Thoughtful response, indeed.

You might be interested in "Manna." Writer M. Brain depicts two paths humanity can take as automation takes over. Here is my review:

https://medium.com/politically-speaking/book-review-manna-by-marshall-brain-4fb3faac3dc

Hint: we are not taking the right path.

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Canada has already developed a partial UBI. But we just can't call it that because UBI sounds socialist.

Struggling Canadians get a little stipend with several social programs, all based on our income. File our taxes; the government machine determines the monthly stipend; the money shows up in our bank account; no one is checking whether I buy cigarettes or T-bone steaks or pay the electricity bill.

I will get about $2300 this year. A nice touch for this low income earner.

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If we want "sanitation engineers," then we will have to pay enough to entice people to do that work. There will always be people looking for some extra cash, even when when the UBI pays for the basics.

But when people are "forced" to do this work, that is a free market distortion. Right?

A UBI will drastically change our economy, but in a great way.

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I too am a little too close to six feet under. I don't anticipate Canada developing a full UBI while I'm around. The TDG could be built before my expiry date, but that is not looking likely.

But if I can get people started on it, that would be great.

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A half-baked government program motivated me to get into politics. I thought this could be how I improve the world. I learned that government is half-baked because it is not about society, but a competition for status, influence, and power. And I could not change that dynamic.

But the experience led me to the TDG.