The New Enemy
By Fatcat44
@Fatcat44 (1141)
United States
December 7, 2011 7:28pm CST
From Obamas speech today, we learned of a new enemy. And the enemy is.....ATM machines. They have caused many to be able to get their money and spend. He says they have cost bank tellers jobs, which I do not think is true, but actually help create many jobs, i.e. the manufacturers of ATM machines, the tech' to install and repair. But then again, I do not have any facts on this.
Biggest question, will the crimes of burglarizing ATMs go up? Will some nutjobs start a "war against them" Occupy ATMS!
2 people like this
12 responses
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Dec 11
Some banks charge just as much to use the teller as they do to use the ATM. Perhaps we should outlaw banks establishing teller fees. Progress always has transition periods where we find out what will become of the old, what will continue to be part of the future and what we will leave behind. The horse got left behind as a method of transportation, but the electric car - which was first invented more than 150 years ago - is still around trying to convince us of its usefulness. I think a better name for the "Progressive" movement would be the "Regressive" movement, because they seem to really hate progress of any kind.
Every Obama speech is pretty much the same. The theme is always "us" versus "them". Every speech creates villains and victims, for without victims there is no need whatsoever for an Obama agenda. He must convince us of the existence of the villain, even if the villain is a machine and the victim a hapless bank teller.
1 person likes this
@Fortunata (1135)
• United States
8 Dec 11
Yes, and don't forget the internet, too. I've never seen such an incompetant guy as this president. I can't wait for November 2012 to come. Hurry up, November 2012!!!1 person likes this
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
8 Dec 11
Last time I checked, ATM machines are just machines. People make their own decisions about what they do with their money. I know that is contrary to what Obama would want. Obama fully believes that his government should control all money.
Maybe if we all work together, we could pull obama's head out of his a_s long enough so he can see a Republican win in 2012!
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
8 Dec 11
When Banks Replaced people with mechanical Check Sorters within in a few years banks were employing more people to handle the increase in check volume. I have not heard of any bank tellers being laid off because of ATM's.
If President Obama was really concerned about jobs he would approve the Canadian Pipeline. It would creat something like 10,000 jobs now and over 1000 permanent jobs once it was operational. This does not include the indirect jobs created. He could also end the new restrictions on drilling in the gulf and put 150,000 people back to work. He is interested in only one person getting a job and that is him self getting re elected.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
8 Dec 11
"I have not heard of any bank tellers being laid off because of ATM's"
I doubt that any have been. It is extremely rare that I would go to the bank to use an ATM. I think the vast majority of ATM usage is at locations besides banks and they are used by people who wouldn't have the time or ability to go to the bank if that ATM was not there.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Dec 11
Once a machine is made..there is no more work for that person. And making ATM machine is not something that is a long term job that gets broke and needs replaced. Yes, techs will always be needed but really, how many? Not many. But for every transaction done at an ATM machine, is one transaction a HUMAN BEING DID NOT DO..ergo...that person is unemployed. ATM's do cause unemployment.
Additionally, it does allow people to spend their money quicker and more freely and without thinking much about the budget or bills. That old saying "my checking account can't be overdrawn..I still have checks!" same with the debit cards...The card still scans! But without actually seeing and counting out the money for a transaction, just swipe the card through...makes it so easy to spend more than you should or intend to.
Plus..you have to go back later and record all those transactions to make sure you stay in balance....which means saving the receipts cause with a check..you got your check book right there and can record immediately.
I have never liked ATM's and don't use them. If I think I need money..I'll wait and go to the bank. Odds are..what i "needed" yesterday isn't what I "need" today and I am glad I didn't impluse buy!
As far a burluries...I doubt they will go up as they are pretty hard to valdalize and security getting better every day with them as far as how they are built. Plus...it isn't a quick and easy "job"...you can't grab an ATM machine and run! You can't rob one "quietly" and you can't beat it up and the mug it! I'd say of all fears..ATM buglurary is far from the top of the list.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Dec 11
But once the ATM is put up...one repair guy can service multiple units. And yeah, like a teller helps multiple people, but how many people are mugged in the bank? But you are always hearing of muggings at ATM's. Plus..I have three banks...and all of them have minimal tellers..the lines are long no matter what day or time of day I go...beacuse there are 20 people in line and only 2 or 3 tellers working. And of course there is always those "problem" people in line with a unusual problem and they take 15-20 minutes of one teller...that means 2 tellers for a line of 20! Bank of AMerica, WAMU and a local bank...all are like this. I shut down the BofA due to the fees they started charging, but I was annoyed with them anyway as I'd walk into the bank and someone was standing right there..hardly letting me get both feet in the door and I'd start to walk to the teller and she'd say "what are you here for today?" I got annoyed at that in my face and often said "banking business". WHy else would I be there? And I'd walk toward the teller line and she'd say "what do you need to do?" I"d say "a deposit". She'd say.."well let me show you how to use the ATM". I'd say, "no I'd rather have a human being do the work that way I know it gets done properly and it helps that person keep their job....do you want a machine to take your job?".... of course they didn't know what to say as that was the truth. If I went to the ATM to do the work...that teller was on less person to help and as soon as it gets to where they can accomodate the walkins with fewer tellers...they will.
I worked in banks for a few years...I was a teller.. I know the work they do and if what I do is now done by machine...tellers are on their way out. They will have someone to help with problems or payments, things like that, but the normal deposit and withdrawl...it will be ATM's all the way. At the expense of jobs.
Automation does that to humans! It takes their jobs!
@peavey (16936)
• United States
8 Dec 11
It's a good thing I don't usually use ATMs! I'd have drawn some of my money out of the bank and spent it. Goodness, can't have that happening. I just use a debit or credit card... and they can track that and know exactly what I buy.
Anyway, Obama is the nutjob, in my opinion. What else is he going to point out to be sacrificed?
If we don't get this guy out of office in 2012, we might as well hang it up, we're done for.
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
8 Dec 11
I also heard of a brilliant idea to replace ATM fees with a ten second commercial. So much for this particular enemy. It is being replaced by blatant commercialism.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Dec 11
But I also have to say...If Obama's solution to the unemployment numbers is to put tellers back to work by deleting ATM's...sorry, but in this case the thought is not what counts...it won't put enough back to work to even matter in the slightest! And to improve the economy, we people HAVE to spend our money..we have to buy so products can be made..by workers being paid. So while his theory of using an ATM is making people spend more (than, I assume, save)...I would think that'd be a good thing he'd want to capitalize on...people are spending money...putting money back into the economy...etc. THat's a good thing. Byt then I forget..he doesn't want the good economy to come back.
@oneidmnster (1385)
• United States
8 Dec 11
I'm pretty sure that our biggest enemy is our incompetent government. Between them and the illegal immigrants it's a wonder we aren't all out of work.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
8 Dec 11
It's always gotten on my nerves a bit when someone cites that "people will lose jobs" line when it comes to evolution. Like the Pony Express giving way to transportation and today's Postal Service having to deal with UPS and email and the like. Or trains losing out to planes.
This is what happens. And not to even mention that, should Obama have his way, you'll have oil drillers and coal miners unemployed by the thousands, while producers of green technology take their place.
So that BS line really gets on my nerves.
@hvedra (1619)
•
8 Dec 11
That's a good one...
I think what he forgets is that in most instances banks have kept to traditional banking hours during which most of us have to work and cannot get to the bank to get at our money!
Whilst bankers are very much to blame for the worldwide financial crisis, this seems like an attempt to shove the responsibility onto the little guy for using an ATM (whilst forgetting they were all put there by the bankers as just ONE part of their terrible schemes to encourage the rampant spending that fuels their greedy, corrupt ways).
I have an opinion about bankers. Does it show?
