dagblog - Comments for "America's People Can't Have Jobs Because They're People"

Destor, in case you miss it,

artappraiser — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:10:43 +0000

In reply to America's People Can't Have Jobs Because They're People

Destor, in case you miss it, see

White House Offers Plan to Lure Jobs to America by Annie Lowrey for the Feb 3 NYT for a good mixture of admin economist and anti-admin economist opinion on topic, plus some good factoids on specifics of "industrial policy"

Okay, I've done my fair share

Michael Maiello — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:00:37 +0000

In reply to I could never figure out the

Okay, I've done my fair share of white collar corporate travel and I know people who've done far more and... well... the idea that your employer would tell you "not to have anyone else in your room," is a little unthinkable in that context. Again, different worlds. But I'm sure you see my point that there are a whole lot of people out there who would take the position that "sure, you can pay for my accommodations if you need me in a certain spot to do work for you, but no, you can't give me a curfew or sleepover rules."

I don't mean to criticize you, but I can see why, as an adult, he felt free to ignore your instructions.

I could never figure out the

Oxy Mora — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:04:54 +0000

In reply to ...to match his raise.

I could never figure out the appeal, he was like a p-magnet. Finally, I asked him what his secret was. I wanted to bottle it and make a lot more money than what we were doing.

He said, "I never let them catch me lookin at em. They come to me." Go figure.

I did tell him that the company was paying the Motel room for him and him only, not to have anyone else in the room. But of course he did.

This line hit me, too--but I

Peter Schwartz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:30:44 +0000

In reply to Oh another nap! I tell ya

This line hit me, too--but I wonder if it's entirely true.

Perhaps by now, there are skills our workers are missing.

This would be true IF the

Peter Schwartz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:24:51 +0000

In reply to I did notice that, too. Pure

This would be true IF the horses got to ride in the cars. Or better, drive them.

But if all it meant was that horses could no longer earn their keep, then the car would've been bad news.

It would be an interesting bit of trivia to find out if there were more horses back then when they were used for utilitarian purposes than there are now.

If so, then the car has also led to the dying out of this noble species (or is it genus or family, I can never remember). At least the human being per se hasn't become obsolete. Yet.

When the problem is

Peter Schwartz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:18:25 +0000

In reply to There are a lot of them in

When the problem is national...all these local efforts strike me as taking from Peter to pay Paul. Which I'd be in favor of if we were taking from Paul to pay Peter.

...to match his raise.

Peter Schwartz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:16:28 +0000

In reply to One time one of my workers

...to match his raise.

I was listening to Rich Lowry

Peter Schwartz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:14:41 +0000

In reply to I'd have to do some research

I was listening to Rich Lowry on C-Span and I almost ran off the road when I heard he was Cain's economic advisor. The 999 plan, supposed to be simple, but people kept calling in with questions about it, and he kept saying, "No, that's the OTHER 9..." So that was pretty comical after I realized it wasn't just me who couldn't understand it.

He then started talking about "enterprise zones," and how they were going to have them. Then he added quickly, "In fact, the whole country will be an enterprise zone." At that point, I had to pull over I was laughing so hard. It was like the first time I heard the Stiller and Meara Blue Nun ads on the radio. The imagine of "a little blue nun" just had me in stitches.

But to pull back...if we have a problem of a mismatch between the workforce's skills and, per Oxy, work ethic and the needs of businesses with job openings, then this enterprise zone idea strikes me as passe. Simply opening up a factory in the ghetto won't do anything to improve life in the ghetto if those people won't get hired.

One time one of my workers

jollyroger — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:57:32 +0000

In reply to Great post, Destor. I am not

One time one of my workers was late to breakfast at a motel, I went up to his room and two waitresses from the night before stumbled out of his room

Of course, he got a promotion...

There are a lot of them in

artappraiser — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:52:33 +0000

In reply to This idea, back in the

There are a lot of them in the tri-state area. For example, the whole city of Elisabeth New Jersey, by Newark airport, is one from that era; IKEA decided to open in the US because of that one, if I recall correctly. Customers still get cheaper sales tax at that IKEA than at the other ones.

Isn't the concept commonly dissed now as "corporate welfare" in some circles....with the idea that they should want to settle in down-and-out areas of their own volition? And yes, of course, cities and states have gone to crazy levels offering all kinds of incentives, bidding each other up....possibly better done by a Federal entity? Then it's called pork....? (Also see Charles Rangel/Harlem/125th St/ex-president's office)

What do I know....this stuff is supposed to be your beat, destor....