Sunday, June 26, 2011

Obama Vs. The Machine

Remember when Obama appeared to be blaming unemployment of ATM machines and automated kiosks?



"A lot of businesses have learned to become much more efficient with a lot fewer workers. If you see it when you go to a bank you use the ATM, you don't go to a bank teller. Or you go to the airport and you use a kiosk instead of checking in at the gate. What we have to do now...is identifying where the jobs for the future are going to be. That there's a match between what people are being trained for."


Businesses have learned to become much more efficient with a lot fewer workers, so there are a lot fewer jobs, right? Read the White House blog and see what Obama thinks is the remedy for this:

The President’s plan, which leverages existing programs and proposals, will invest more than $500 million to jumpstart this effort. The President believes that even as we live within our means, we must invest to win the future. Investments will be made in the following key areas:... establishing U.S. leadership in next-generation robotics...and developing new technologies that will dramatically reduce the time required to design, build, and test manufactured goods. Leading universities and companies will compliment these federal efforts helping to invent, deploy and scale these cutting-edge technologies.


"New technologies that will dramatically reduce the time required to design, build, and test manufactured goods" New technologies? Gee, what reduces the time you stand in line at a bank or an airport check in? If you reduce the time required to design, build, and test manufactured goods, do you think you'll need as many people to do it?

Obama seems to be saying that automation eliminates jobs, so the federal government should subsidize it. What could account for his affinity for technology in light of what he believes are its job killing qualities?

Image and video hosting by TinyPic


Is it 2012 yet?



H/T The Daley Gator

No comments:

Post a Comment