What happens if robots take the jobs?

[Mangus Colorado]

Paper | October 26, 2015

What happens if robots take the jobs? The impact of emerging technologies on employment and public policy

By: Darrell M. West

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Automation is appearing everywhere. Ready or not, innovations like robotics, computerized algorithms, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, medical sensors and machine-to-machine communications, 3-D printing, and autonomous vehicles will increasingly transform the global economy, even displacing many in the human workforce.

Today only 16 percent of students graduating high school are proficient in and interested in a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). This fact underlines the potential consequences this new frontier presents for the workforce and the provision of health benefits, pensions, and social insurance. As automation and robots displace or replace workers, how can society adjust so as not to disrupt the delivery of social benefits like health care and pensions?

In a new paper, "What happens if robots take the jobs? The impact of emerging technologies on employment and public policy," Darrell West tackles this question by offering creative solutions to dispensing social benefits while automation continues to rise. West proposes striking economic changes in order to restructure how our society delivers on the social contract, such as:

• Separating the dispersion of health care, disability, and pension benefits outside of employment, offering workers with limited skills social benefits on a universal basis.
• Mandating a basic income guarantee for a reasonable standard of living to combat persistent unemployment or underemployment posed by the automation economy.
• Revamping the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to allow the benefit to support households in the grips of high unemployment.
• Providing activity accounts for lifetime learning and job retraining to motivate the workforce to keep pace with innovation.
• Offering incentives for volunteerism—beneficial for many people who in the future may not be able to provide for their families through regular employment but may still wish enrich their communities.
• Encouraging corporate profit sharing to spread the benefits of improved productivity to the broader workforce.
• Reforming the education curriculum to reflect the high premium STEM skills will offer employees in the future.
• Expanding arts and culture for leisure time, ensuring that reduction in work will not eliminate chances for cultural pursuits.

"There needs to be ways for people to live fulfilling lives even if society needs relatively few workers," West writes. Taking steps now in anticipation of the exciting new future that awaits will help people adapt to new economic realities.

[kevin kiernan]

I say what I say because I have done my own research. I have yet to find a Dr. who will not take Medicare. All the conservative news reports and extreme right wing papers are preaching that so many Dr.`s do not take it.  Like I said ,I have yet to find one who will not take it. In fact they seem more so for it, rather than against it...I can only say what I have truthfully found out myself. I suggest everyone gets off their duffs and ask Dr.`s themselves. Do not take my word or anyone`s. You all need to find the answer yourself and that way there are no if,and`s or but`s

[Mangus Colorado]

KK,

In Georgia that might be the case go to California, Texas in some areas, NY, and other big cities. You will not find the specialists like medicare much.

[kevin kiernan]

In fact, I talked with a Dr.Jack D. Heneisen of Rincon Georgia. His practice does not take any Health Insurance. He takes Medicare and cash. He only charges 50 bucks per visit. He will give a receipt to those with insurance ,and it is up to them to jump through the hoops to get pd .Lab test are cheaper also. He has written a book that all Dr.`s should read .His resume is long and is loved by everyone in the community. He is  an icon in the community trhat he has served for over 35 years. I would suggest reading his book. It is very telling of the true reasons that health care is so expensive. Mind you , he is not even close to being a liberal. or left leaning in any way. In fact political correctness is an unknown to him. Interviewing him , i saw a man who no doubt is very passionate about fixing our broken healthcare system. 

[M]

Kevin, every rule has the exception and this doctor while benefiting his patients, is the glaring exception to the general prevailing conditions.

[Virginia Foulk]

There already is a shortage here in our area. And the rural areas are worst hit. My husband has lost his cardiac doctor, and the Dr, that is/was handling his cancer situation is retiring this year. My Doctor, who only gets to see me once every other year and has to argue with me about pills (I won't take them unless it's for a specific time period) He does like me though, Will be leaving the clinic the end of this year. And my 43 years with Oscar Mayer, then Phillip Morris- transfer to Kraft, means nothing now. Kraft-Heinz will no longer continue the health care program they offered me in 2005 when I retired. So all of us retirees are now having to deal with One-Exchange - and will have to get individual plans. I 'll not know how much the premiums will be until the first of the year, though we have to sign up on Nov. 14.  

[M]

Kevin, You forget the rampant fraud connected with Medicare. It may run like a Swiss watch, but only for the abusers of the system. Face it, where there are no EFFECTIVE checks and balances you get abuse. If you don't believe that, just look to the Federal Government we have today where the checks and balances are almost non existent now..

[kevin kiernan]

M, I will always do research myself. I refuse to jump on board with anything someone else says. Healthcare is a major problem that needs to be addressed, Not be made a dividing political force. I will not just repeat what conservative think tanks put out.I do not buy into either side of politics on this issue.And I also do not think it should be used for political gains.

[M]

Kevin,

I was not asking you to jump on board, simply expressing my first hand experiences and some feed back from my Niece who is a doctor considering doing something else because of Over Regulation by Government.Seems the huge conglomerates are not tasked as hard as the individual doctors are according to her.

[kevin kiernan]

What are the regulations ?

[M]

By his math, the Obama administration has issued 20,000 pages of regulations “associated” with the new law. #ObamaCare regulations - 828 pages in one day. Overall, there are nearly 20,000 pages – with many more to come. Those regs also cover Medicare and Medicaid

[Mangus Colorado]

KK,

The law covers standard levels of care for example. Tells Doctors how to practice if they want to be part of the program?

[Alice Jordan]

Wow, Mr. Colorado,

 I found you and Hank here, just by chance, I want to have a little talk, and don't worry Mr. Massingale gave all of us orders, there is a treaty between us, even if we do not agree on issue.