Will the next generation of Americans have it better or worse? (wages, healthcare)

[Freak80]

Will the present generation of American children (10 and under) have it better or worse compared to today’s American adults?

I personally believe that the next generation will be worse off, on average, for the following reasons:

1) Globalization and open borders. Jobs will continue to be sent to cheap foreign labor, and cheap foreign labor will continue to be imported. If Americans have to compete on a level playing field with third world workers (including professional workers) who are willing to work for peanuts, that’s going to drive down wages. And with exploding third world populations, the supply of cheap labor will only increase.

2) Increasing automation. More and more jobs will be automated, with not enough new jobs to replace them. Most of the new jobs will require advanced degrees in science and engineering, putting them out of reach of the average person.

3) Massive government debt. The path of least resistance is to make our children pay for our fiscal irresponsibility, since they are powerless to stop it. Children can’t vote, so we will continue to put the debt burden on them.

4) The general decline of America’s standing in the world. America won’t have the political and military clout that it enjoyed in the second half of the 20th century. We’ve wasted trillions on pointless wars for the sake of private interests, and we will continue to do so. China will become the #1 superpower, which will affect the global order in ways we can’t even fathom. Supposedly the US dollar has “reserve currency status,” what happens when we lose it?

Children of corporate CEOs and other wealthy individuals will do very well in the future. They will probably be even better off than today’s wealthy, as the global labor glut drives down wages and automation eliminates human labor altogether.

What do you all think?

[BobNJ1960]

If we reign in the size of Big Government and promote a better environment to grow business, better.

[ditchlights]

Originally Posted by Freak80

What do you all think?

I think it depends on who wins the 2020 elections. If Trump gets a second term, he will continue to fight against 1, 3, and 4. Number 2 is inevitable regardless who's in office.

If a liberal wins, expect all four to occur in speed of light fashion.

[ottomobeale]

Worse. It will be like the beginning scene of Running Man. As soon as the rich can get rid of employees. They will.

.1% Rich
.9% wannabes
10% Middle Class

[Ringo1]

It will be much worse unless we figure something out. In the new 'gig' economy - employer healthcare is a thing of the past.


But HEY - the 1% will continue to thrive.

[Pilot1]

If we keep the Democrats out of power, yes. If not, we will continue to go down the Fundamental Transformation/Communist path, then no.

[Brian_M]

Doesn't matter.... don't care.

[Freak80]

Originally Posted by ditchlights

I think it depends on who wins the 2020 elections. If Trump gets a second term, he will continue to fight against 1, 3, and 4. Number 2 is inevitable regardless who's in office.

If a liberal wins, expect all four to occur in speed of light fashion.

Originally Posted by Pilot1

If we keep the Democrats out of power, yes. If not, we will continue to go down the Fundamental Transformation/Communist path, then no.

How is globalization a “liberal” or “communist” policy? Globalization exists because it’s good for the Big Business interests that own our government. Globalization is good for capital and bad for labor. How is that communist or liberal*?

*unless you mean the old definition of “liberal” which meant free markets and free trade instead of mercantilism

[Retroit]

They will be worse off, but the liberals will convince them otherwise.

[Old Gringo]

Better!

We can't foresee what big advances will improve their lives.

But on the whole, with few exceptions, each generation of Americans has it better than their predecessors.