Universal Basic Income

[Collegelady2]

So what do you guys think about Zuckerburg's Universal Basic Income?

[TrailRunr]

This will never happen in the US. The GOP certainly won't support it. The Democrats in Congress are actually pretty conservative and pro-business to the point where I they are GOP-lite, so it won't happen unless the Bernie Sanders wing of the party completely takes over from the Hillary/Obama wing. We don't even have single payer healthcare like most of the industrialized countries due to corruption in Congress. This has no hope of ever happening.

[StoicJ]

I think it is immoral to forcibly take money from good people and give it to others.

[davewill]

I suspect it will become necessary at some future time. There simply won't be enough unskilled work that pays a living wage.

I think it is immoral to let our fellow citizens live in poverty.

[ndelco]

While I agree that we should not be letting our neighbors live in poverty, it is not the right of anyone to take from one what they have earned to give to another. That is a matter of the heart, not the government, or this guy who has already stolen enough from people. There is way too much corruption for this to ever work correctly. Who will oversee it and ensure the right people are getting their money? Politicians? CEOs of charities that are taking millions for themselves before using the donated money correctly?

[jsd]

When essentially all unskilled jobs are automated it'll be necessary for basic survival. and yet there will still be opposition to it, because many don't care about other's basic survival, at least in the US. It's a few decades off though, so Democrats will just kick the can down the road instead of taking an actual firm position on anything that requires a backbone.

Basically it's somehow both essential but will also never happen in the US, like so many things. We always put ourselves in weird predicaments.

[Outis]

When essentially all unskilled jobs are automated it'll be necessary for basic survival. and yet there will still be opposition to it, because many don't care about other's basic survival, at least in the US. It's a few decades off though, so Democrats will just kick the can down the road instead of taking an actual firm position on anything that requires a backbone.

The Zuckster has said UBI should be given so that folks can take risks (i.e. create a startup). The idea that even 1% of folks are capable of this, as if. People are suggesting that once UBI is delivered, a new renaissance will come about; once all of the Mozart's and Picasso's at Starbucks are freed of their low wage jobs.

However, irrespective of politics, technology and automation will soon disrupt society unimaginably. In the past innovations would temporarily wipe out specific job sectors, but then replace it with a new profession or trade. That has been the trend. Soon, automation will replace so many jobs *without* replacing the void, as was done in the past. Gates is probably right in that we will have to simply tax the automation to help support UBI programs.

I think it is immoral to forcibly take money from good people and give it to others.

I mostly agree. But soon, automation and machine learning will replace nearly ~40% of the economy, and it will only continue.

[sanantone]

A lot of people have said that there will be more jobs related to computers once they take over jobs previously done by humans. I heard an interesting interview from a man who doesn't believe this will be true. He pointed out how one man developed several artificial intelligence programs.

We are not at the point of there not being enough jobs yet. I can't remember if it was Kansas or Kentucky, but a third of the state is on some form of government assistance because they refuse to move into the 21st century. Sorry, but the manufacturing and coal jobs are not going to come back in droves. Natural gas is cheaper and more people are employed in the solar industry. The Pell Grant is there for a reason.

[rebel100]

Zuck said it had to come from people like him. When he said it I had to fight the urge to stand and proclaim "I volunteer as tribute"!

My daughter and her friend tried to make their way to the stage and get a picture with him.... security was having none of that. I presume he flew back to Hawaii where he lives behind a wall with armed guards.

If you think guys like that are going to go through with wealth redistribution so Bernie supporters can have a safe place and unlimited pizza I think your wrong.

[Collegelady2]

Zuck said it had to come from people like him. When he said it I had to fight the urge to stand and proclaim "I volunteer as tribute"!

My daughter and her friend tried to make their way to the stage and get a picture with him.... security was having none of that. I presume he flew back to Hawaii where he lives behind a wall with armed guards.

If you think guys like that are going to go through with wealth redistribution so Bernie supporters can have a safe place and unlimited pizza I think your wrong.

Why would he make such a ridiculous comment then?