# Stupid liberal idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086 "2011-04-20T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 309
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6161 "2017-09-08T15:34:28Z")
Concepts like UBI and the taxation of “robots” is forward thinking. Does anyone think a guy like Trump understands where America will be in 25 years and has the vision to be prepared for it? Not in reactionary America. We’ll wait until the starving and desperate overrun a few wealthy suburbs before we acknowledge the crisis any fool could see coming. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6162 "2017-09-08T15:34:37Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Did we tax manufacturers for implementing assembly lines in the 19th century? Taxing robots in the 21st isn’t any different. That is (or at least should be) self-evident. It should be self evident to anyone with a modicum of brains that a lot of things we did or didn’t do in the 19th century were just plain dumb. Basing today’s decisions on those of a century ago doesn’t seem very smart on the face of it. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6163 "2017-09-08T15:36:48Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Did we tax manufacturers for implementing assembly lines in the 19th century? Taxing robots in the 21st isn’t any different. That is (or at least should be) self-evident. No, instead we went through serious issues of employment abuse. That’s when unions had to come about, which resulted in no small amount of violence and hard feelings. The transition when factories became more efficient was not a smooth one at all. Perhaps if they had done some sort of tax or other method of proactively acknowledging that conditions were going to be drastically different for workers with the change in technology, we would not have had quite so much strife in our adjustment. Same here, we can either take your proposed course of action of doing absolutely nothing, and letting things play out the way they play out, no matter how bad that turns out to be, or, we could take some preemptive steps to make sure that this transition in the economy is smoother than the last. Is a tax on robots the answer? I dunno, it is a proposal that has some serious pro’s and con’s to it. The fact that we didn’t use it over a hundred years ago is completely irrelevant, and bringing it up is just admitting that you don’t actually have a good reason against it. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6164 "2017-09-08T15:39:46Z")
I can’t remember - is Bill Gates liberal or conservative this week? Because he apparently mentioned the idea in passing as well, according to that article. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6165 "2017-09-08T15:58:30Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > That said, self-evident? Seriously? No, it’s not self-evident. Explain why it’s stupid. Taxing progress is never a good idea. That’s why we tax oil and gas, and give tax breaks to solar and wind. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6166 "2017-09-08T16:17:44Z")
Does anyone know why it assumes the jerk woman was a libtard? Right-wingers all hate the environment? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6167 "2017-09-08T16:36:19Z")
So you libs want to tax robots now? Sheeez. And I suppose you think workers should be allowed to unionize? With all your libtard taxes and regulations, the Koch Brothers made only $2 billion last year. :mad: Blacks have rights, Browns, Yellows — any color but God’s color — they all have rights. Lesbians dressing up as men pretending to be child molesters get to use any bathroom they want!! All financed on the backs of our persecuted billionaires. If I were so unfortunate as to be a billionaire in this communist anti-white Sodom and Gomorrah of a U.S.A. I think I’d shoot myself. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6168 "2017-09-08T16:44:02Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Does anyone know why it assumes the jerk woman was a libtard? Right-wingers all hate the environment? Upthread, someone posited a theory that I think is probably about right. Democrat sees someone doing something dumb or jerkish, and thinks, "Man that guy is dumb, or even jerkish. " Republican sees someone doing something dumb or jerkish, and thinks, “Damn libtard!” ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6169 "2017-09-08T17:36:48Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Does anyone know why it assumes the jerk woman was a libtard? She’s on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Enough said. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6170 "2017-09-08T17:44:22Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Upthread, someone posited a theory that I think is probably about right. > > Democrat sees someone doing something dumb or jerkish, and thinks, "Man that guy is dumb, or even jerkish. " > > Republican sees someone doing something dumb or jerkish, and thinks, “Damn libtard!” Or: Republican imagines an encounter with someone… an encounter that never even happened, and thinks: “Damn, that imaginary libtard was stupid; I better post about this on the SDMB” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6171 "2017-09-08T21:47:32Z")
One of the deadly contradictions of late stage capitalism. We have a deep puritanical conviction that All Must Work, while the demands of efficient production and marketing…and the technology devised to meet those demands…are relentlessly making the worker obsolete. That this is happening is nobody’s fault, that we have not come to grips with it is ours. I can hope that we will, I would have to bet we won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6172 "2017-09-08T22:00:39Z")
Well, going by the rabid frothing at the mouth right wingers I know who decry everyone else for not working or accepting government money, odds are they are too. The ones I know; “100% disabled vet” who nevertheless manages to travel around the country playing in volleyball tournaments. The most rabid frothing righty of the bunch. Stay at home mom who now refuses to work more than part time when her kids are in high school. Another Stay at home mom whose husband is a sponge and the two of them have burned through at least two churches and whatever local charities they can get stuff from. Once arrived at my parent’s house at 3pm and their two kids had not eaten yet that day. Have not spoken to my parents since I called her out for claiming that illegal aliens collect $1 trillion in welfare every year and found her unapologetic. “Disabled” and collecting SSDI, but it’s everyone else who is a cheater, not him. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6173 "2017-09-08T22:08:09Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > “Disabled” and collecting SSDI, but it’s everyone else who is a cheater, not him. “The only ethical government handout is MY government handout” AKA “Keep your government hands off of my social security disabled benefit” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6174 "2017-09-08T22:46:14Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Fake news, indeed. > > CNN busted for faking a story that one of their reporters pulled off an “heroic” rescue. > > [http://conservativefighters.com/news/cnn-busted-sharp-eyed-viewers-notice-something-odd-rescue/](http://conservativefighters.com/news/cnn-busted-sharp-eyed-viewers-notice-something-odd-rescue/) If Hell, as depicted in Dante’s _Inferno_ existed, people who treat the “h” in “heroic” as silent would be in the same circle as those who take videos on their smartphones in portrait orientation. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6175 "2017-09-08T23:18:12Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Does anyone know why it assumes the jerk woman was a libtard? Right-wingers all hate the environment? > [@D\_Anconia](#): > > She’s on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Enough said. 😕 Why was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors going all the way to Houston to jog? Did they close down the jogging paths in Golden Gate Park? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6176 "2017-09-08T23:28:56Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > If Hell, as depicted in Dante’s _Inferno_ existed, people who treat the “h” in “heroic” as silent would be in the same circle as those who take videos on their smartphones in portrait orientation. TBF, there are those who aspirate the “h” yet still insist on using “an” because … reasons, I guess. As far as the portrait video problem, I blame that partly on the manufacturers. Phones should have a square CCD that can provide the desired format in either orientation. Seems like it is easier to hold the phones vertically. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6177 "2017-09-08T23:38:06Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > If Hell, as depicted in Dante’s _Inferno_ existed, people who treat the “h” in “heroic” as silent would be in the same circle as those who take videos on their smartphones in portrait orientation. I just took a look at my phones manual. Among all the highly detailed instructions on how to take a photo or video and how to save and all the options for adjusting your photos and videos, there’s not one word about orientation. ---
**Author:** ![SaneBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SaneBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaneBill)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6178 "2017-09-09T07:14:38Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Upthread, someone posited a theory that I think is probably about right. That would be me, although I didn’t use words Democrat and Republican as we don’t have them here in Europe. The most puzzling part to me is that the phenomenon really seems to be worldwide. I mean what the… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6179 "2017-09-11T09:26:12Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Taxing progress is never a good idea. > > That’s why we tax oil and gas, and give tax breaks to solar and wind. Apples and oranges. We give tax breaks to solar and wind because we want to facilitate their growth for environmental and resulting public benefit reasons, and the newness of the technologies means that they may not be economic otherwise. The tax breaks thus work to the public good (or so the theory goes). With automation the technology already pays off in spades but results in job losses, so there is a public benefit in slowing its growth until mechanisms (of whatever sort) to compensate for the job losses are in place (again, so the theory goes). The soundness of the theories is certainly debatable but the approach isn’t inherently stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/6180 "2017-09-18T21:10:12Z")
Well, for a new topic… The Emmys tanked to an all-time low rating after their repeated whining about Trump. The evening was supposed to be about recognizing outstanding performances. Instead, the liberal twits hosting and appearing on the show managed to turn it into a massive wankfest. I don’t know why they thought they needed to politicize the affair, but they did. They may well have killed the Emmys from now onward. Not that that would be a great loss in the long run. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=308) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=310)