Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates Universal Basic Income Livestreaming from NYC, March 22

A cover story in this week's New York Times Magazine says "a universal basic income might be right for you, me and everyone else around the world too." Is it? Proponents of the idea - the government paying everyone a monthly stipend - argue that it would help cushion against the predicted automation of jobs and give citizens latitude to take risks in the job market. But others argue that a guaranteed income would take away the incentive to work, waste money on those who don't need it, and actually benefit the rich at the expense of the poor. On Wednesday, March 22, the "fantastic" (The New Yorker) debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. will investigate these issues with a debate on the motion "The Universal Basic Income Is The Safety Net Of The Future."

Debating in support of the Universal Basic Income are prominent libertarian political scientist and author Charles Murray and Andrew Stern, President Emeritus of the Service Employees International Union. Debating against the UBI are Jason Furman, who just departed the Obama Administration as Obama's Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and former Chief Economist and Economic Adviser to Vice President Biden.

The debate will be held at NYC's Kaufman Center and stream live online, then air soon after as part of the syndicated public radio show and podcast "Intelligence Squared U.S." On March 22, online viewers can tune in at IQ2US's new website (http://bit.ly/UBIdebate ).

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "The Universal Basic Income Is The Safety Net Of The Future"

WHEN: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 / Reception 5:45-6:30 / Debate 6:45-8:30 PM

WHERE: Kaufman Center/129 W. 67th Street (bet. Broadway and Amsterdam)/New York, NY 10023

TICKETS: $40 ($12 for students w/ ID). To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/

Arguing for the motion:

* Charles Murray: W. H. Brady Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Charles Murray is the W. H. Brady Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. A political scientist, author, and libertarian, he came to national attention in 1984 with the publication of Losing Ground, which has been credited as the intellectual foundation for the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. His 1994 New York Times bestseller The Bell Curve, coauthored with the late Richard J. Herrnstein, sparked controversy for its analysis of the role of IQ in shaping America’s class structure. 

* Andrew Stern: Former President, Service Employees International Union & Senior Fellow, Economic Security Project 

Andrew Stern is the former president of the Service Employees International Union and is currently a senior fellow at the Economic Security Project. As both a labor leader and an activist, Stern is a leading voice and a prominent advocate for people who work. He is the author of A Country That Works, which outlines a practical, cooperative approach to promote economic growth in America, and Raising the Floor: How a Universal Basic Income Can Renew Our Economy and Rebuild the American Dream. In early 2010, Stern was appointed by President Obama to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Arguing against the motion:

* Jared Bernstein: Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities & Former Chief Economist to Vice President Joe Biden 

Jared Bernstein is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Bernstein was the chief economist and economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, executive director of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class, and a member of President Obama's economic team. Prior to joining the Obama administration, Bernstein was a senior economist and the director of the Living Standards Program at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Between 1995 and 1996, he held the post of deputy chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. 

* Jason Furman: Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute & Former Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors 

Jason Furman is a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Furman was previously the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA), where he served as President Obama’s chief economist and a member of the cabinet. Prior to this, Furman served as the principal deputy director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president. Furman was economic policy director for the president’s campaign in 2008 and a member of the Presidential Transition Team. 

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)

A non-partisan, nonprofit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to restore civility, reasoned analysis and constructive public discourse to today’s often biased media landscape. The award-winning debate series reaches over 30 million American households through multi-platform distribution, including radio, television, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV. With over 130 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008. The executive producer is Dana Wolfe.