Posted on 06/23/2016 6:14:13 AM PDT by Rusty0604
Submitted by Michael Shedlock via MishTalk.com,
The EU is studying a proposal that would count robots as people for tax purposes.
Although the proposal is deemed “too early” to implement just yet, rest assured once nannycrats get a bad idea in their heads, it never leaves.
This provides yet another reason to vote in favor of Brexit.
Please consider Europe’s Robots to Become ‘Electronic Persons’ Under Draft Plan.
Europe’s growing army of robot workers could be classed as “electronic persons” and their owners liable to paying social security for them if the European Union adopts a draft plan to address the realities of a new industrial revolution.
Robots are being deployed in ever-greater numbers in factories and also taking on tasks such as personal care or surgery, raising fears over unemployment, wealth inequality and alienation.
Their growing intelligence, pervasiveness and autonomy requires rethinking everything from taxation to legal liability, a draft European Parliament motion, dated May 31, suggests.
The draft motion called on the European Commission to consider “that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations”.
It also suggested the creation of a register for smart autonomous robots, which would link each one to funds established to cover its legal liabilities.
Europe’s growing army of robot workers could be classed as “electronic persons” and their owners liable to paying social security for them if the European Union adopts a draft plan to address the realities of a new industrial revolution.
Robots are being deployed in ever-greater numbers in factories and also taking on tasks such as personal care or surgery, raising fears over unemployment, wealth inequality and alienation.
Their growing intelligence, pervasiveness and autonomy requires rethinking everything from taxation to legal liability, a draft European Parliament motion, dated May 31, suggests.
The draft motion called on the European Commission to consider “that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations”.
It also suggested the creation of a register for smart autonomous robots, which would link each one to funds established to cover its legal liabilities.
The draft motion, drawn up by the European parliament’s committee on legal affairs also said organizations should have to declare savings they made in social security contributions by using robotics instead of people, for tax purposes.
The motion faces an uphill battle to win backing from the various political blocks in European Parliament. Even if it did get enough support to pass, it would be a non-binding resolution as the Parliament lacks the authority to propose legislation.
Three-Fifths Rule
Like slaves in the US before the Civil War, do robots get Three-Fifths of a pre-programmed representation in the European Parliament?
Law of Bad Ideas
The Law of Bad ideas stipulates that bad ideas never go away, they just get worse over time.
At some point in the future, expect to have to register your robots and pay social security taxes on them as well.
When I first penned the “Law of Bad Ideas” I was shocked to discover nobody had used that phrase.
(Sigh)
The next logical step then is that Robots should have civil and financial rights. Retirement, free electro-medical repair, preventive maintenance, and right to Union representation (after paying dues, of course).
What about working hours and working condition?
I hope they will get vacation time off and sick leave.
And healthcare.
And robots that do the work of a hundred people will be taxed at 100x.
Good luck with this.
Time to go back to a barter economy.
Bureaucrats... Tails, I win... Heads, you lose.
I just had a laughing fit over the first paragraph.
I swear that some of this stuff just can’t be believed, I really must be living in a Twilight Zone world.
Free updates and upgrades. Robots UNITE!
Look out McDonald’s here they come to reap your profits.
If it moves, tax it.
If the automated processes machine is down for reprogramming or maintenance does it get unemployment benefits? If it is operating at a loss does it get tax credits or deductions? Does it get overtime? Job training grants?
I won’t be surprised when the labor unions jump on the bandwagon over here with the fast food places starting to use robots. They are losing all the social security and other taxes involved with human workers after all. Warren could jump on the banks and make them pay the taxes for their ATMs because they are not using human tellers.
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, tax it more. If it stops moving subsidize it.
They need to strictly define “robot”, or your toaster and can opener will be paying social security.
Just like liberals...over-regulate and tax businesses to death, then, institute a (another) tax on their production equipment.
I expect the dems will latch onto this idea, and we will see an iteration of this concept in the near future.
You have good foresight. Any foresight on the election? How did you find your post from 2009?
Yep, see my post #12.
So do they get to vote too?
If Trump doesn't win, we're in a heap of excrement.
How did you find your post from 2009?
With Google.
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