[Mr. Jeeves]

3. Even "unskilled" labor is hard to find, because too many Americans lack even three basic attributes an employer wants to see in any prospective employee: a sense of self-respect, a good work ethic, and a desire to learn and improve on the job.

This. Television and liberal education really did a number on the generation that came of age after the mid-Eighties. Businesses - especially smaller ones - are not capable of running re-education camps to "fix" the sense of entitlement and poor work ethic that were absorbed by too many Americans during the "good" times of 1984-2007.

It's not that the potential labor pool is too large or too small - it's too polluted.

[Alberta's Child]

It's not that the potential labor pool is too large or too small -- it's too polluted.

That is a great quote. I'm going to steal it, but I'll make sure I remember to credit you as the source. LOL!