Report Card for Donald Trump

[Eric the Green]

(12-08-2016, 11:59 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(12-06-2016, 02:46 PM)The Wonkette Wrote:

(12-06-2016, 12:01 AM)Warren Dew Wrote: I actually voted for Trump.  His foreign policy is not about reducing American force posture - he's going to "restore our military" - but about fewer wars.  Nor have tariffs been promised.  Nor has he promised anything about a financial collapse.  The immigration goal is legitimate.

So from an actual Trump voter:

1.  Appoint justices in the mold of Scalia.
2.  Reduce net immigration rate to 0 or below.
3.  Deport at least 4 million illegal aliens by end of 1st term.
4.  Increase manufacturing jobs as a percent of the economy.
5.  Pass a major tax cut.
6.. No new wars.

Good luck with #4.  As automation becomes ever less expensive, machines are taking more and more of the manufacturing jobs that used to be done by people.  Instead of thousands of people in plants, you'll have maybe one-tenth (or less) of them overseeing the robots.

It may be even worse than that.  At some point in the not too distant future, we'll be decrying the loss of jobs in general.  Expert systems and AI enhancements will kill knowledge jobs, law being first in line. 

• I just paid $35 for a software package that will allow me to do complete estate planning that would have cost between $2,000 and $4,000 through a lawyer.  I can get the entire package reviewed by one for about $250. 
  
• We already rely on WebMD for medical advice and have access to Lancet, JAMA and other medical publications that were hard to obtain in the past, and help deciphering the content is also available and free (or nearly so).
  
• Self-driving vehicles will be the single largest impactor, since driving is the #1 blue collar job category. 
  
• Feel free to add to the list, since the only limitations are imagination and financial justification. 
  

This may be a good point to ask about the concept of disruption.

And the obvious point is that this trend will destroy completely the main Republican slogan and talking point. That will be the main disrupting item.

Republicans with their free-market, anti social-program slogans harp constantly that Americans should "get a job" (as Trump shouted at his hecklers) and "stop freeloading" by using "MY" tax money so you don't have to "work." It has been complete bullshit for the 35 years it has ruled over us. But from now on, it's not only bullshit, it has no relevance whatever. Warren and Classic Xer, you guys are going to eat your words and then have to wash your slogans out of your mouth! There IS no fucking "WORK" anymore! Machines are taking over.

So the question is, what supports the economy, then? Who buys all the stuff and services that the machines churn out for us? And most of all, why should a few CEOs and a few engineers get ALL the fucking money for what the MACHINES produce? Who invented and built these machines? The workers, the people did. The people should get the rewards for this work-saving revolution. Good. We don't have to work anymore. So the owners and managers of the machines will have to COUGH UP THE DOUGH! No more trickle-down economics. No more blaming poor ethnic freeloaders for your problems, libertarians! We all should get the money we need directly from government taxes on the machine owners, and then and only then will they have any customers. I don't see how that's not the future.