Work, Work Everywhere, And Not a Job in Sight

Here's Bob Herbert's eminently rationale piece on the economy in today's NYTimes.

He focuses on the essential need for jobs and the huge amount of work to be done, but which isn't being done for the lack of jobs to address them.

It's been reported widely that our infrastructure is falling down around us, as was exemplified by the collapse of that bridge in Minneapolis. There's tremendous opportunity there to put people back to work.

FDR inherited an economy in dire straits, as will the next President. FDR put people back to work by funding infrastructure needs. Obama could do a similar thing.

If McCain is elected he will likely continue to channel money into the military/industrial complex, designing, manufacturing and selling war machinery. Such machinery is for tearing down the fabric of societies, not building and repairing that fabric. And it's now clear that the euphemistically labelled "defense" sector of the economy is not about creating jobs, but eliminating them or reducing their value as seen last week in Boeing's cynical approach regarding it's employee's best interests.

Good, productive jobs are those which address all the needs of Americans, not just those who make millions by stirring up ethnic hatreds in order to justify the need for weapons.

The aging US infrastructure is once again presenting us with a marvelous opportunity. Let's see what values are brought to the White House next January. That revelation will no doubt tell us where our tax dollars will be focused for the next several years.

And remember; no jobs, no taxes to collect for funding whatever it is Americans will chose by the way they vote.

It's the jobs people. The work is there to be done. There must be jobs to be had for doing that work. The oil of the work force is funding. "A word to the wise is sufficient."

If you're a voter, vote; if you're a prayer, pray; if you're a speaker, speak; if you're a writer, write; if you're a player, play. Whatever. Don't just stand there, do something.

Leanderthal, Lighthouse Keeper