The temp phenomenon is driven in part by excess labor and insufficient demand.
To add stability to jobs, you first have to add stability to American industry. That means raising the import tariffs, so that we stop the off-shoring of American industries.
Then we need to reach full employment, and companies will start seeking to lock in talent instead of using temporary pools.
If you believe economic resources are scarce (finite), then import duties won't accomplish what you hope to accomplish. Yes, import duties will protect domestic industries that cannot compete globally. But the resources used by those inefficient industries, are resources that cannot be employed by more efficient industries that can compete globally. In the end, we consumers have to pay higher prices for those protected goods, leaving us with fewer dollars to spend on other goods.
Are you really helping American workers this way? Yes, you are. But only some to the detriment of others! -- The extra dollar Joe Public has to spend for protected American orange juice, leaves him with one less dollar he can spend at *my* unprotected business.
It's easy to see the jobs lost in a non-competitive industry when those jobs are allowed to go away. What nobody sees is what other industries -- and the jobs they would create -- could emerge if those squandered resources were freed up.
I'm all in favor of reciprocal import duties on countries who put duties on our goods. But otherwise, let each country dominate in the industries where they have a competitive advantage. When that happens, everybody wins.
I know many will flame me for this, so here is one case where I really do believe in protection. (Flame suit on.)
“That means raising the import tariffs, so that we stop the off-shoring of American industries.”
I agree with your comments except for the above. IMHO, we simply need to get the heel of the boot off Industry’s neck and allow industry to act on its own behalf in terms of who to hire, how long to work per week and how to administer their HR departments. Holder’s gestapo prevents all the above actions on the part of industry and we’re just plain stuck in the ditch as a result. It won’t get better til Holder and his boss, the other thug, are out.
Industry also needs to believe that the heel of the boot won’t come back down as soon as industry takes some tiny action that BIG gummint doesn’t fully subscribe to.
And perhaps get rid of non-Americans in the workforce and slow immigration.
Is that why the government is seeking to approve more visas for high tech workers? /s
I agree with your tariff perspective though.