American Politics Discussion Thread

[Mjmd]

I was trying to stay somewhat on topic.... I'm not sure how deep I needed to explain or even if I should take Boro at face value. Boro always struck me as a pro-authoritarian. However, democracies tend to have a higher standard of living, because governments at least have to somewhat care about the voter (somewhat) and also as mentioned less overall corruption (note the word less*).

[Ginger()]

Boro’s larger point feels missed (or I am missing what he’s saying)…there is a large segment of society that derives value making and building tangible things.  Those jobs are poorly rewarded and disproportionately automated.  I’m not advocating we throw sabos into The Internet, but finding solutions other than service industry jobs or sending them back to school would prevent them from turning to MAGAnomics.

Darrell

The life of luxury we enjoy in the western world is built on abusing the third world countries. Bringing those jobs back would mean a big downgrade in what is viable to be produced and how much people can afford to consume.

As for an actual solution: Universal basic income.

Offshoring manufacturing jobs and importing goods from the third world is a net transfer of wealth to the third world. 
It doesn't really qualify as abuse. "Help I'm being repressed, people are buying my goods and services because I offer them at cheaper price!" 
There are clearly problems like labor and environmental regulations being inconsistent, but the reason liberal economic ideology supports the free trade is because over time it reduces that wealth disparity, and in the meantime provides a more efficient labor pool for consumers in the first world. Less barriers to trade means more net prosperity for everyone. Yes it means you will lose some industries to foreign competitors, but that's what drives capitalist innovation, the alternative is for the state to subsidy home markets (which we see in Agriculture and Energy, but those have strategic nat security considerations). 

On a side note, tariffs bad.

[darrelljs]

I work for a company that has hired several thousand employees in Malaysia and Poland, and we’ve consistently given near double digit raises as other companies have moved in and competition has driven wage growth. These are high paying tech jobs that have a cascade effect on the local economy. In return we get high quality work that would have cost more to do in the US or Western Europe. Is that exploitation?

Darrell

[darrelljs]

As for an actual solution: Universal basic income.

UBI is not a solution, because it doesn’t address our need for purpose.

Darrell

[Amicalola]

As for an actual solution: Universal basic income.

UBI is not a solution, because it doesn’t address our need for purpose.

Darrell

I don't necessarily disagree (would need to read more about it), but this is also true of many modern jobs in Western countries that have proposed it. Most, perhaps. And I imagine the extra time it unlocks (even if one works part-, rather than full-time) might allow people to find a purpose that is not their wage.

[darrelljs]

I agree Amicalola, I should say that UBI is by itself not a solution.

Darrell

[Mjmd]

My company has tech teams in Malaysia, Czechoslovakia, and Australia.

US is really going to need to invest in education and infrastructure to keep competitive. OR if you're Republicans you can vote against infrastructure and undermine education.

[Mjmd]

Speaking of trade agreements. As the article states its not a free trade agreement, but its something at least.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/us-annou...china.html

Man, its nice to have an administration that isn't a caveman swinging a club at random objects on the world stage. Trump withdrawing from the TPP remains one of his top 10 mistakes (and that is truly saying something).

Protectionism is a very strong emotional force, but it doesn't ever work out for the declining empire involved.

[Jowy]

Elementary school shot up today in USA. If only those toddlers had guns too this wouldn't have happened.

[superdeath]

Elementary school shot up today in USA. If only those toddlers had guns too this wouldn't have happened.

Stricter gun laws would be nice. But its hard to make them effective without taking away from lawful citizens. Crazy people do Crazy things.