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Than how will you define a "robot"? Will you define it as a machine with arms that is capable of picking up and manipulating work, or will you define it as any computer controlled machine? Robots only account for a fraction of the automated work done today. None the less, the robots and machines are all programmed using basic and universal language. For the most part, they are all accomplishing one familiar goal... Doing more with less.
And really, we've been doing that since the 1800's on. That's what sparked the industrial revolution. Nobody had a problem then.
The point is we should not grant corps favorable tax treatment for robots, that is equal to other capital tax breaks.
The point is we should not grant corps favorable tax treatment for robots, that is equal to other capital tax breaks.
Did we slap on additional taxes when Acme-Griddly and Brown and Sharpe replaced hundreds of handle crankers with their automatic screw machines? Heck no. America embraced it's productive capacity and enjoyed the fruits of their hard work and innovative spirit. These machines are running today, meaning hundreds of jobs that were eliminated in the 40's still don't exist. For anybody who's worried about robots "stealing jobs", just take a look at some of the amazing innovations from even before the 50's. They literally massacred jobs, but it didn't matter. We were number one and new jobs kept popping up. That's called "prosperity".
If you really want America to command the most powerful and most productive economy (without money printing and wild boom and bust cycles) manufactures should be taxed at the lowest possible bracket. We could create plenty more jobs if the tax code was more straight forward and less burdensome. Small businesses shouldn't have to grease a politicians wheels just to get a break in the global marketplace. And starting a new business? Forget about it. For most people, it's not worth the aggravation and effort.
If you look at every economy that is successful today (Canada, Australia, Germany, Switzerland) productive sectors are at the heart and center. Resource extraction and manufacturing. We should be doing everything possible to make sure our domestic productive might can continue to thrive and compete in the global market.
andywire, I view tax breaks as a privelege to be EARNED, not a right. My view is businesses should pay their full taxes net of any EARNED breaks. Not get a stipend for existing.
andywire, I view tax breaks as a privelege to be EARNED, not a right. My view is businesses should pay their full taxes net of any EARNED breaks. Not get a stipend for existing.
I'm wasn't suggesting tax breaks. I'm talking about taxes across the board that are more in line with services rendered. OTOH, many first world nations do in fact have lower tax rates specifically designed to encourage domestic manufacturing, particularly in Europe. China even subsidizes the costs of material for their manufacturers, and adopts public industry to guarantee viability, even at a loss. Domestic manufactures in this country have been complaining for decades that they can't even buy the steel for their mold cavities at the price the Chinese are selling theirs. We could be making those in the States, along with creating tons of high paying jobs, if it weren't for the tilted playing field. How are we to compete with this?
Maybe we should just tell our domestic manufacturing operations that they should have set up shop in China or Europe?
And look at all the corporate welfare being handed out to our mega multinational corporations who have no allegiance to this country anymore. The same corporations who would prefer to create jobs in Mexico or China. Middle class American jobs... Nah, those got cut out of the budget year ago.
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