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IEET > Rights > Economic > Life > Access > Health > Vision > Technoprogressivism > Staff > J. Hughes > CSR

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The ‘Public Option’, Rising Unemployment, Longer Lives

J. Hughes

Changesurfer Radio

Posted: Aug 2, 2009

Why the single payer is a far better bet than a public option. Why the jobs may not come back. Why a 35 hour 4 day week is even better than a 40 hour 4 day week. Why seniors need to be biotechnologically enabled and encouraged to work longer.

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COMMENTS

Dagonweb • the hague • Dec 5, 2009

James, there is a serious issue with your 4-day workweek suggestion - in fact there are 3 objections;

(1) People would have a smaller percentage of their income available for basic necessities. Hence, taxes per person would decrease and sustainability of government expenditures (and we know we collectively will need those!) will decrease. Governments would become less able to exert policies, and more inclined 'to close deals' wih those parts of society that generate the most effective income. Which wouldn't be the voting segment.

(2) Those who have material resources, means of production, real estate (etc) will get an increasing slice of the collective pie - as a consequence of resources being increasingly more vital to generating income as opposed to work. However I do not see possession of resources being translated to taxation - certainly not in the US. In fact, 'possession' is becoming an increasingly more entrenched right and source of entitlement and political power.

(3) When a corporation has all these production means, don't need workers anymore, still have access to resources - what is stopping corporate entities (and their shareholders) to just do as they please? They don't need to take into account pesky consumers and democratic entities anymore - they can just exit the back entrance to Dubai or some other low tax system. What is stopping rich corporate entities to become an unaccountable power block? I have the feeling this might spiral seriously out of control especially if they can generate real value and power without having to pay wages. They'd be released from democratic/union/democratic restraints altogether.

Add AI to any of the above. = Serious horrors, right?

Isn't it time the west puts the corporate sector under full democratic oversight?

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