Can you name a single policy change within our federal government that can create millions of skilled jobs for middle-class America??

If your answer requires government funding, then I would ask that you also provide the method for obtaining the funding. Like higher taxes, killing some other program(s), more debt, etc.

If you think this must be accomplished by the private sector, please explain the industry and what the impetus will be to kick-start such a process.

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Did you know both our problems and the solutions can be found simply by looking in our mirrors...and...Never confuse the extraordinary stuff I think and write with that of a well-balanced person...

My suggestions involves both government funding and private sector.

Tax the wealthy and big oil to fund research, development and implementation of transportation, heating, cooling and electricity generation solutions that do not involve fossil fuels. Make these generators, vehicles and heating / cooling units in the US and offer them for sell both here and abroad. Job, technology and cash flow.

Aggressively pursue research funding for medical research in a manner similar to what Singapore has done in the last decade. This will curb the 'brain drain' that has been going on for the eight years we have had Curious George in office and bring those dollars back to the US.

Expand the number of health care jobs available by eliminating the middle man - private health insurers - and by eliminating the need for redundant paperwork and complex claims by giving everyone the same coverage. Retrain those currently working for health insurers to provide care and services within the new system of universal health care. The money is already there - it is just going to insurance stockholders instead of being used to treat everyone.

"Creating jobs" is actually kind of a silly concept. People seem to believe that completing necessary tasks is what leads to well-being, so somehow adding tasks will lead to... more well-being.
Not really. Unnecessary jobs lead to inefficiency which leads to less well-being...

Now technically there's always some work left undone... and somebody ought to do lots of it. Infrastructure comes to mind.
And that's where your problem comes in. But let's look at it the right way. "More jobs" is not the reason to fix it. The reason is... it needs to be done.
Even if we were to pull off "public works" like the Great Pyramids of ancient Egypt where the primary pupose is to keep idle young men busy... let's at least keep our real motives figured out.

Now funding... Well, there may be areas we can cut out and other areas to cut down... but chances are such a large job will require higher taxes.
It's possible, even necessary, to bring in the private sector... but it's going to be government money that gets the process going as infrastructure is a public good.

If we ever got to the point where there are "not enough" jobs and where there is nothing to be done (or nothing worth paying for)... we'd have to really reconsider the 40-hour work week.

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That information is classified and to be given only on a need-to-know basis...

And I do not need to know.

To be fair to everyone, I thought everyone participating should know where the thread started. OldManOnFire and I were discussing drilling and alternative energy transportation on another thread. The viablility of alternatives being produced here vs being produced abroad came up in the discussion.

I would like to thank OldManOnFire for starting this thread, and hopefully there are some good ideas, and possible solutions that come out of this.

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"We The People" aren't the first words of the Constitution, and written so Huge and Fancy by mistake."

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
Benjamin Franklin

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. Benjamin Franklin

Not by taxing business thats for sure.

Now to move on and answer the question.

No, there isn't a single policy change that can accomplish this.

Just like their isn't a single policy change that can effect most issues. It has to be comprehensive. A multi-pronged approach if you will involving both the Gov't and the private sector. Just like Frolicking Dino says.

It starts with education. Our education system needs to be re-vamped, and brought up to date. We can not compete in the world economy when we lag behind a lot of the industrialized world in education.

Health care is another area that need to be fixed. The health insurance industry is like the big oil companies. They are raking in record profits. Those profits are created by higher premiums being paid by either the worker of the Corp. they work for. If it's the worker paying more for health care, then the Company must pay the worker more to cover these higher cost's. Or the worker must reduce their budget in other area's. Either way ultimately those cost's get passed on the the consumer anyway. To save these cost's, and thus increase profit's, the most efficient way for the Corp. to do so is outsource those jobs overseas. Having everyone participate in a health care plan that was actually about health care, and not about Private Health Insurance profit margins would lower the "cost" of the American worker.

We need to reduce or eliminate the welfare system, and replace it with a workfare system. The infrastructure in the U.S. is waayy !!! overdue for renovation and updating. Why should we pay people who are capable of working, for not working? And then not have the money to pay for the revitalization of our infrastructure? That is simply ludicrous. Even unskilled labor is needed. Child care, trash removal, public landscaping and filling pot holes, are just a few example's of "jobs" that can be done by people currently living solely on the welfare system. I mean we pay people to do these job's anyway, it's just that there aren't enough people to do them everywhere. If you can't find work, then get a Gov't works project job until you can find something better. Don't lay around and complain, and expect the rest of the taxpayer's to pay your way.

Next is a paradigm shift in the way we think of the U.S. At one point in time Made in the U.S.A. meant quality around the world. Now it's hard to find anything made in the U.S.A. Everyone seems to buy into the B.S. that if it's made here, it's too expensive. We the people, have sold out to cheap crap from China. So instead of trying to compete on price, we need to win on quality. I say if the Chinese refuse to meet our safety, quality, and environmental standards, that we boycott their products, kick them out of the WTO. I mean after all they are in violation of the WTO agreement's already. If they were forced to meet those standards, well then maybe their product wouldn't be so much cheaper.

We also need immigration reform. Regardless of which side of the immigration issue you are on, one thing is for sure. It ain't working for the average American worker. As a country we should never allow any group of people to be exploited on our land. Why would we allow companies to hire people without benefit's and fair pay? This system rewards them for breaking the law. If a company has hired "illegal" workers, they should be shut down. And sold to another company willing to follow the labor laws. If they hire legal immigrant's, they should have to hire them at the same pay, and benefits as American workers. Why should the American worker be forced to compete for lower wages by companies breaking the law?

The Corp. Tax is another fallacy. Everyone whom is smarter than your average 2 year old understands that Corp. America does not pay taxes. They collect taxes from the consumer, and forward them on the the Gov't. Taxes need to be paid, obviously the Gov't needs money to operate. But when figuring in the "cost" of the item being produced, taxes shouldn't be in the equation. Replace corp. taxes with a sales tax. Lowering the cost of the product to be produced and lowering the "tax burden" on the corp.

Well let's start there, and see where we end up. Obviously some people will disagree, and that's O.K. Obviously there is still a lot more than needs to be done to create good jobs in the U.S., but it's at least a start.

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"We The People" aren't the first words of the Constitution, and written so Huge and Fancy by mistake."

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
Benjamin Franklin

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. Benjamin Franklin

The Imperial Government can't "create" jobs.

They CAN, however, allow for corporations and small businesses to become economically viable enough to employ more citizens.

As much as democrats and neo-socialists hate to imagine...this is done by lowering taxes and giving tax breaks.

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"I should be calling collect from jail for the things I commit each night in my head" - D. Mustaine.

Eliminate corporate taxes once and for all.

Last time I checked the consititution has no provisions for creating jobs.

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No, it is much simpler. Replace all federal taxation with a single national consumption (sales) tax on new goods and services that generates the exact same federal revenue. In addition provide a "prebate" to everyone to offset this tax on basic goods and services. This eliminates it being oppressive to the poor.

This accomlishes one thing for American manufacturing (and other services as well) because it eliminates the embedded taxation on products (e.g. 7.6% matching FICA taxes paid by the company which is compounded in our economy) plus all related business expenses related to income taxes and FICA taxes.

Embedded federal tax costs and related expenses are equal to or greater than 20% on all retail products. This would result in a 20% or greater reduction in the costs of goods for EXPORT where the "consumption tax" would not apply. A 20% reduction in the costs of US products on the international (export) market which would increase demand for our products exponentially. If we have to produce more in our factories we need to hire more people. With only a 5% unemployment rate the demand for labor would drive up wages. Unskilled workers would be trained to work at these jobs because there aren't enough skilled workers now.

Instead of importing televisions we would start producing them. Instead of importing tennis shoes we would begin manufacturing them. Instead of outsource out jobs we would be "importing" money for the products we produce.

A million jobs is a drop in the bucket. I would estimate 50 million good paying skilled manufacturing jobs being created (with health insurance which most manufacturers already offer).

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Soldiers swear to protect and defend the Constitution with their lives.

Politicians swear to protect and defend the Constitution with someone else's life.

Americans could have everything they need at a 10-15% tax rate. Regulation is one of the problems for creating new jobs.

Go down to your city hall and ask for a business permit, one of the things they ask (here) is how much are you going to make in your first year. Well since 80% of start ups fail within two years how do you answer that? They want you to give them a number so they can base your permit fees accordingly. Then if you require water, you'll require a permit from the water board and they may tell you that there is "no water available for your coffee shop, but you can bring in bottled water." Really happened to me. The building I was about to lease from had a water filtering machine at the end of it and was always being used but I couldn't get a water credit to sell coffee, lucky for me I didn't get the business going because a Starbucks opened just down the street, within a few months.

Anyways, just a note take a look at the World Trade Center, it took 6 years to build the first time, why is it not finished by now? Government REGULATION. How many jobs would that bring to NYC? Thousands.

Too many Chiefs not enough Indians.

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"The only title superior to President of the United States of America is Citizen."

Did you know the word "gullible" isn't in the dictionary?

Tresha quote:
I'm not sure why you are under the impression that because someone has mental health problems, they are incapable of intelligent and rational thought.