Posted on Dec 5, 2015
SFC Michael Bryant
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Finland is implementing a basic income for every citizen of 800 Euros. This is in addition to employment money. Canada has one on the drawing board, as well. There are several cities across the world experimenting with it right now.

The issue is becoming a hot button topic as jobs become increasingly automated. It is estimated that 7.8 million jobs will be lost from sellf-driving cars alone. Artificial intelligence, automated warehousing, automated factories, even automated fast-food cooks... This will logically lead to some sort of basic income, universal healthcare and free state college.

How will this affect military readiness?
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Responses: 7
LTC Trent Klug
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Socialism is really great until that government runs out of other people's money.

How will it affect military readiness? I don't think it will. I think the progressive socialist movement is making itself very unwelcome in the US, again. Just like it did in the late 1910's & 1920's.
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SFC Michael Bryant
SFC Michael Bryant
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I thought the same for a long time. Then I ran across a few articles on Amazon's automated warehouse, Elon Musk's and Google's self-driving cars, IBM's Watson diagnosing better than doctors and radiologists, the exponentially lowering cost of solar, gene editing, virtual telepresence, DARPA's grand robotics challenge. It's all converging into this perfect storm causing Technological Unemployment. Some experts predict %50-%75 unemployment in 10 to 15 years. No field is completely safe. As the father of 9 and 13 year-old boys, its a harrowing outlook unless something gives. Energy and automation, in particular, are of particular interest in the geopolitical landscape. Crazy times.
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SSG Michael Hartsfield
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SFC Michael Bryant I think the answer you are looking for is "yes." Let's be upfront about this. Many join the military for the money ( such as it is) and the possibility of getting more as you go through the ranks. If the US did switch to a "one size fits all" pay system, some sort of program needs to be implemented to make up for it. I'm pretty sure no CSM or LTC wants to get the same pay as a Day One Private
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1SG Civil Affairs Specialist
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This has come up before. Karl Marx had similar ideas.
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