In lieu of the current hodgepodge of social safety-net programs and benefits, the U.S. government should provide each adult citizen with a guaranteed basic monthly income.
A basic income will provide dignity and security to the poor, and, as insurance against the risks involved, promote creativity and entrepreneurship by empowering workers to work where and how they want. Families will gain the flexibility they need to better provide suitable environments for their children.
The basic income could be accomplished by radically expanding Social Security, and would allow for the unwinding of other benefit programs, improving efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness.
Simply put, it would reaffirm the rights of all Americans to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."