Would you be in favor of making basic toiletries absolutely free of charge?

[Still-alive]

Such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toilet paper? Would you be in favor of having all of that be free? they would likely be basic types of them all so nothing fancy but as long as it functions like they are supposed to.

Yes im in favor of making all those free!

I'm in favor of making Some of them free but not all of them

no im not in favor of making them free

[goaded]

No. Physical things that people get for free are easily discarded and treated as worthless. Something like UBI that means everyone can afford those basics is a better approach. And maybe get rid of liquid soaps; they're expensive water wrapped in far too much plastic.

I think there is, or was, the idea of free power for poor families in Germany. The trouble with that is that it would mean lots of flats with the windows open and heating full on. Better would be: this is what we will pay you to heat your home. If it actually costs less, you get to keep (a percentage of) the difference (for people on social benefits). You can bet that people would find ways to save on heating then.

[MuddyMole]

Maybe. But make it means-tested, and their production would have to be nationalised as well - just throwing taxpayer's money at private businesses to have them supply the products, would be a disaster (see: the railways, energy, telecoms, the postal service, prisons, etc).

[Apulu_Imback]

Being daughter of a businessman, this sounds like a terrible idea. Yeah you can remove taxes, that way products would be way cheaper and will bring great profit as well (since sellers wouldn't have to pay tax for the stock as well). If you are talking about making it totally free, then all the entrepreneurs of these product company and the sellers will go broke and yeah you can't get them anymore since there wouldn't be anymore production. Removing taxes is a great idea since govt. already taxes us a lot and it won't harm to remove taxes for daily use products, they would be way more cheaper (almost free) and more profitable per stock for the sellers.

[Cherry234]

Maybe just the ones that are absolutely necessary like toothpaste, deodorant, and feminine products (pads, tampons, etc.). Other ones like listerine and razors could be low cost. Everything shouldn't be free.

[SaoirseS]

Oh good grief, this again.


My question is, who’s going to plant and harvest the orchards of money trees that will be needed to pay for all this “free” stuff?


Tax monies are not an option.

[Still-alive]

Why are taxes not an option?

[SaoirseS]

We’re taxed to death as it is. Besides, do you want government at any level making choices for you when it comes to personal products?
No. Just no.

[Still-alive]

"Besides, do you want government at any level making choices for you when it comes to personal products?"

yes because the federal government makes good stuff actually. state governments are the ones that are shitty. look at the difference between federal and state prisons for example. very stark contrast.

[SaoirseS]

Governments don’t manufacture products.

[Still-alive]

welp i am in favor of this. sounds like you aren't lol

[SaoirseS]

I am definitely not.

[SaoirseS]

I think you asked this question just to stir up some shit.

[Still-alive]

uhh no i didn't... im genuinely curious.. but if you somehow got some beef with me suddenly feel free to dm me.

[Still-alive]

you know im a progressive right? so this kind of question by me shouldn't be that much of a shock to you.

[SaoirseS]

I don’t have any beef with you.

[Still-alive]

lol you sure. that last comment sure sounded like you did.

but alright then. carry on

[Still-alive]

If i really wanted to 'start something' i would be wayy wayyyyy more obvious about it like with this question here: Lindsay Graham introduces federal legislation banning abortions after 15 weeks. So where are you states rights doofuses at now? ↗

where im directly calling out the people im addressing.

this question though? nope. not starting anything. just want to see what they all think about it.

[SaoirseS]

The point is you do occasionally like to stir shit up.
Even progressives know there's no such thing as "free," and that US governments at all levels don't actually build or manufacture.
I'll gladly reconsider the concept of governments funding free toiletries for all when national debt is eliminated. As it now stands, it is rapidly approaching $31 Trillion, or $245,000 per taxpayer. Pay that off then we can talk. States aren't much better off.

[Still-alive]

sometimes i do yes. but purposely.. not discreetly. so what of it? you can simply ignore those posts if you don't like them.

and anyways it seems you disagree with this and so that is fine. disagree all you want.

[SaoirseS]

You haven't given an answer as to where money for this free stuff is supposed to come from lol.

[Still-alive]

im not gonna bother giving you one with this tone of yours with me miss. :)

[SaoirseS]

What "tone"? It's just matter of fact.

[Still-alive]

nope you saying i asked this to 'stir shit up.' is pretty baseless. you'll notice how no one else here seemed to get bent out of shape over it right?

[Still-alive]

goaded for instance disagreed and offered up a good response as to why. and that is fine with me.

[SaoirseS]

You're right, nobody is bent out of shape over it including me.

[Still-alive]

you sure now? lol.. cause it sure feels like you did. especially with the 'good grief' comment in your original post.

[SaoirseS]

It doesn't come up as often as penis size or height questions come up, but the "free stuff" questions come up often enough to make it mind-numbing. Free stuff always sounds good on the surface, but nobody ever comes up with a solution that doesn't involve public spending. It's like going on the hunt for pregnant unicorns and finding leprechauns with pots of gold - isn't going to happen.

[Still-alive]

ok so simply state why you think its not a good idea and be on your way. no biggie.

[SaoirseS]

I already did.

[Still-alive]

you did but then you had to bring in the 'you're just trying to stir shit up' comment after lol... like whyyy?

[Still-alive]

i was willing to just let it be after the 'i am definitely not' comment

[purplepoppy]

The issue of so called hygiene poverty has been raised in the UK particularly around children by schools. There are hygiene banks you can donate cleaning products to.

I'm not convinced people can't afford them, they cost pennies. But I don't think kids should suffer because mum would rather buy smokes and beer than her kid toothpaste. It's not the child's fault so I'd be happy to see free toiletries in schools.

[TroyDT]

No. Nothing that requires the labor or resources of another is free, so this will requires more taxes and more bloat in already far to large government.

But if you set up a site for the purpose I will gladly freely donate my resources to it.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

I don’t know, everyone’s talking about making everything free now and it’s sort of starting to sound unreasonable. Why not just make things with exorbitant prices a wee lower. Like uh…… deodorant, yeah. We went to Walmart yesterday and some of them were $6 for ONE, not a pack, ONE. that’s what I call unreasonable. Obviously everyone would like free everything but that’s ridiculous

[SnowedIn]

I can't vote. What I struggle with is who pays? And should the person who has no kids fund the toiletries for the family with six kids? This is an interesting concept but a potentially minefieldish idea.

[The_Shadow_Dweller]

Any organization needs to charge at least 5 cents or 10 cents in total for all the items for the people to actually value them.

[The_Shadow_Dweller]

I think even a beggar will make that much in a day, right?

[douride2]

They wouldn't be free. Some where some how they have to be paid for. Think higher tax dollars & I already pay more then enough taxes.

[llorando]

Not free as in you can go to the store and take as many as you want, but would support a Medicare 4 All Plan that covers those items.

[Zolly99999]

Absolutely!!

And to pay for then raise the price of some luxurious a bit to offset the cost

[Pete671]

yes anything needed for basic health should be free,,,

[Staximus]

Who's paying for it, my tax dollars or Jesus? It's not free.

[melanieeeB]

Free sounds good to me lol

[leighbee]

Omg yes, especially period products!

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Yes, I'm in favor of making all those free!

[ShaTTeredMasterpeace]

Heck yeah!!

[TroyDT2]

Nope.