Unemployment: Direct Government Hiring Could Be The Solution

[Joanne98]

DailyFinance:

How much of an impact the stimulus has actually had on unemployment so far, though, gets overlooked in the dueling prophecies.

But straightforward suggestions that can actually help put the country's record long-term unemployed back to work tend to get far less glory. And one such far-more-levelheaded recommendation comes from Yale economist Robert Shiller: The U.S. government should simply hire workers directly for public services, much as it did during the Great Depression.

Read the whole story: DailyFinance

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/03/unemployment-direct-gover_n_668610.html

[abelenkpe]

1. Hell Yeah they should!

I'd love to see Republicans block that too. It'd be a boost for democrats campaigns. Who'd want to vote for the jerk actively denying out of work people a job. More difficult than denying people unemployment.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Thank you for posting this

I'd given up hope over a year ago that anyone other than me would think that is a good idea! :rofl:

Look - the 'Wealthy' and the 'Rich' have not created jobs.
They don't want to pay taxes.
They just want to be lazy and self-absorbed.

So why not take the money of those who actually PAY taxes, and use it to benefit THEM (financially via payroll and fixing our horribly sick infrastructure), thereby putting the money back INTO the economy and so on and so forth.

Why was this such a simple concept for FDR but no one since then has even thought to contemplate that this might just be a good idea . . . since it's worked before.

[prolesunited]

3. I've been saying this for MONTHS

If you are over 45 and long-term unemployed, NO ONE will hire you. This could give these workers more recent experience, dignity and a way to survive until the economy picks up. I don't want unemployment checks. I want a JOB and a way to contribute. This might be good for handling the growing ranks of 99ers. It might be an easier sell than more checks since the public would be getting a return on their tax dollars.

Or, how about doing incubator start ups, getting people together for specific tasks in targeted areas, such as green energy, organic farming, daycare, etc., giving them a small business loan along with legal and accounting support. When the business succeeds, they group repays the loan and the money is given to the next start-up. These micro loan programs have proven quite successful in economically distressed countries.

[Edweird]

4. Gov. run healthcare is also a good solution - but those aren't the types of solutions we're getting

[Greyhound]

9. We got some solutions? n/t

[Edweird]

10. Apparently private industry is good for what ails ya.

At least that's what the current administration believes.

[blindpig]

13. Private industry is what ails us. n/t

[Hello_Kitty]

5. File this one under "Duh". eom

[closeupready]

6. +1

n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. Time to roll out once again my Scheme for Full Employment

The government makes us all bloggers and we get paid by the word.

Very green. No commuting.

We get the same benefits package as any federal employee. In fact, we will officially be considered government employees.

There, no more unemployment, plus we all have healthcare now.


It could be implemented tomorrow.

[northernlights]

8. yup. and howzabout this?

* Float low-interest loans to *everybody* who wants to install solar or wind or both. Pay the up front costs -- add a portion to income tax bill each year until it's paid back. Boost to solar and wind businesses, reduces use of oil/coal/fossil fuels, and once it's paid for the homeowner reaps the savings and the government coffers have reaped the principal + interest.

* Float direct low-interest loans to students in needed fields -- eg, physicians, nurses, technicians. Or, even better, pay for the schooling and living expenses outright for those who maintain 4.0s and agree to work in communities where needed for some number of years.

[Greyhound]

11. K&R.

[4_TN_TITANS]

12. WTF???

Use a proven strategy to put people to work and rebuild infrastructure? :sarcasm:

[blindpig]

14. The question is why hasn't this solution been considered.

Why?