a Miami vacation for family. Canethia also purchased 15 new outfits for her children and spent $180 on a haircut.

Following the one-year program, she said: “I wanted to blow it. I wanted to have fun. [My kids] got to experience something I would never have been able to do if I didn't have that money.” Canethia now aims to keep at least $50 in her bank account.

Critics argue these programs “destroy fundamental elements of the social contract and create the wrong incentives for people” by offering money with no conditions. Advocates of the programs cite recipients who have said the cash brought them out of homelessness and transformed the lives of many more.