If the Robots Come for Our Jobs, What Should the Government Do?

[elleng]

Some big ideas are starting to percolate. But less dramatic ones might work, too.

'Lots of smart technologists and futurists are convinced that we are on the cusp of a world in which artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies will make a large portion of today’s jobs obsolete.

They might be wrong, of course, but the consequences if they’re right would be huge — potentially a defining challenge of the decades ahead, and one that would demand political attention.

Some of the potential answers are big, bold ideas that have gained traction in particular ideological circles. A universal basic income — the idea that the government simply give each citizen enough money every month to support basic needs — has fans among both free-market libertarians and socialists.

But other ideas starting to percolate in economic policy circles may have advantages in terms of cost and political viability.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/upshot/if-the-robots-come-for-our-jobs-what-should-the-government-do.html?

[Girard442]

1. Key phrase in article: "...try to tilt the balance toward workers..."

Good luck with that in Trumpylvania. Tilting the balance away from workers is what Republicans are all about.

[Doreen]

2. My thought also.

[TimeSnowDemos]

3. The truth

This is coming, and with it mass unemployment.

The only desirable outcome is for the majority of workers and their families to agitate for an outcome that helps the majority.

Some nations are trying to prepare for this.

The US is not.

[elleng]

4. Right, sadly,

Some nations are trying to prepare for this.

The US is not.

[quartz007]

5. Become a robot maintenance technician

Robots may not take coffee breaks, but they do break down or have to be constantly re-programmed to perform different functions.