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> we could direct AI produced value into universal basic income so people wouldn't lose their income. This would never get approved in the USA. Think of the

> we could direct AI produced value into universal basic income so people wouldn't lose their income. This would never get approved in the USA. Think of the backlash here against "Obamaphones" and "welfare queens" - we can't even get paid parental leave approved! Let alone disability, social security or SNAP/food benefits. UBI is not even an option. Even now we're taking away food benefits and tying it to mandatory work- ie moving in the opposite direction. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/stricter-work-requirements-for-calfresh-begin-monday-what-to-know/ https://ktla.com/news/local-news/stricter-work-requirements-... American voters are far too resistant against any sort of welfare and/or social assistance for UBI to ever be feasible. Even during the great depression FDR was only able to get work for pay programs approved that assigned jobs like Conservation Corps, Public Works and WPA rather than just handing out cash. And to get that passed we needed widespread bank collapses, failed farms, starving people and catastrophic unemployment there was STILL heavy opposition to any/all government assistance programs because there is a very deep fear entrenched in the American psyche that government aid creates dependency and weakens individual responsibility. There is a widespread false narrative in the USA that any sort of government help, assistance programs and/or payments is leftist socialism and communism.

ryandrake 5mo ago
The USA would rather pay half the population to dig holes and the other half to fill them in, than simply provide a basic standard of living for all.
- suzzer99 5mo ago
  The CCC and WPA produced a lot of valuable stuff that still stands today.
- wiseowise 5mo ago
  But what about Japan? Sorry, I meant Germany. Sorry, I meant USSR. Vietnam? Iraq? Iraqistan, or was it Afghanistan? Iraq, yes! Russia, Russia! Oh, look, China! Knock, knock. Who's there? I ran.
shuckles 5mo ago
This is a superficial complaint. In practice, the US doles out enormous amounts of social assistance. Disability, social security, and healthcare are an enormous part of the federal budget. Maybe it will be gated behind make-work or some other scheme.
- bluefirebrand 5mo ago
  > This is a superficial complaint. In practice, the US doles out enormous amounts of social assistance Good point. So we should ask those people how the reliance on social assistance has really worked out for them. Do they generally feel respected and valued by the systems that pay them? Are they happy with the amount of assistance they receive?
duskdozer 5mo ago
It's all about the framing. Lots of people love the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but hate Obamacare, or demand politicians "keep your government hands off my Medicare" (non-US: "Obamacare" is the ACA; Medicare is another government healthcare program) I don't know if it's possible to replicate this though.
HeartStrings 5mo ago
It would get approved when 80% of populus is unemployed

ryandrake 5mo ago

The USA would rather pay half the population to dig holes and the other half to fill them in, than simply provide a basic standard of living for all.

suzzer99 5mo ago
The CCC and WPA produced a lot of valuable stuff that still stands today.
wiseowise 5mo ago
But what about Japan? Sorry, I meant Germany. Sorry, I meant USSR. Vietnam? Iraq? Iraqistan, or was it Afghanistan? Iraq, yes! Russia, Russia! Oh, look, China! Knock, knock. Who's there? I ran.

shuckles 5mo ago

This is a superficial complaint. In practice, the US doles out enormous amounts of social assistance. Disability, social security, and healthcare are an enormous part of the federal budget. Maybe it will be gated behind make-work or some other scheme.

bluefirebrand 5mo ago
> This is a superficial complaint. In practice, the US doles out enormous amounts of social assistance Good point. So we should ask those people how the reliance on social assistance has really worked out for them. Do they generally feel respected and valued by the systems that pay them? Are they happy with the amount of assistance they receive?

duskdozer 5mo ago

It's all about the framing. Lots of people love the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but hate Obamacare, or demand politicians "keep your government hands off my Medicare" (non-US: "Obamacare" is the ACA; Medicare is another government healthcare program) I don't know if it's possible to replicate this though.

HeartStrings 5mo ago

It would get approved when 80% of populus is unemployed