Louis Kelso foresaw the automation issue decades ago. See Second Incomes for All at www.aesopinstitute.org
A Capital Homestead Act has been proposed that grew directly out of his ideas regarding a way to deal with the problem. ________________________________ From: OrionWorks - Steven V Johnson <svj.orionwo...@gmail.com> To: vortex-l@eskimo.com Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 3:29 PM Subject: Re: [Vo]:Will Robots Steal Your Job? Jouni sez: >> This article references Martin Ford's "Lights in the Tunnel" which was >> discussed here. > > I have not yet read the article, but one short comment about the topic. > > That robots are stealing our jobs is not an issue, because we can tax > robots and give money to the poor as a basic income. > > Robots may steal our McJobs, but they will not steal our money. Say what???? "...tax robots???" Robots will never earn any income. They are slaves. You can't tax income from slaves that never earn income. It will have to be the corporations that all of these "employ" robots that will have to be taxed with an "employment tax". Unfortunately, and particularly within the United States, you can be sure American corporations will resist paying "employment taxes". Super conservative political organizations like the Tea Party organization will have nothing to do with it. Nevertheless, governments will have to go after corporations that have systematically thrown out employees in favor of "employing" robots that don't need to be paid and don't need expensive health insurance. Governments will need to institute some kind of a reasonably fair "employment tax" system that these corporations must pay. Unfortunately, I suspect most corporations and will vehemently resist any of these kinds of taxation measures. From their POV why would any corporation in their right mind want to be taxed in order to generate income for someone else that from their perspective contributes nothing to the value of their company. Such a perception is, of course, extremely short sighted. By not paying any kind of "employment taxes" these corporations will essentially sign our country's economic death warrant. They will end up eating their own young and all of us along with them. Too many unemployed will continue to remain unemployed, unable buy any of the very products and services that these corporations now produce through robotics and artificial intelligence. The will end up signing their own corporate death sentences. Hopefully, smarter heads than those running conservative organizations like the Tea Party movement will eventually prevail. Hopefully enough will see the light at the end of the tunnel. So far, however, nobody seems to be willing to look at these issues for what they is. As such, I have serious concerns. This employment/taxation issue is discussed in the book by Martin Ford, "Lights in the Tunnel" Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
