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Create Jobs w/o Them All Going to Skilled Professionals and White Male Construction Workers
Robert Reich blog ^ | January 08, 2009 | Robert Reich

Posted on 01/26/2009 10:01:29 AM PST by Lorianne

The stimulus plan will create jobs repairing and upgrading the nation's roads, bridges, ports, levees, water and sewage system, public-transit systems, electricity grid, and schools. And it will kick-start alternative, non-fossil based sources of energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and so on); new health-care information systems; and universal broadband Internet access.

It's a two-fer: lots of new jobs, and investments in the nation's future productivity.

But if there aren't enough skilled professionals to do the jobs involving new technologies, the stimulus will just increase the wages of the professionals who already have the right skills rather than generate many new jobs in these fields. And if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most -- women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed -- will be shut out.

What to do? There's no easy solution to either dilemma. But there's no reason to think about "green jobs" as simply high-tech. Many low-income and low-skilled workers -- women as well as men -- could be put directly to work providing homes and businesses with more efficient and renewable heating, lighting, cooling, and refrigeration systems; installing solar panels and efficient photovoltaic systems; rehabilitating and renovating old properties, and improving recycling systems. "Green Jobs Corps" teams could be trained to evaluate and advise homeowners and businesses on these and other means of conserving energy.

People can be trained relatively quickly for these sorts of jobs, as well as many infrastructure j0bs generated by the stimulus -- installing new pipes for water and sewage systems, repairing and upgrading equipment, basic construction -- but contractors have to be nudged both to provide the training and to do the hiring.

I'd suggest that all contracts entered into with stimulus funds require contractors to provide at least 20 percent of jobs to the long-term unemployed and to people withincomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. And at least 2 percent of project funds should be allocated to such training. In addition, advantage should be taken of buildings trades apprenticeships -- wich must be fully available to women and minorities.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government
KEYWORDS: inanity; racism; selfhatred
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If you could scarcely believe him saying it on live TV, he clearly spells it out in writing here.
1 posted on 01/26/2009 10:01:30 AM PST by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne

White Male Construction workers are killed on the job more than any other demographic.


2 posted on 01/26/2009 10:04:25 AM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: Lorianne

Simply. Unbelievable.


3 posted on 01/26/2009 10:04:26 AM PST by Red in Blue PA (If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective.)
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To: Lorianne

I suggest he be forced to have 20% of his blog speeches and anything else he does done by the unemployed.

Can’t come out any dumber than his own stuff.....


4 posted on 01/26/2009 10:04:43 AM PST by Adder (typical basicly decent bitter white person)
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To: Lorianne

We are being governed by a bunch of racists.


5 posted on 01/26/2009 10:07:08 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: Lorianne

So really...what They are describing is a form of Reperations for the Brown man.

If you look at the Obama Stimulus plan from the standpoint of reperations, it makes much more sense


6 posted on 01/26/2009 10:07:36 AM PST by Explodo (Pessimism is simply pattern recognition)
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To: Lorianne
the stimulus will just increase the wages of the professionals who already have the right skills

Yes, we need people with the wrong skills to build highways, bridges and energy infrastructure.

7 posted on 01/26/2009 10:07:44 AM PST by Brett66 (Where government advances, and it advances relentlessly , freedom is imperiled -Janice Rogers Brown)
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To: Lorianne

“many people who need jobs the most — women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed”

And their incentive is...?


8 posted on 01/26/2009 10:08:38 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel
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To: Lorianne

Yeah, there ya go Bob, don’t make people LEARN a trade and apply it—hell, no! Just give them the money!


9 posted on 01/26/2009 10:08:43 AM PST by OCCASparky (Steely-Eyed Killer of the Deep)
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To: Lorianne

I’d suggest that all contracts entered into with stimulus funds require contractors to provide at least 20 percent of jobs to the long-term unemployed and to people withincomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. And at least 2 percent of project funds should be allocated to such training. In addition, advantage should be taken of buildings trades apprenticeships — wich must be fully available to women and minorities.

Robert, you mental midget, this is the exact same mindset that drives what is misnomered “affordable housing”. Your insanity is a mirror of Barney Frank, and Christopher Dodd.


10 posted on 01/26/2009 10:10:03 AM PST by wita
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To: Brett66
Yes, we need people with the wrong skills to build highways, bridges and energy infrastructure.

And then we'll wonder why such "quality" projects as the I-35 and I-95 bridge and Big Dig keep collapsing...
11 posted on 01/26/2009 10:10:13 AM PST by OCCASparky (Steely-Eyed Killer of the Deep)
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To: Lorianne

As unbelievable as Reich’s comments are, what really leaves me gasping for air is the comments by Charles Rangel. He stated in the same video that, essentially, we middle class white folks are going to get a screwing and we’ll be so busy with making ends meet and fussing with the kids that we won’t notice.


12 posted on 01/26/2009 10:10:29 AM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (All the oil's in Texas...but all the dipsticks are in Washington, DC.)
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To: massgopguy

“Green Jobs Teams” are going to advise homeowners? Is this manditory? Will they need a warrant to enter my home? Are we “partners” now? Will the Crosses be coming down off the walls? Check the fridge for transfats?


13 posted on 01/26/2009 10:10:45 AM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: Lorianne

The man is a little person but a very BIG moron


14 posted on 01/26/2009 10:13:38 AM PST by GeronL (Had the flu. Not well yet.)
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To: Lorianne
Robert Reich speaking for the new Reich's Fuerher.

May we all be taught to sing his praises...our blevoed new leader. [/dripping sarcasm]

Watch this...

SINGING PRAISES TO THE NEW BELOVED LEADER - YOU TUBE

and then this...

HYMNS TO THE NEW BELOVED LEADER ARE NOT THE FIRST TIME - YOUTRUBE

...and finally, this:

THIS IS WHERE IT LEADS - NOW IS THEIR TIME AND TOMORROW BELONGS TO THEM



The precedent and consequences are well established historically. Far too many American have been sold a bill of goods...and with their money and their vote purchased a pig in a poke...a potentially ravenous and rabid pig.

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IN HIS OWN WORDS

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S UPBRINGING

15 posted on 01/26/2009 10:14:04 AM PST by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: Lorianne

My skilled professional job is moving to India this year. And Microsoft (which is having its first major layoff) for years pushed for more HB-1 visas for foreign engineers to come work in America below market wages.

What about my job?

My investment (time/money) in a degree is not paying off. The corporations are outsourcing and I am expected to work for 12 more companies before “retirement”. That is no way to work up a good benefits package or even protected health coverage.

We are told about “fair trade coffee” but those same libs don’t give a crap about “fair trade computer services”.


16 posted on 01/26/2009 10:14:07 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Obama thinks spending tax $ on abortions in Mexico helps more than controlling illegal imigration)
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To: Lorianne

“Many low-income and low-skilled workers — women as well as men — could be put directly to work providing homes and businesses with more efficient and renewable heating, lighting, cooling, and refrigeration systems; installing solar panels and efficient photovoltaic systems; rehabilitating and renovating old properties, and improving recycling systems.”

Right, and right after they leave you can call the “white males who already dominate the construction trades” to come fix the problem the right way, pay twice for the same work, and really stimulate the economy.


17 posted on 01/26/2009 10:16:54 AM PST by enat
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To: Adder

Sounds like one of Pol Pots’ schemes. I am not so sure people can be quickly trained to do HVAC work and install solar panels.


18 posted on 01/26/2009 10:16:57 AM PST by BRK
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To: Lorianne

This poor dumb pint-sized putz seems to think that going into homes and changing out lighting, HVAC and plumbing lines and fixtures is “low or semi-skilled” work. Tell you what, Little Bobby, you run on down to the homeless shelter and load up some of those folks to come work in your house, OK? Just let them know whether you want hot or cold water to come out of those electrical outlets.


19 posted on 01/26/2009 10:17:27 AM PST by Emmett McCarthy
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Agreed. I saw that also. Of course, the same middle class white folks could always follow his lead and not pay taxes :o).

20 posted on 01/26/2009 10:19:28 AM PST by BookmanTheJanitor
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