Robert Reich video

"Why hire someone that has no clue if you have someone that knows how to do the job? That's ridiculous to even consider, a business would never do that because they wouldn't be in business for very long."


Your Honor,
I guess the answer to that lies in if you have someone that knows how to do the job. And a lot of typically greedy business owners won't hesitate to hire on the basis of the lowest wage, the penny wise and pound foolish principle.

I work for the upper crust, the neauveau riche, and I swear they like the old cliche "You can't get good help these days." Well, you can get good help, but it amazes me how so many employers use sub-standard workers for the sake of saving a few dollars.

It also amazes me how many dishonest businesses do stay in business; i.e. automobile repair shops.

stockingfull wrote:What matters is that, if the gov't is going to artificially "stimulate" the economy, by definition we're not talking "meritocracy," we're talking "stimulus." ..... snip .... Obviously, perfection is unattainable and some people inevitably will get more than their fair share of the dole and others less, but the idea is to put the medicine where the economic problem is .... snip ....

Exactly, if it's a stimulus give away program you need to get the money to people that will actually spend it. The give away can't stimulate the economy if people don't spend it. Case in point, when I got my last stimulus check, I saved it for a rainy day. It did no good giving it to me, I didn't spend it. Any stimulus program will be unfair to some and generous to others. I don't believe in the less taxes trickle down economic theory. The tax reductions of the last few years have helped those at the top. I don't believe the current stimulus bill should have tax reductions, even if those reductions will likely help me. There is no peaceful way to end the long term debt without raising the government's income, i.e. taxes. The sooner that truth is accepted the cheaper it will be. What we are doing now is using inflation as the hidden tax increase.

I read an article written by an analysist about the Reich speech and he said basicly the same thing that Yanche and Stockingfull said, just an incredably poor choice of words

When the Brooklyn Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge and the Hoover dam among other projects of that time were built the companies hired people waiting at the fence line hoping to get a days work. The construction boss would go to the fence and say he needed 20 (or some number) workers. Many of the workers were unskilled and learned on the job.. Many went on to use the skills they learned to improve their lives.

The last time I looked, these bridges and dams were still there.

Too bad this wouldn't work now, with unions saying who can be hired, the lack of people who take pride in their work and the fear of hiring unskilled labor to carry a shovel.

I watched the videos..... twice ......& what I took away was an intent to make sure that all the money doesn't go to just the already professional people & businesses...That some of it go to help people learn a trade & stimulate the economy for everyone, including minorities. I guess "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" though & if you/'re already inclined to hear what you think you'll hear,.....you'll actually hear it..no matter what words are spoken.

You wanted change, you got it. Stupid pea brain dem. Reich is from the Clinton era. He was no good then and he's worthless now. Let the republicans say something racial like that and Nancy polosie and durty Harry Reed will have an indictment going before you know it.
There's change alright . It's in your face and take it. Well, a lot of you dems. asked for it.Were all in a big bus and were going over the cliff. It's construction that gets jobs and
the economy going.How about helping the people that work hard and PAY TAXES. The people that make this country great. Then the Dems. can create all their tax and spend programs when the economy stabilizes. Good luck to us. It's Dems. all the time. The ball is in their court. Why they do the things that have not worked in the past amazes me.I don't like to share the wealth. Let the people and co. that earn money keep it. They are the ones that put money into the economy And companies that hire people. I'll work for my own money.
I don't mean to rant, BUT I AM A(WHITE) MIDDLE CLASS CONSTRUCTION WORKER Mr. Recccccchhhhhhhhhh. You should be a clown in a circus. OH, you are.

Jim503RI wrote:I don't mean to rant, BUT I AM A(WHITE) MIDDLE CLASS CONSTRUCTION WORKER Mr. Recccccchhhhhhhhhh. You should be a clown in a circus. OH, you are.

I see you are a new member & thought you may be interested in a "Say what you want"..."No holds barred" forum we have here called Flame Suit Central. I started a topic there Should We Follow President Obama Or Congress's Republicans? that you may want to contribute too.
If interested, you have to: Goto "User Control Panel "(top of page).....select 'Usergroups".....Then select "Flame Suit Central"

Read the disclaimer & then agree to join, if you want.

(come over to The Dark Side....)

Thanks devil, Just went off on a tangent. Just a newbie learning as I go. I will check out
flam suit central. I'm all set on politics for now. Back to good o'l coal.

Jim503RI wrote:Thanks devil, Just went off on a tangent. Just a newbie learning as I go. I will check out
flam suit central. I'm all set on politics for now. Back to good o'l coal.

Fair enough...That's why we're all here! (just sounded like you'd like a place to let off steam)

Welcome!

Here's a transcript of the exact words Reich said. (my emphasis added)


Now let me say something about infrastructure. It seems to me that infrastructure spending is a very important and good way of stimulating the economy. The challenge will be to do it quickly, to find projects that can be done that have a high social return that also can be done with the greatest speed possible.


I am concerned, as I'm sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high skilled people who are already professions or to white male construction workers. I have nothing against white male construction workers. I'm just saying that there are a lot of other people who have needs as well. And therefore, in my remarks I have suggested to you, and I'm certainly happy to talk about it more, ways in which the money can be -- criteria can be set so that they money does go to others: the long term unemployed, minorities, women, people who are not necessarily construction workers or high-skilled professionals.


Finally, let me say this. We've never been here before. There is not an obvious template. There is not a clear direction.


Anybody who tells you they know exactly what to do doesn't know what they're talking about. We are going to have to approach this in the spirit of experimentation. We have to keep an eye on what works and get rid of what doesn't work as fast as possible.

stockingfull wrote:What matters is that, if the gov't is going to artificially "stimulate" the economy, by definition we're not talking "meritocracy," we're talking "stimulus."

And the purpose of this or any "stimulus" is to reach the parts of the economy which have been hurt by the downturn and which therefore need to be stimulated. So, if you have information that only "white" or "highly skilled" workers have been affected by the current downturn, then I'd be more receptive to the idea that the stimulus should be directed to them. OTOH, if the downturn is broader than that (which IMO is a pretty safe statement), then the "stimulus" projects ideally should have a broader reach to match it.

The whole idea is that, to the extent possible, you create projects to match the parts of the population that you want to put back to work. Obviously, perfection is unattainable and some people inevitably will get more than their fair share of the dole and others less, but the idea is to put the medicine where the economic problem is, not to establish the same "bidding meritocracy" that you'd want in more desirable economic circumstances.

Stockingfull is right. Nevertheless Reich explained this horribly, he would have been better off with Stockingfull doing the talking. The point here is to create jobs so that people across ALL demographics can get to work and stimulate the economy. What he is saying (very very poorly) is that we need to be creative and think outside of the box regarding the opportunities that are created through the stimulus package. Not just jobs rebuilding bridges (which there are plenty of skilled white male construction workers to fill), but jobs that involve new technologies, green jobs, where there is currently few people with the skills to do the job, but jobs that ANYBODY can quickly get trained up and get out there working. then these folks can start spending and giving back to the economy economically.

Here's Reich's blog: http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2009/01 ... thout.html

Dann757 wrote:It also amazes me how many dishonest businesses do stay in business; i.e. automobile repair shops.

The answer to this is that Americans really don't care anymore about quality. It's quantity baby! Why else would Walmart and McD's profits be up? They can fill two carts with crap now instead of one.

American's buy sub-standard products a majority of the time. But hey... it was cheep so who cares?

If this wasn't true, then Walmart would be inundated with returns of their poor chinese merchandise. And Washington would be emptied of the filth that now has its grip on your paycheck. Who votes for nut jobs like these guys anyway?

The sad part is that term after term people vote for these guys. Why? It's perplexing.