Absolutely. I’ve said this very thing many times before. The problem is that we have to figure out how to allocate resources in a world where there is falling demand for First World workers who (used to) make a good living. Some of that is due to technology, and some of that is due to the off-shoring of good jobs/importing cheap labor.
Do we relegate all of those former First-World workers to the welfare rolls? Do we expect them to take menial jobs in service of the wealthy few…eating crumbs and living in crowded mud huts, while the rich get richer? How do you see that ending?
What sort of solutions do you see as an answer to the problem?[/quote]
Years ago, I might have said more education for former workers who perhaps worked in the US auto industry is the solution. But I don’t believe that anymore. LOTS of people today (ESP young people) have bachelor degrees (even in practical fields) and are still flipping burgers and working as baristas, etc, all the while deferring their (often exorbitant) student loans.
I think we need all kinds of workers everywhere, but sadly, many locales don’t have “affordable housing” available where its rents would be in line with the wages this group is actually making. Hence, in SD County, many of these adult workers must live in parents’ homes indefinitely, live 4 to a 2 bdrm apt, 6-8 to a small rental house or live in TJ.
