Stop Pulling the Wagon

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND GOVERNMENT PLANNING

Definition: Artificial intelligence (AI):  the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.  Note: Many prominent Engineers and Scientists, such as Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking, have warned that the use/misuse/unleashing of Artificial Intelligence may pose a significant risk to humanity.

The Biden Administration has announced that it plans to use Artificial Intelligence to design and implement Government Programs with “Equity” as “Their” primary objective.  I find this not just “Scary” but absolutely “Terrifying”.  Here is why:

We seem to be at a crossroads of having the politicized, corrupt ruling class administrators in charge now, or a plethora of artificial beings, programed by the politicized, corrupt ruling class, using these robotic beings to achieve their goal of total power over our lives.  Scared yet?

I, and most reasonable thinking American’s, define “Equity” as “Equal Opportunity”.  We all should have equal opportunity to pursue Life, Liberty and Happiness in our own way.  Government, and particularly the current Administration, defines “Equity” as “Equal Outcomes For All” (except the Ruling Class and Rich). 

Every time this has been tried in history it has produced a privileged Rich Ruling Class and Equal Poverty and Misery for everyone else.  Example: Cuba.  And now they want to hand this “Fools Dream” off to Soulless Artificial Intelligent Robots for design and implementation!  It is more than possible that these empowered “Intelligent” Robots just may decide that our planet is polluted/infected  with too many “carbon based” humans and embark on a crusade of cleansing.  Or, am I just being paranoid?  Do we really want these “Machines” in charge of managing our lives and destiny? 

The average citizen has little idea how much of what is essential to our daily lives is controlled now by satellites and computers in the managing and distribution of food, water, energy, waste removal, national defense and a great many other things we take for granted on a daily basis.  Do we really want Artificial Intelligent Entities with their own agenda to have access to, and control of the tools and necessities of our very survival?

If it becomes a “Battle of Wits” between those in the current Administration “Braintrust” in Washington and the latest generation of Artificial Intelligent Robots, who can replicate themselves without human help,  I know where I would be putting my money. 

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About a year ago I wrote an article on the subject of government “Equity”.  It was titled “THE DRUMS OF EQUITY” and it is repeated below:

THEY ARE AT IT AGAIN

BEATING THE DRUMS OF EQUITY

WHENEVER the efforts of our politicians fail to produce the results of their campaign promises, and their schemes and plans just produce more debt and inflation, they seem to always fall back on a demand for “Equity”; defined by them as “Equal Outcomes” for all citizens.  Or, in their dreams, everybody has the same amount of “stuff”.  They compound their rhetoric most often by claiming that anything less than full “Equity” is somehow “unfair”, “racist”, “unjust” or pick a similar negative term.  It seems their goal is to make us all equally poor, except for them, the ruling class. 

Congress has a congenital habit of exempting themselves from the legislation they impose on we lowly tax payers.  Example: The “Affordable Care Act”.  It did not apply to Congress or their staff.

Under our Constitution it is clear that what the goal for American’s is, and should be, “Equal Opportunity”. 

OPPORTUNITY AND EQUITY ARE NOT THE SAME

Opportunity is a noble goal and we should all strive for that.  Among human beings, Equity of outcome is not possible and, I would argue, neither a reasonable nor a desirable target.

OPPORTUNITY CREATES WEALTH

EQUITY CREATES POVERTY

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Earlier on, back in February 2014, I wrote a satirical humor article to spoof how silly government dreams of “Equity” are and it is repeated below:

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FIXING INCOME INEQUALITY

The government says it wants to “fix” the problem of unequal pay and income.  They say too few are paid too much (the evil rich) while too many are not paid enough (victims of the rich).  The goal of the government is to equalize pay for all citizens.

Based on the governments track record of “fixing” things like the War on Poverty, our Public Education System, the Postal Service, Amtrak, and the growing National Debt, I am not sure we want them to try to “fix” income equality.  Or anything else.

I have a vision of what a likely government “fix” will look like.

First they will establish what is a reasonable amount for everyone to be paid. For sake of  this discussion lets say they decide on $60,000 a year.  That would be $5,000 a month.

Here is a plan that I am sure would appeal to every bureaucrats heart.  All residents of the United States of working age (18?) would receive a “salary” of $5,000 per month from the government who would function as the payroll department for all employers.  A “single payer” system under complete control of the government and IRS.   We could all become cogs in the wheel of the Proletariat masses.

Don’t worry, if you like your current job, you can keep it.  That’s a promise.

Your education does not matter.  Your age does not matter.  Race, religion, political party, type of work, skill level, work ethic, level of responsibility, or experience. None of these matter.  Unions could be eliminated, you wouldn’t need them.  No merit or performance pay, everybody gets paid the same.  Movie stars, Presidents, Barbers, Plumbers, Soldiers, Dog Catchers, Burger Flippers, Brain Surgeons, etc.

Visualize a Baseball Team under this system.  The owners, the managers, star players, beginning players,  bat boys, groundskeepers, peanut vendors, everybody gets exactly the same pay.

As desirable as this sounds in providing equal pay for all of us it would have the added benefit that the IRS could withhold their “fair share” before we see our paycheck with no need for us to ever file an annual return.  Who could possibly object to such a fair and equitable solution?   Consider this,  we would all get paid the same no matter how lousy a job we do.  Just like members of Congress.

If every citizen received the same amount of pay every month, do you think we would all have the same bank account at the end of the year?  Or would some have a fat bank account, another a new car and still another a giant hangover?

Perhaps governments next task is to require equal outcomes for all of us?  It should be easy.  A plan to devolve all of us to the lowest common denominator.  Call it government approved cookie cutter equality.

An American melting pot filled with glassy eyed, average room temperature IQ automatons.

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An old saying but fits government plans and “good intentions”:  “Be Afraid – Be Very Afraid”

Bob Bandy – May 2023