Big Lies

Nazi Germany was built on the Big Lie that the Jews were the big problem holding down the Germans. If they could solve the Jewish problem, the Aryan race would rule forever.

Trumpism was built on the same sort of lie. America’s problem was Those People. The target shifted around slightly but at the center of the target, Trump listed the immigrants. Those was Trump’s big first lie.

I think a lot about these days since America’s work force is such as a problem. A ton of jobs go unfilled: where are all the people? There are a few theories and probably some truth in all of them.

1. Child care. Provide better child care, a lot of women will be back in the workforce.
2. Unemployment insurance. Many people claim that the nanny state with its funds for the unemployed, continues to mess up the work force disincentivizing people from working.
3. Shifts. Many people in restaurants and other lousy jobs have had some time to think about it and they have shifted to better jobs. To jobs with benefits. To jobs with a future. The crappy dead-end jobs that many had fallen into, they’ve now maneuvered beyond.
4. Immigrants. The US economy has always been built on a steady stream of immigrant workers, both skilled and unskilled. Trump, the heightened security around immigrants, and the pandemic have cut off the supply of immigrants and the US economy is now suffering.

Of course, the Rs prefer the number 3 and number diagnose and would choke to death before admitting 4 is part of the problem. Ds would prefer 1 and 4 to be mostly accurate.

The reality: I don’t really know. I’d love to see a good analysis of this. I think worker shortages are about to hit a number of big industries including the health and teaching professions. Tons of nurses and others are totally burned out and will probably be taking sabbaticals. And K12 teachers have moved to other industries and retired enmasse. Add broad teacher shortages to the list of K12 educational woes.