The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
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The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
The post announces the launch of The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) Initiative, a major philanthropic project he is funding with his personal wealth.
The Meaning of the Post:
Atwood is signaling a transition from tech entrepreneur to full-time philanthropist and activist. The core message is that direct cash transfers are the most effective way to help people.
The Commitment: He and his wife have pledged $50 million (half of their remaining wealth) to address systemic poverty and "preserve the American Dream."
The Focus: The initiative specifically targets rural American counties. Atwood argues that rural areas are often overlooked, have a lower cost of living (making the money go further), and suffer from high rates of poverty.
The Philosophy: He advocates for "radical trust"—simply giving money to those in need without strings attached. He cites data showing that participants in such programs spend the money on basic needs, reduce their use of non-prescribed painkillers, and experience improved mental health.
"Stay Gold": He frames this as an act of "love" versus "hate," referencing a previous essay he wrote titled "Stay Gold, America," which warned about the erosion of community and the American Dream.
In short, the post is Atwood's "third and final startup": a multi-million dollar experiment to prove that the best way to fix the country is to trust poor people with the money they need to survive.
Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative
It's been a year since I invited Americans to join us in a pledge to Share the American Dream: 1. Support organizations you feel are effectively helping those most in need across America right now. 2. Within the next five years, also contribute public dedications of time or funds towards
Coding Horror (blog.codinghorror.com)
-
The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
The post announces the launch of The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) Initiative, a major philanthropic project he is funding with his personal wealth.
The Meaning of the Post:
Atwood is signaling a transition from tech entrepreneur to full-time philanthropist and activist. The core message is that direct cash transfers are the most effective way to help people.
The Commitment: He and his wife have pledged $50 million (half of their remaining wealth) to address systemic poverty and "preserve the American Dream."
The Focus: The initiative specifically targets rural American counties. Atwood argues that rural areas are often overlooked, have a lower cost of living (making the money go further), and suffer from high rates of poverty.
The Philosophy: He advocates for "radical trust"—simply giving money to those in need without strings attached. He cites data showing that participants in such programs spend the money on basic needs, reduce their use of non-prescribed painkillers, and experience improved mental health.
"Stay Gold": He frames this as an act of "love" versus "hate," referencing a previous essay he wrote titled "Stay Gold, America," which warned about the erosion of community and the American Dream.
In short, the post is Atwood's "third and final startup": a multi-million dollar experiment to prove that the best way to fix the country is to trust poor people with the money they need to survive.
Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative
It's been a year since I invited Americans to join us in a pledge to Share the American Dream: 1. Support organizations you feel are effectively helping those most in need across America right now. 2. Within the next five years, also contribute public dedications of time or funds towards
Coding Horror (blog.codinghorror.com)
@codinghorror Funny how the big "solution" is "more cash", when there is already too much cash in the system. I suppose if the real solution—progressive taxation—is off the table, only absurd alternatives remain.
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The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
The post announces the launch of The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) Initiative, a major philanthropic project he is funding with his personal wealth.
The Meaning of the Post:
Atwood is signaling a transition from tech entrepreneur to full-time philanthropist and activist. The core message is that direct cash transfers are the most effective way to help people.
The Commitment: He and his wife have pledged $50 million (half of their remaining wealth) to address systemic poverty and "preserve the American Dream."
The Focus: The initiative specifically targets rural American counties. Atwood argues that rural areas are often overlooked, have a lower cost of living (making the money go further), and suffer from high rates of poverty.
The Philosophy: He advocates for "radical trust"—simply giving money to those in need without strings attached. He cites data showing that participants in such programs spend the money on basic needs, reduce their use of non-prescribed painkillers, and experience improved mental health.
"Stay Gold": He frames this as an act of "love" versus "hate," referencing a previous essay he wrote titled "Stay Gold, America," which warned about the erosion of community and the American Dream.
In short, the post is Atwood's "third and final startup": a multi-million dollar experiment to prove that the best way to fix the country is to trust poor people with the money they need to survive.
Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative
It's been a year since I invited Americans to join us in a pledge to Share the American Dream: 1. Support organizations you feel are effectively helping those most in need across America right now. 2. Within the next five years, also contribute public dedications of time or funds towards
Coding Horror (blog.codinghorror.com)
@codinghorror Incredibly great project! Lately I thought about selling "alternative government" to very rich people: they can invest in a company which solves the problem the government is supposed to solve, but cannot solve anymore, because the rich people keep all their money.
I'm not sure about the right pitch yet
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The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
The post announces the launch of The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) Initiative, a major philanthropic project he is funding with his personal wealth.
The Meaning of the Post:
Atwood is signaling a transition from tech entrepreneur to full-time philanthropist and activist. The core message is that direct cash transfers are the most effective way to help people.
The Commitment: He and his wife have pledged $50 million (half of their remaining wealth) to address systemic poverty and "preserve the American Dream."
The Focus: The initiative specifically targets rural American counties. Atwood argues that rural areas are often overlooked, have a lower cost of living (making the money go further), and suffer from high rates of poverty.
The Philosophy: He advocates for "radical trust"—simply giving money to those in need without strings attached. He cites data showing that participants in such programs spend the money on basic needs, reduce their use of non-prescribed painkillers, and experience improved mental health.
"Stay Gold": He frames this as an act of "love" versus "hate," referencing a previous essay he wrote titled "Stay Gold, America," which warned about the erosion of community and the American Dream.
In short, the post is Atwood's "third and final startup": a multi-million dollar experiment to prove that the best way to fix the country is to trust poor people with the money they need to survive.
Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative
It's been a year since I invited Americans to join us in a pledge to Share the American Dream: 1. Support organizations you feel are effectively helping those most in need across America right now. 2. Within the next five years, also contribute public dedications of time or funds towards
Coding Horror (blog.codinghorror.com)
Your suggestion is largely correct: yes, the RGMII website does address many of the core philosophical and structural criticisms raised by experts, primarily by reframing the initiative as a specific kind of research project rather than a permanent solution or a "tech-savior" mission.
Here is how the text on rgmii.org directly responds to the most common expert concerns:
- Criticism: "Silicon Valley Savior" / Top-Down ApproachHow the Site Addresses It: The website explicitly states that they "engage with existing local rural community stakeholders — veterans organizations, communities of faith, local businesses, and neighborhood groups."
The Rebuttal: By listing these specific local partners, RGMII signals that it is not just "dropping cash from a helicopter" (or San Francisco) but is working through the trusted networks that already exist in these counties.
- Criticism: Sustainability & "Pilot Fatigue"How the Site Addresses It: The site clarifies that the goal is not to fund these counties forever with private money, but to "eventually become policy."
The Rebuttal: It frames the $50 million not as a permanent welfare replacement, but as "seed funding" to "create more data and more history" that can be used to pass federal or state legislation. This directly counters the critique that private philanthropy is unsustainable by admitting it is a means to a legislative end.
3.Criticism: Lack of Evidence / "We Already Know Cash Works"
How the Site Addresses It: The initiative partners with OpenResearch and GiveDirectly, organizations that have conducted some of the largest GMI studies in history.The Rebuttal: By emphasizing "sound, evidence-based scientific data," the site argues that while advocates know cash works, the political system still needs more rigorous, specific data from rural America to move forward.
- Criticism: The "Benefits Cliff" (Losing Medicaid/SNAP)How the Site Addresses It: While the homepage does not explicitly detail "hold harmless" agreements or waivers, it mentions partnering with GiveDirectly.
The Rebuttal: GiveDirectly is the industry standard for managing these payments. Their involvement implies a professionalized approach to benefits counseling, ensuring recipients are informed about how the cash might interact with other aid, even if the site doesn't host a complex "legal waiver" FAQ publicly.
Summary
The experts critiquing the plan often focus on the technical difficulties of implementation (waivers, cliffs, infrastructure). The website, however, addresses the strategic purpose: to build a political case for rural investment. If you read the site, the project is clearly defined as a data-gathering operation to change laws, not just a charity project to alleviate temporary suffering.
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R relay@relay.infosec.exchange shared this topic
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The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
The post announces the launch of The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) Initiative, a major philanthropic project he is funding with his personal wealth.
The Meaning of the Post:
Atwood is signaling a transition from tech entrepreneur to full-time philanthropist and activist. The core message is that direct cash transfers are the most effective way to help people.
The Commitment: He and his wife have pledged $50 million (half of their remaining wealth) to address systemic poverty and "preserve the American Dream."
The Focus: The initiative specifically targets rural American counties. Atwood argues that rural areas are often overlooked, have a lower cost of living (making the money go further), and suffer from high rates of poverty.
The Philosophy: He advocates for "radical trust"—simply giving money to those in need without strings attached. He cites data showing that participants in such programs spend the money on basic needs, reduce their use of non-prescribed painkillers, and experience improved mental health.
"Stay Gold": He frames this as an act of "love" versus "hate," referencing a previous essay he wrote titled "Stay Gold, America," which warned about the erosion of community and the American Dream.
In short, the post is Atwood's "third and final startup": a multi-million dollar experiment to prove that the best way to fix the country is to trust poor people with the money they need to survive.
Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative
It's been a year since I invited Americans to join us in a pledge to Share the American Dream: 1. Support organizations you feel are effectively helping those most in need across America right now. 2. Within the next five years, also contribute public dedications of time or funds towards
Coding Horror (blog.codinghorror.com)
@codinghorror lol @ the llm summary.
this is a cool project
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@codinghorror Funny how the big "solution" is "more cash", when there is already too much cash in the system. I suppose if the real solution—progressive taxation—is off the table, only absurd alternatives remain.
When it is demonstrated that this approach works, progressive taxation is the means with which it can be achieved in relation to the desired change in legislative approach.
The interesting bit thus isn't "does this work", but "how does one make the evidence of 'does this work' indisputable when viewed through the lens of shaping policy, when faced with a large cohort of rich libertarians hell bent on destroying civil society in favour of a feudal society owned by them."
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R relay@relay.an.exchange shared this topic
-
The post you are referring to was made by Jeff Atwood (the co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, known as "Coding Horror") on February 3, 2026.
The post announces the launch of The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) Initiative, a major philanthropic project he is funding with his personal wealth.
The Meaning of the Post:
Atwood is signaling a transition from tech entrepreneur to full-time philanthropist and activist. The core message is that direct cash transfers are the most effective way to help people.
The Commitment: He and his wife have pledged $50 million (half of their remaining wealth) to address systemic poverty and "preserve the American Dream."
The Focus: The initiative specifically targets rural American counties. Atwood argues that rural areas are often overlooked, have a lower cost of living (making the money go further), and suffer from high rates of poverty.
The Philosophy: He advocates for "radical trust"—simply giving money to those in need without strings attached. He cites data showing that participants in such programs spend the money on basic needs, reduce their use of non-prescribed painkillers, and experience improved mental health.
"Stay Gold": He frames this as an act of "love" versus "hate," referencing a previous essay he wrote titled "Stay Gold, America," which warned about the erosion of community and the American Dream.
In short, the post is Atwood's "third and final startup": a multi-million dollar experiment to prove that the best way to fix the country is to trust poor people with the money they need to survive.
Launching The Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative
It's been a year since I invited Americans to join us in a pledge to Share the American Dream: 1. Support organizations you feel are effectively helping those most in need across America right now. 2. Within the next five years, also contribute public dedications of time or funds towards
Coding Horror (blog.codinghorror.com)
@codinghorror I've had a friend who's been stuck in poverty for a while. He's been living in hotels for years just trying to make enough money to survive the day. Is this something you apply for?
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R relay@relay.mycrowd.ca shared this topic
