1. Rather then repealing Citizens United, which in my opinion would bring the Nation closer to one man one vote. Now, A minor reform of the system, described as bringing greater” transparency” to non profit groups trying to protect their donors , is being introduced to the Legislature. There’s only one problem, this law also effects The League of Women Voters. One size doesn’t fit all. We have a choice but refuse to use our tools to be fair to the American Public?
2. NY TIMES 12/1/13 Where factory apprenticeship is latest model from Germany. In Greer, South Carolina, BMW hires 7000 workers. When faced with a qualified labor shortage, the manager. From Germany, implemented an apprentice program to train High School Juniors and Seniors, leading to permanent jobs in the factory. The German model was transported here and it works for BMW. Better then having idle kids, this is a real career path, a model for the country? We have choices? More work/ study programs should be tried Nationwide. Then neither factories or kids will be idle. A win win.
3. The NY Times and The Financial Times have reported that the results of Black Friday shopping were down $1.7 Billion from last year. A portend of a lackluster shopping season overall. Was this really a surprise? Church soup kitchens are providing sustenance to the poor. People are jobless for two years. It takes time and money to retrain yourself, plus a tremendous will to survive. When the recession started and 3million jobs were claimed to be available, I asked, where are they and hoped there would be a National Job Posting Board. No such luck. Now 5 years into the Recession people are still asking why is Main Street struggling while Wall. Street powers forward. The answer is clear, we are propping up Wall Street while we have few plans to reinstate the Middle Class. Work needs to be done to increase infrastructure spending in our Cities and start putting people back to work. The status quo, winner take all bids, are no longer appropriate when people are going hungry. Let’s start thinking positive solutions and we’ll get through this Recession a stronger Nation.
I do Hope Rockefeller University will publish their findings so all may benefit from their ” idea tent”.
4. Last… Thoughts on Bernacke’s latest idea. Keep Bank interest rates low. Zero rates are proposed, and the Banks are protesting. They want to charge fees on deposits if this happens, saying they can’t make money on these deposits when their borrowing rate is low? However; this is a lose lose for the Public and the economy.
If the Public doesn’t protest , money will flow back into the rigged stock market as folks seek greater rewards with ever greater risks. We have created a vicious cycle, by propping up the equity markets, no matter which fiscal policy is proposed?
It would have been so easy to wind down the Banks; create a ” good bank”,” bad bank ” scenario as originally proposed by the Economist. Or , instead of waiting for Dodd Frank, we could have implemented The Warren – McCain Glass Steagall Bill for the 21 st Century plus the Vitter Brown Bill which attempts to add transparency and regulation to the dark pools of money; think derivatives and swaps?
Now we are partying like it’s 2008 with a greater lose lose scenario. Don’t panic, there must be another plan? LOL