Bill Gates envisions robotax

[recession2016]

some rich people have too much time on their hands

 

[speedo]

This taxing of robots is the stupidest idea ever.

I wonder if Bill Gates would like a special tax on Microsoft software sales to account for all the automation it provides, and for increases in productivity it gives us over good 'ol pen and paper. I'm surprised he didn't mention taxing all the farming robots like tractors and combines since they took so much manual labor out of the fields. And I'm sure he'd love the idea of taxing the use of heavy construction robots like earth movers, backhoes, and bulldozers since they eliminate so many jobs for men to be behind shovels.

The whole idea is just absurd.

Just another scheme to shovel money from the private sector to the public sector (to squander, give away and steal).

 

[ET180]

Couldn't agree more Baron! So he wants me to start paying my dish washer and washer and dryer? After all, those are also taking jobs that could be done by humans. I'm a Microsoft investor and generally respect what MSFT has done for the computing industry as a whole (at least it established a standard), but it's sad how Gates has completely sold out to the Luddite agenda. In any case, it wouldn't work. The robots / computers would simply go someplace where there is no tax.

 

[Llxa]

some rich people have too much time on their hands

Yeah and there is not enough poor people for them to exploit.

 

[Overnight]

...In any case, it wouldn't work. The robots / computers would simply go someplace where there is no tax.

 

[marketsurfer]

It WILL happen. Gates is just about 100 years too early.

surf

 

[ironchef]

That will be TOTALLY NOT necessary. Once all and I mean ALL the jobs in the world are taken over by robots, production efficiency will be extremely high to eventually reach the point where the cost of everything will be ZERO, yes that's right ZERO. So if everything costs ZERO, WHY would the government still need to collect taxes? To pay for what? Everything is FREE!!! (See my post in the previous thread https://www.elitetrader.com/et/thre...re-replaced-by-robots-computers.305702/page-8)

Bill Gates is just too pre-occupied with making money. LOL

Come to think of it, you are right, moreover, government will be run by robots, so it will be free and no taxes needed. No need for elections either since all politicians will be robots....Wait, robots will run for elections and robots will vote for robots.... We will all be spectators.

 

[Cuddles]

Fine, according to limit theory, all cost EXTREMELY low APPROACHING zero. There. Remember everything changes once you reach a zenith point, when water temperature reaches zero, it becomes ice. When water temperature reaches 100 Celsius, it becomes gas so what makes you think the law of thermodynamics wouldn't change when all the underlying factors reaches certain extreme point? We might not be able to envision it now maybe because we haven't reached that point yet?

That's nonsense.

 

[JackRab]

Weird coming from him. Didn't his Microsoft cost many people their jobs? And at the same time they created jobs...
Should solar panels/electric cars pay a tax on the basis that they cost jobs in oil/gas?

It's called change...

 

[felixbocharov]

Interesting ideas, but I doubt they will be implemented.