Two Cents

(Image Credit: blogs.cars.com)


America was built on the backs of slaves. Then on the backs of its poor. Now, we're seeing economic times not unlike ones we've experienced before in this nation, one where unemployment goes rampant and recovery is slow.

In spite of what I know about the history of our country, and in spite of what I know about the 3000+ businesses who risk closing as a result of the loss of an auto industry bailout, I still believe that the way for this economy to get back on its feet is not by handing out money to failing corporations by creating new jobs to meet the needs of those who will lose them. The answer seems simple. If we're anticipating a period of job loss, we need to prepare our economoy to meet it. Green jobs, yes. But also education. There has to be a workforce ready to educate to masses into tranferrable jobs.

There has also been mention of healthcare. The NYT featured a thoughtful article the other day that examined the shortage of primary care physicans that our nation is facing. Medicine, pharmacology, nursing, biotech: these are all noble professions that we can transfer our people into.

Then there's media, God bless it. This industry, too, is facing its own share of woes. People are reading newspapers less and turning to online sources more. Some people, mostly young people, don't even watch the news. We need people at the forefront of technology and communication who can make use of tools like the Internet, YouTube, social media, i-Pods, etc. and reach consumers. We'll always have a need to be informed. So it behooves us to figure out how to do it, and then get to it.

Art is another overlooked area. It's hard to put a value on art. It's terribly subjective. But that doesn't make it any less worthy of our attention. And let's think about it for a moment just how intertwined the arts with fields like communication. It's not just about the aesthetic, it's also about providing information visually, making concepts easier to understand.

Even though they were Republicans, I side with the majority of the Senate today who would not support a bailout for the auto industry. The reason is just that maybe autos have run their course in America. They're not competitive, so if they don't innovate, the corporations deserve to plummet. Thus making way for other industries or autos who can fill their place. People have been complaining about the poor quality of auto since the 80s. So why now, after nearly 30 years of opportunity to get its act together, to anticipate demand, to get ahead of the curve should we bail them out. It seems to me that the auto makers in the US simply were'n't listening. They were trying to hold on and ignore financials that clearly signaled that it was time for them to head out.

I do regret that we've come to this. But the bailout doesn't represent the backbone of what America was built on: literally and figuratively. We're an innovative bunch. We have talent all around, though admittedly, not as well educated as it should be. Fifteen billion dollars would be better spent on jobs of the future and occupations that fill today's needs.