General Discussion

MFrohike

(1,980 posts)

39. One idea

Thu Dec 19, 2013, 06:24 PM

Dec 2013

Either directly or indirectly, the federal government should hire and train people to do the work needed to update and maintain our infrastructure. It's not an easy or quick fix, but we've largely ignored the state of our bridges, water systems, power grid, etc. for the last 30 years or so and it's beginning to show. I'd personally prefer to see it done indirectly, through a contracting process, but I don't much care as long as it gets done.

There are other things that need to be done in terms of medium- and long-term planning, but this is absolutely essential if we don't want to become a full-fledged two-tier country.

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Do we understand this??? Productivity is causing the high unemployment. The GOP does. [View all] CK_John Dec 2013 OP

Shorten the work week with full salaries and benefits. Jackpine Radical Dec 2013 #1

The only jobs in play are being cut below 30hrs so they don't have to give benefits. CK_John Dec 2013 #5

It could be done at the Federal level Jackpine Radical Dec 2013 #12

It would require a trivial change to the FLSA laws. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #17

+100000 woo me with science Dec 2013 #37

I don't think so. The banks appropriated all of our taxpayer money in the bailouts. CJCRANE Dec 2013 #2

No, we'll be paying for his wars for a long time yet madokie Dec 2013 #3

increase wages, decrease CEO pay. grahamhgreen Dec 2013 #4

Do you mean pay the robots more, productivity increases replace people with automatic devices. CK_John Dec 2013 #6

No, pay the people who make and service the robots, all grahamhgreen Dec 2013 #18

Absolutely. woo me with science Dec 2013 #38

better to shorten the work week. nt lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #7

When an industrial welding replace 9000 people in 1 plant. The only people working load CK_John Dec 2013 #8

Non sequitur. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #16

I think it is 20% without counting minimum wage jobs and undocumented. CK_John Dec 2013 #19

depends on how you measure, I guess. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #20

tax wealthy people and profitable corporations sufficiently to force downward redistribution.... mike_c Dec 2013 #9

We are facing a new world that requires less and less people keep the system running. CK_John Dec 2013 #11

Yep. This is the truth that we need to deal with. It should actually be good news, except for reformist2 Dec 2013 #30

That myth is fundamentally untrue. Nothing but a meme to defend our pathetic economic policies Taitertots Dec 2013 #10

This is a world problem look at Greece, Ireland, Iceland and how come only 1/2 college CK_John Dec 2013 #14

The EU problems are just the result of their own self-destructive economic policies... Taitertots Dec 2013 #28

Productivity gains is production per employee, not profits bhikkhu Dec 2013 #26

Productivity is a measure of product by machine or people. A driverless taxi CK_John Dec 2013 #27

Your response is focused on individual businesses and not the whole economy Taitertots Dec 2013 #32

They're not going to come up with a solution The2ndWheel Dec 2013 #13

I just hate to admit the doomday survial groups were the only ones to get it and prepare. CK_John Dec 2013 #15

Can there be a future for you if you make 8.25 an hour 4 t 4 Dec 2013 #21

It doesn't matter the wage if there is no job for 50% of the population.. CK_John Dec 2013 #23

yes it does matter because 50 % can take care of a much larger number 4 t 4 Dec 2013 #24

I don't think you understand the problem of productivity. CK_John Dec 2013 #25

And the pay for the 50% will collapse - labor supply and demand, you know. reformist2 Dec 2013 #29

Lots of talk about a Basic Income (i.e. 10k or so to every person 18+) in the news kelly1mm Dec 2013 #22

That's utter nonesense DefenseLawyer Dec 2013 #31

There are 2 types of "productivity" jazzimov Dec 2013 #33

No MFrohike Dec 2013 #34

Good outline of the past but what do we do for the jobless going forward. CK_John Dec 2013 #35

Unemployed workers should be compensated. Obviously, it is the system that has failed to provide grahamhgreen Dec 2013 #36

One idea MFrohike Dec 2013 #39