I DO understand that we are a shit load of load of people that are out of work. That’s a REAL problem. But people are worried about getting their hair cut? People need a tattoo?
How about this…Just spitballin here.
Since roads are about half full, instead of just sending people that are out of work to pay this months rent. Let’s get to work.
Different work.
Let’s start a new TVA type project to work on the country’s infrastructure.
Of course it would take an incredible about of engineering. Many of whom can work at home. And are already set up to do so.
Equipment operators, a skilled but trainable job. Many can be trained for that.
Lot’s of additional heavy equipment would need to be produced, but we already know how to do that. More workers and jobs.
Food trucks and such as well.
Let’s turn this into an opportunity.
Sounds great. In fact, I’m all for a full blown New Deal V2.0 to prime the pump.
I imagine the current political apparatus would argue otherwise though.
would you be comfortable driving over a bridge designed and built by a crew that 8 months ago was the staff at Ma’s Diner?
You mean like the Hoover Dam?
I’n not opposed to a major spending on infrastructure. I’d rather spend money on something that has lasting value to society than say just give people rebates on new cars. But I’d like it done the conventional way, with construction firms bidding on contracts. It doesn’t add value to pay 100 people to dig with hand shovels as opposed to 1 with an excavator as was done in the New Deal. Money will still trickle down that way but if necessary it’s more intellectually honest just to cut unemployment checks to the 99.
One sort of make work project I could see doing is if we could train people to use quality materials, say use real stone instead of that stamped concrete that never quite looks like stone for retaining walls. I’m not concerned about the quality of the product. It doesn’t take an engineer to haul rocks around but they used real engineers where it counted. The WPA overpasses on Lilac Way in the Twin Cities lasted until a couple of years ago when they were removed not because they were in imminent danger of collapse, but to widen the highway. Meanwhile we had a bridge built by all professionals in the 1960s fall into the river.
I believe that at least 20% that will be losing their jobs have enough skill, health or just common sense to be quickly taught or repurposed if you will into massive construction projects. I had to have a lot of knowledge and skill to design the addition to my house and submit it to the county for permits. It took about 10 minutes to figure out the track hoe.
I’m not dissing heavy equipment operators. There is real skill there, and is a very tough job. It also requires a lot of support from truck drivers and mechanics. But there ya go.
It will never happen as long as Candy Crush and Forge of Empires exists.
what motivation will someone have to do physically hard labor and requires a modicum of training who is on unemployment and getting other covid payouts and presumes they will return to work in the next 12 months?
I expect people would prefer to just stay at home, watch netflix, collect their unemployment rather than go out and do physically demanding work…or even non-demanding work where they have to clock in and sit behind a desk all day.