https://gizmodo.com/how-automation-t...ers-1833623722
How Automation Turns Us Into Trump Voters
Okay, that’s a bit of an oversimplification, but new research adds to a growing body of work that suggests there’s a distinct link between regions hit by automation and voting Republican, and voting Trump especially. In 2016, areas where industrial robots have eliminated jobs—mostly in the Rust Belt and the South—saw a sizable upswing in voters turning to Trump. (Remember, automation likely played a much larger role in accelerating job loss over the last decades than did other factors like offshoring.)
The "experts" are split on this question. We don't actually know whether AI displaced jobs will be replaced by jobs humans can do better than automation. We know that trucking, retail, call centers, etc...are all within reach of automation. As I look at the Democratic field, I see Biden apparently in the tw camp ignoring the 4 million manufacturing jobs in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Iowa lost to automation. I see Bernie's well-intentioned but misguided ideas about making labor more expensive in this environment. I'd like tw to consider that the Paul Krugmans of the world were completely wrong about workers perception of the economy in 2016 and likely again are missing the story from their silos. The Trump signs are still up and even if he loses that discontent will still be there.
We know that automation will make creating easier. People with access to these tools will be able to progress from idea to shipped product simply and easily. The question is, is our economy organized for a successful transition? Will a retail worker in her 50s be able to work through retirement? Will that worker have the income to be a consumer? What happens if we raise the age for Social Security in this environment?
Let's remember that STEM jobs are a tiny proportion of the workforce.
https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2017/s...and-future.pdf
Nearly 8.6 million STEM jobs in 2015
There were nearly 8.6 million STEM jobs in May 2015, representing 6.2 percent of U.S. employment. Computeroccupations made up nearly 45 percent of STEM employment, and engineers made up an additional 19 percent.Mathematical science occupations and architects, surveyors, and cartographers combined made up less than 4 percentof STEM employment.