Consumption payments

This post proposes the payment, in the United States, of a certain amount - for example $200 a month, to every individual, for the purposes of maintaining minimum levels of economic consumption.  Payments would be made through the Social Security System.

Consumption payments would not be welfare, as they would be distributed equally to rich and poor.

Consumption payments would encourage every individual to enroll early in the Social Security System and to obtain a bank account, as the Social Security System prefers to make direct deposits.

With the guaranteed monthly deposits, banks would be motivated to open deposit accounts for all persons with a Social Security number.

Although not intended as welfare payments, consumption payments would nevertheless serve as an economic force to reduce poverty.

Consumption payments would be taxable as ordinary income, thereby requiring all persons receiving consumption payments to file tax returns.

With automation gradually taking away employment in the production sector, and the resulting unemployment maintaining downward pressure on wages in the service sector, consumption payments would reduce the effects of unemployment on reducing consumption in the United States, thereby benefiting landlords and retail businesses.

As enrollment in the Social Security System is a form of documentation, requiring the applicant to provide a domicile address, the consumption payment program would reduce the number of undocumented persons in the United States, thereby assisting the immigration program.