What is needed to fix this crisis is job security, and the only way to create that is by creating jobs. If the president really wanted to kick-start the economy, he would have announced a government program to directly hire the unemployed, by both the federal government and state and local governments (through block grants to the states), which would put people to work right now as teachers’ aides, park workers, school crossing guards, library assistants, companions for the elderly, city and rural clean-up crews, housing renovation project workers, mural painters, etc. Millions of out-of-work people could be put productively to work with far fewer dollars than what is about to be shoveled out to contractors to construct or repair bridges and highways a year or more from now. |
3 comments:
I don't disagree that jobs could be, and need to be, created . . . the concerns surrounding bridge and highway infrastructure cannot be ignored, however. The tragedy in Minneapolis a while back when the bridge fell is a perfect example; an alarming percentage of US bridges are in disrepair.
We definitely need to upgrade infrastructure too, don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure that giving more money, without strings, to the banks that got us into this mess is the best way to do that.
Obama's got a long slog ahead of him, and I hope he does what is right for us and not just what is right for Wall Street.
Oh, agreed, and ultimately I'm at a loss as to whether the bailout/stimulus package is a good thing or not.
Post a Comment