Heard on Sam Harris podcast: Universal Basic income. He's right.

[lindysalsagal]

https://www.yang2020.com/what-is-ubi/

In the next 12 years, 1 out of 3 American workers are at risk of losing their jobs to new technologies—and unlike with previous waves of automation, this time new jobs will not appear quickly enough in large enough numbers to make up for it. To avoid an unprecedented crisis, we’re going to have to find a new solution, unlike anything we’ve done before. It all begins with Universal Basic Income for all American adults, no strings attached – a foundation on which a stable, prosperous, and just society can be built.

Listening to him, I can't find a fault in any of his arguments: The old employment-based economy is dying. Automation is replacing workers. This is what gave rise to frump.

I think the guy's right.

[wasupaloopa]

1. I don't see how you could get both political parties to agree to

UBI. If it was passed into law it would have to be cemented in stone by the SCOTUS. I don’t see that happeneing any time soon.

Also like Obamacare it could be taken away while people are living on it.

Also you would need to pay for it with taxes on something. What will that be?

There has not been enough discussion on this but “It sounds good.”

[Blue_true]

3. Hillary mentioned a tax on robots.

The issue is the tax must be more than a onetime deal for a robot. Frankly, companies or people that have capital to spend on them and install them will benefit from robots.

I have seen industries where three robotic systems replaced 10-15 workers, and the robotics technology was still young. What is going to happen is big companies will crush small ones, because the big companies can afford robots. John and Jane Doe care more about how much their hair lotion costs than whether people had jobs making it.

[Blue_true]

2. He is right about automation permanently replacing people.

And he is totally right about this industrial revolution being unlike any before in terms of the dynamics of job loss. I see smart machines eliminating 80-95% of today's jobs as machines become more advanced.

UBI is a interesting concept and will need to be done to insure social stability. But there are many gotchas that have to be worked out. Two that I think of often are how many children can a person getting UBI have, and will people getting UBI have any obligation to do "public" work (I hope not, but am sure that republicans will push for that).
I can see how monumentally dark things can take place if the UBI plan is not well thought out. I see Romney's rediculous charge of makers versus takers getting jacked up on steroids.

[MichMan]

4. All kinds of unknown questions about how it could be implemented

Substinence wage or living wage?

Does the amount of UBI $$ vary regionally depending on costs of living ?

Will it replace, or be in addition to current government programs like Food Stamps, WIC, Section 8 housing, EITC etc. ?

Are people eligible for UBI payments at birth or when they turn 18?

[JCanete]

7. It would generally replace those things, and typically, I think the plan would be that we receive

Last edited Sat Sep 8, 2018, 02:03 PM - Edit history (1)

the UBI at birth. There is the sensational argument that this would somehow prompt "freeloaders" to have more babies, as if having babies and caring for them is easy. My guess is it would curb birth-rates. I think it would probably be a federal baseline. States that are more expensive to live in or cities, could probably commit to an additional living stipend.

[JCanete]

5. Nice to see him on the right side of an issue. Too bad he's so stupid about Islam, and so

quick to resorting to bashing the character and intelligence of those who challenge him on his flimsy assumptions.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. His trying to revive Charles "The Bell Curve" Murray's putrid career is disgusting enough. nt

[JCanete]

8. yeah, damn, well of course he'd be behind something like this. He certainly does have a vested

interest in feeling intrinsically intellectually superior , but such a fragile ego to boot.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. Right on. And don't forget that if you quote exactly what he says. You're misinterpreting

him. Fuck that pseudo intellectual trust fund clown.