Jobs

During the "Great Depression" the government attempted to create jobs by letting contracts to private industry, the effort did not create enough jobs. The government then created jobs itself to build infrastructure. The organization was known as the WPA. Think Hoover Dam.

Today we are faced with a similar problem. We have spent a trillion dollars to contract out work and created few jobs. Worse yet, much of the money we spent went towards bonuses for executives of bankrupt companies. Other billions we spent in stimulus funds went to places that needed it the least, leaving small cities with no funds. The small cities didn't have the staff, expertise of time to deal with the very complex rules for receiving stimulus funds.

Now we are facing an end to extending unemployment benefits to tens of millions of Americans who want to work in an economy that will not be bringing back millions of jobs in the private sector. There are plenty of jobs that need to be done fixing and improving our infrastructure; however, the current way that these things are done leaves too much opportunity for corruption and little incentive for doing things properly.

I know plenty of people in the construction industry and most really enjoy seeing their work done well; but, in private industry the profit motive often drives people to do shoddy work that is not inspected because of limited resources by the governmental groups responsible for doing the inspections.

Some people are beginning to say that we need to create a new WPA. I want to address this issue. We have four choices for how we deal with the unemployment situation. Firstly, we can lower our wages to the point where we can compete with China and the third world for manufacturing jobs. Secondly, we can create a system of perpetual welfare. Thirdly, we can allow people who want to work to simply starve in the streets. Fourthly, we can create government jobs like they did with the WPA.

I believe most reasonable people understand that we are better off paying people to work than to stay at home. Should this country decide to create a new WPA I believe it would need to be structured slightly different than in the past. Over a decade ago I had proposed on regional infrastructure organizations that would include training, maintenance and employment. The organizations would train and place people in either public or private companies.

My proposal is not either or, public or private; but, is instead flexible. The preference is for private employment; but, the guarantee is of some employment. The combination creates benchmarks for both and allows for experimentation in finding better ways to do things.

Two days ago I was getting some gas and two young men were filling the car next to me. Both were unemployed and taking jobs as they could get them. They were both willing to work. One of the men talked about one of their friends who had driven all the way to Louisiana to apply for a job. Because of my daughter I know plenty of young men in the same situation. They want jobs but there are none. They are happy to work a couple of days a month when they can.

Young men have so much energy that they know they have to do something, it is best if they do something positive. If left idle they tend to get into trouble. I also understand that young ladies need employment; but, if you look at the statistics you will find that ladies are more likely to get an education and employment.

The Job Corp is a great opportunity for many people to learn skills; but, you need someone to hire them. If we do not give these young people jobs and skills they will eventually fall into the haze of welfare. Jobs allow young people to learn to structure their lives and learn from old farts like me while we are still around.

If we do create a new WPA, we need to do it regionally so that young men and women do not have to move 3,000 miles away and be separated from their families and loved ones. We need to create regionally so that people can go home at night rather than living in tents at work sites. We need a WPA that is public-private rather than one or the other. As the economy improves we can move workers from public to private as working together they will have the skills.

Most of my posts are philosophical in nature rather than specific applications; but, I felt like talking specifics today after reading the article about creating a new WPA. As I write this there are conversations going on across the nation about pensions and the need for reform. We will have current employees voting to increase how long future employees will have to work. Many have said they are willing to make new employees work an extra ten years if the current employees can keep their promised benefits, I strongly disagree.

If we condemn our children to pay for our benefits we have done them a great disservice and create a age conflict. If we combine this with not giving them jobs we deserve their wrath and it will come. Technically I can retire in five years, if I thought it would take some of the pressure off the younger generation I would work an ten more, don't think I have much more than that left in me. I would rather do that then ask a young man to do it for me, I would rather share the price.

Sometimes there are no "good" answers only shared pain and it should be shared. We are facing the hardest times this nation has ever seen and this is just the beginning if we do not come up with workable solutions. There is a homeless man in Los Angeles who made the papers. He doesn't beg, he says, "I am not going to ask another grown man for money. I never have and I never will."

There was a young man who stayed at my house for a bit. He stole from my household, I asked him why he didn't just ask me for the few dollars he stole. He said he was embarrassed to ask; but, instead he stole. A lack of jobs and desperation are dangerous things for society. We can avoid this if we give people opportunities rather than take a "Pull up the ladder mate, I'm aboard" attitude.

The old United States is gone kids. It is not coming back quickly if ever. If we are to be competitive in the future we need to get back to basics. That's what you do when your team has failed. We cannot live off of the past glories of our parents and this nation. The party is over and it is time to begin cleaning up and go back to work. Or at least that is what I think.