Obama the Luddite: WSJ interview demonstrates Obama’s total ignorance of basic economic forces

IsraPundit ^ | 06/17/08 | Bill Levinson

[Winged Hussar]

The following speaks pretty much for itself, and we have provided the entire statement so there is no chance of taking words out of context. The thought that someone who is so ignorant as to believe that automation and technology harms workers–the exact position of the Luddites two centuries ago–could even conceivably become a Senator, let alone President, is truly frightening.

Barack Obama on Economics: ‘We’re Going Through a Big Shift’ [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121365641014879041.html?mod=Leader-US] June 17, 2008

…WSJ: You talked about the last eight years and the question of redistribution goes way back …

Sen. Obama: Oh, there’s no doubt about it.

That’s why I say that the combination of globalization and technology and automation all weaken the position of workers. I would add an anti-union climate to that list. But all weakens the position of workers, particularly blue-collar workers, in the economy, and some of it is just historical. You know after World War II, we were in this unique position where Europe was decimated, Japan was decimated. China was off the grid because of Mao. And so we didn’t have a lot of competition out there, and now other countries are rising and automation has supplanted a lot of work that used to be done by middle-class workers.

This is what we might expect from a political science major who experimented with Black Nationalism (per his own book, “Dreams From My Father”) and who may still subscribe to it. He believes that technology and automation “weaken the position of workers” and supplant “a lot of work that used to be done by middle-class workers.” The idea that automation supplants workers is the foundation of abject poverty, and indeed actual slavery, as shown by a brief history of the evolution of labor.

[dblshot]

Well, he apparently (based on his windfall oil profits stance) thinks reducing capital available for investment will help workers. And putting energy resources off limits is supposed to help workers too? At least he’s consistant. Labor-Resources-Capital. Or as Obama looks at it:The good, The Bad, and the Ugly.

[Army Air Corps]

Obama's idea of the salad days before all that "icky" technology and automation.

[from occupied ga]

The fanatical belief in utter nonsense is part of the black victimhood (Black Notionalist) mindset. Militant ignorance - turn a deaf ear to reason if it contradicts the b3eelif that blakc people ar the victims of some whitey driven conspiracy to kkep them down (like it’s whites who commit the endless crims in black inner city neighborhoods)

[Paine in the Neck]

The fanatical belief in utter nonsense is part of the black victimhood (Black Notionalist) mindset. Militant ignorance - turn a deaf ear to reason if it contradicts the b3eelif that blakc people ar the victims of some whitey driven conspiracy to kkep them down (like it’s whites who commit the endless crims in black inner city neighborhoods)

Don't type with your feet, please...

[ckilmer]

I would believe obama if he were in favor of expelling all the illegals. but he is not.

[ckilmer]

I would believe obama if he were in favor of expelling all the illegals. but he is not. in fact he wants more illegals brought in.

[MrB]

Is it stupidity, or is he just so wedded to Marxism that he’s blinded to economic reality?

He’s as dumb as all the dumb masses that are totally economically ignorant due to our education system.

[SunkenCiv]

Ping!

[Harley]

This should be Obama's campaign slogan: "INEFFICIENCY = TOTAL EMPLOYMENT"

If he every takes over, within six months, there won't be any energy left to manufacture anything and he'll get his utopian socialist wish.

[massgopguy]

Those Green Jobs are just government bureaucrats who will shut down manufacturing.

[Mikey_1962]

Slaves consumed almost 90% of their productivity.... but there was full employment!

In Mexico I watched as a group of 300 men worked to remove a road scheduled for repaving. It took 10 days. One front loader and a dump truck and this would be a 1 day job. But it would only employ 2 people.

I wonder who earns more a guy who operates a front end loader or a shovel?

[Winged Hussar]

Re: “Obama’s idea of the salad days before all that “icky” technology and automation.”

This looks a lot like a picture from Henry Ford’s Highland Park plant, which was the birthplace of technology and automation! Note how the cars move along an assembly line instead of being put together on an individual basis. This is why autoworkers (UAW Democrats) with high school educations now earn something like $25 an hour, and they would probably earn more if their executives understood Ford’s principles.

We must educate the UAW as to Obama’s total ignorance of the reason that autoworkers earn high wages: technology and automation!

[Army Air Corps]

Yeah, I know that it is an assembly line shot. I could not find (quickly) a photo of one of the non-assembly line shops. I guess that Obama thinks that MRI machines have taken all of the fun of guessing out of the medical profession. Maybe he thinks that radar and computers threaten the jobs of Air Traffic Controllers (prior to radar, you had to use radio signals to get a fix, but it was not nearly as precise as radar). The man is a blithering dolt. Here is his ideal way to make soda.

[Justa]

"automation has supplanted a lot of work that used to be done by middle-class workers."

Ahh, the good 'ole days.

[from occupied ga]

Don't type with your feet, please...

Wow clever!