Posted on 06/16/2013 1:38:27 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Paul Krugman has a column today on a topic you don't normally get much of from economists: sympathy for the Luddites. Back in 2001, when I sat in on my last formal economics class, this was about as daring a proposition as "Sympathy for the Devil" was as an album title.
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But I have started worrying about what's taking place at the bottom of the economy. In much of the industrial world, it seems to be increasingly difficult for people to earn a decent living without a fairly elite set of skills--or an elite set of credentials that mimic skills, like a BA in English Literature from an Ivy League institution. The ability to earn a decent living, either yourself or as part of a family, is one of the basic criteria for a decent life. (And yes, before you ask: I think trust funds can be just as toxic as lifetime welfare benefits.)
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For starters, it is politically difficult to imagine a really large class of people who simply permanently live off the state. The safety net is rooted in human instincts about reciprocal exchange. Of course, it isn't all that reciprocal--the majority of people who are net taxpayers are extremely unlikely to collect much in the way of food stamps, TANF, or even unemployment insurance. Nonetheless, the moral arguments are founded in the premise that these benefits are for emergencies, and anyone can have an emergency. They will lose political support if you have one group of people paying taxes, and a different group of people who can expect to live their entire life on the dole.
Such an arrangement would also be socially toxic....
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Bring in another 30 million or so immigrants who would otherwise have entered ILLEGALLY. Then with the 30 million or so ILLEGAL immigrants already here.. make the whole lot of them legal and eligible for all things public support. We are a nation of immigrants on public support.
Our problem isn’t luddites. It’s a government that makes going into business for oneself almost impossible.
What’s wrong with “fiddling” around on the internet?
Well, this problem certainly couldn’t have a single, bloody thing to do with the government extorting so much protection money from small businesses that they can’t stay in business and go under, taking away god knows how many entry-level jobs young men like me use.
The cafe I’ve been working at for the past four years is closing down this Thursday or Friday. From working there, I was able to learn how to cook, take and serve food and drink orders, attend the State Fire Academy, become EMT certified, and earn the respect of both myself and others...and it enrages me that the people who did all that have given their heart and soul to their business and are now being shut down so dear leader and his @$$hole buddies can bribe voters to stay in power a few more years and try and kick the can a little further down the road.
So help me, people who put dear leader in office had better pray he isn’t the one who finally smashes us into the bottom of the cliff (we went over long ago), because without his goon squads, there won’t be anyone or anything to prevent them from getting what they deserve.
Oh, and to add insult to injury, the owners are walking away from their business not with a decent pay-off, but thousands of dollars in debt.
FUBO!
“And we are about to import another 30 million of them”
The final victory of Cloward-Piven.
The shAmnesty is going to create the Cloward_Piven Army.
Elections have consequences. The voters said, via their votes, which route they wished to travel on November 6, 2012. Perhaps the Good Lord will honor their choice,
Don’t knock knick-knacks.
I developed a line of sewing notions in 1985. I sell mostly wholesale. They earn me a living and have a low price point. Yes, like any business, even hand manufacturing has problems related to the government, alphabet agencies and Green enviro-nannies. No, it isn’t a 6-figure income, but it has been secure throughout the Long Recessionary Depression. I continue on at age 70+ and foresee that I will be able to continue unless I become totally invalided.
I am currently working up prototypes for a second,
retail-only line using the same production process and materials, but aimed at a different market. It also has the advantage of needing less production assistance than my main product.
We all do what we can, as we must, to survive.
Note that any repatriation of major industry will benefit the unions and the Dems.
retrain? sheesh, it’s not that hard, no more work for stagecoach drivers, upstairs maids, buggy whip makers, rickshaw pullers, maybe they should take up another field, hello
well make yourself a job, see what it is like to generate a buck without somebody else to bill for your hours........
The problem is that societally what are "men's strengths" are demonized/trivialized. Consider merely logical-thinking; as a practical application, to the Law:
New Mexico Constitution, Art I, Sec. 6. [Right to bear arms.]yet, despite the underlined [and the last sentence] county and municipal courts bar weapons from their properties. Even in the case where the person required to be there has not been so much as accused of a crime: jurors.
No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. No municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an incident of the right to keep and bear arms.
The authorities will evade, or rationalize ("we don't allow weapons in schools either"), if you bring contradictions like this up. Moreover, you cannot challenge the Constitutionality of these rules [or contraconstitutional statutes] without intentionally violating it (and thereby implicitly acknowledging its validity) then presenting your case from a position of weakness: the accused.
It seems boys are screwed over in anything that they are naturally good at.
Megan McArdle is hardly a leftist. Don’t get your hopes up about the left waking up.
You got a color TV in 1967, Wow we had to wait until about 1973 or so. We had a great big 25 inch B&W console. When we replaced that with a 19 inch color “Portable” that weighed about 70 pounds I was a happy kid
Even though my kids are all grown, I wish schools would teach tech skills again. Even though I was an excellent student, academics bored me but the tech classes saved me from dropping out. I’d go to Vo-tech in the morning and skip school the rest of the day.
Thankfully, I learned electrical and HVAC and self taught myself plumbing.
After the military, I was blessed to have one of those plumb municipal union jobs most people despise. I was able to retire at 45 and start my own HVAC business in Texas In a real growth area. Sure I’ll never be bigger than me and my son as a helper because I simply don’t want the headache of dealing with employees and all the red tape they involve.
It truly is disturbing that young males don’t put forth effort to learn home repairs like electrical, washers, houses always need a good plumber. I’ve saved so much money repairing all my own things which in the old days most people did themselves.
I always worked 2 or 3 jobs even though I didn’t need the money. I just like to work. Nor did I ever have a problem finding a job.
Sure in a few years I’ll collect Social Security (if it’s still available) but I can’t see myself not ever working.
If people are smart enough to get into an Ivy League scoop, they will continue their education. Most who get anEnglish degree go on to get a master’s and even a PHD. People can make money with any degree if they are hard workers.
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