[seanmcdirmid]

> Am I honestly to believe the tech industry can shoot a rocket into space and do any number of miraculous things, but can't create a solvent cab hailing service that pays workers living wages and basic benefits?

Yes, one is a technical problem, the other is a political problem. The first one we just solve by being smarter, the second one...has anyone ever successfully managed to treat private drivers as employees rather than independents?

In my opinion, basic benefits should be provided to all citizens, not just the ones with the correct employment status. Note that in Canada, it's already like this, so this isn't what we are arguing about in this context. Contracting work is much easier to stomach in Canada because retirement and health is provided by the state rather than the company (and if the USA did the same thing, it would really make labor markets much more liquid).

At the end of the day, might as well turn this into a technical problem by getting rid of the driver...oh.