Jobs: Bring back the WPA, ...Just Do it!

OK.

Since today is President Obama's Jobs summit I thought I'd discuss what I believe needs to be done for our country.

(Executive Summary: I believe we need a new version of FDR's "WPA-Work projects Administration", that will be focused on training, service, and helping our country. I contend that this massive stimulus package can help re-focus our economy, and also make our nation less energy dependent.

There are several inter-related problems

1) Job Availability
2) Job Training and Retraining
3) Education
4) Green Economy / New "Manhattan" Project

1) I believe that the entire United States economy has been destroyed by its transformation from a supplier of GOODS, into a consumer based SALES economy. Availability of jobs, both traditional, blue collar, to high tech (technology) have fled from the United States overseas.

It is NOT an option to re-introduce trade barriers. It's too late for that. However, we can STILL overcome this, and make a great number of skilled trade jobs available. By undervaluing blue collar, and not encouraging manufacturing of any sort anymore, we have eliminated a huge number of potential jobs.

2) Job training and retraining:
Detroit. 'nuff said? I think so...
seriously, job losses and jobs exported ALSO is very high in the technical (computer) sector.
besides overseas call centers, web and computer programming, almost everything, including technical support, can and IS outsourced to other countries.

We need programs to help newly graduated, as well as unemployed, (and even) OLDER 50 and older workers learn new trades.

3) There are a great deal of studies about how our educational system has failed a great deal of inner city and urban students. For argument's sake, lets just say that 80% of the urban HS population graduates, but does not go to college.

What are the realistic job prospects for these newly graduated teenagers? The Service industry.
Not a lot of skilled labor there. If I wanted to become a plumber or electrician, becoming an apprentice is the only difficult way to achieve this.

What we need is the ability to have someone learn a skilled trade, that will allow this person to become a productive member of society, that will earn a living wage. I say living wage, because this is also a key problem in our current service economy.

4) Green Economy / New "Manhattan" Project
The opportunity to re-engineer our entire country, and create a national 'home' grid, as well as re-creating the national highway system are potential recipients of this labor.

What I am proposing is simple:
We will create a new job program (I call it the training corp), that will take workers, and depending on their talents and interests, help to train them, apprentice them, and then become skilled journeymen craftsmen in their chosen fields.

This program will take both volunteers, and eventually, all HS graduates (or over 17, which-ever comes later) for a three year, gradual program to teach these new skills.

Several aspects of the program will be familiar. The concept of military boot camp will be useful to teach new survival skills to those who may not have previously had the best learning environment.

The concepts of the "Military Academy" (West Point, Annapolis, etc) is also a key goal, as is the concept of the permanent career (just like in the military...)

Many of these "military concepts" can help to guide these programs. An example of a new service path would be for those interested in becoming engineers, or architects (for the large number of future projects).

The Manhattan Project (for Energy)
Here's a key infrastructure project that will make our country much more competitive:

It cannot be implemented using the current private US rail system, but would inter-act and exchange cargo with it.

But first:

When I recently took a trip down the NJ Turnpike (Route 95-South), on a Sunday night at about 11PM, I counted over 500 tractor trailers in one 1/2 hour period. Imagine what could be achieved if we had a new national rail system.

This new rail system would become a brand new expansion of the existing Eisenhower Interstate Highway system (Originally created to speed military operations if needed inside our country).

One of the critical factors would be to create 4 lanes (2 heavy and 2 light rail) railroad tracks, that would run down the highway, and allow trucks to offload (or even entirely load the entire truck itself) onto newly designed rail cars.

As another example, you might get onto the highway (again Route 95) after the George Washington Bridge. You (or your Car/Truck), or (eventually, just your cargo trailer) would get onto the train, and the train would carry you, your cargo, and your car or truck to your desired stop.

Cargo (as well as cars/buses/etc) would be tracked with High tech RF-ID tags, to help enable automated routing to your final destination.

A system this complicated will take almost as long to be built and implemented as the National Interstate highway system did in the 1950's, 60's and 70's. It isn't for the faint hearted.

But that's why I say it is PART of a "Manhattan Project" for energy independence.

The crews, the skilled labor, (yes, pouring concrete accurately and perfectly IS ALSO a skilled trade!!!) as well as the ability to put a great deal of our young people to work in jobs that will help our country become a new model for the world is something that is visionary.

No, we won't have to develop a bomb. But eliminating Trucking via diesel rigs will be a huge step to controlling pollution, reducing our oil usage, as well as making transportation a new industry that can help our country become more competitive again.

Additional steps besides research for R&D (and to develop new types of small power generators (think solar and wind) as well as plans for deploying them across the country will help our economy better then paying bankers, or Car manufacturers.

Part of this plan would be to commercialize and economize a solar panel, so that an average house could become energy neutral, if not a major energy generator.

Combined with new energy distribution networks (grids), as well as positive (or negative) metering and billing, we can pray that we can reduce our country's addiction to coal fired power plants.


XYZZY. Oh. You're already inside.

Is this just a dream? I hope not.

Please take the time to comment, critique, and make suggestions!

thanks again..

Proposal: Mandatory Conscription of 17 yr olds (Alternative Service Option)

OK. This will be controversial... and I mean MANDATORY SERVICE for ALL!
(Same beginning as previous (military) post...)

Every child who either graduates High School, or is 17 (whichever comes LATER) will be subject to a mandatory draft of (3-4) years.

Initially, I thought the service would ALL have been right after high school, but I have since tried to make this easier to implement.

Timeline
The initial draft will be phased in over five years, so that high schools, colleges, and all parents don't panic.
Programs will be put into place to help explain the options to the all. The five year phase in and educational programs will also start in-school, after-school, and weekend/vacation retreats.

Starting backwards, from 12th grade(in the first year), the educational programs will reach back as far as the 6th grade(initially--and earlier later on), and eventually will have weekend/vacation missions, to start building and reinforcing responsibility and abilities in the children. This educational effort will spotlight both the military as well as the service programs.

There are two actual programs, the traditional military, and a the new service program. Both will initially be three (four) year (mandatory conscription) programs, but BOTH can be lifetime positions, or careers, with growth, education, and rewards similar to careers in today's military.

The conscription will work differently, depending if the person is going to college (trade school) or not. If the person is not going to school, the conscription will be served all at once. If the recruit is going to trade school or college, the time will be divided over three summers, and a year following completion of their education.

The goals of the service programs are:

1. Service to the country, to assist in rebuilding the lives and neighborhoods of our country.
2. Specialized training in the student's specific field of study.
3. Building a cadre of capable trained response agents for future crises.
4. Ensuring recruits have proper skills to earn a living wage to support their family.

Additionally, the exposure to different areas of the country is designed to give recruits the experience of a different culture and part of the country. Accommodations for special needs students would be appropriately arranged. Just to confirm, it is a mandatory (co-ed) program for both men and women.

A ten year reserve service will also be implemented, similar to the Military reserves. Again, similar to the military, the civilian reserves will also have reservists performing their chosen career tasks. Similar to the military, the civilian reserves will be used for natural and other disasters.

In general there will be several different program tracts. All tracts will be staffed by recruits NOT from that area. The reason for this is to expose recruits to different areas in the country, as well as ensuring that recruits are not distracted in their work in their own neighborhoods. The major focus of these groups will be to ensure that recruits receive appropriate training in their chosen field. It is hoped to have a similar focus and resiliency as did FDR' s "WPA" (works projects administration), except we hope to use this as a base for teaching living skills and trades.

Training is designed to allow recruits a livable wage when they return to their community.

• There are three target tracts that teams will work in (urban,surburban, ex-, that cover several specific areas that teams will work on: These areas of work will include:
  

1. Training/Teaching local residents. This portion of program will also work with the "Pre-school for all" initiative, in that those interested in working with children will become involved in the care, training, and nurturing of the staff (and future staff) of the child care centers. Will also include training/teaching/mentoring in many other skills, from language, to teaching (chess, math, language), as an example.
2. Reconstruction/Construction/Sweat Equity. This portion of training will concentrate on teaching the appropriate skills of construction, such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, drywall, etc. Recruits will be tested, partnered with existing unions for mentorships to assist with training. Union membership will assist employment opportunities when recruits return home. Recruits will work with future home owners providing sweat equity, and quality housing for the neighborhood.
3. Urban Internships. Recruits will work with various local governmental agencies to assist in policy development, implementation, construction, and other aspects of city/town management and development.
4. Infrastructure repair/construction. Heavy Equipment used in construction. Infrastructure will be a key focus of job training, and service. We currently have thousands of miles of roads, bridges, and highways. By using the service corp to train and employ our under-served youth, we will both help repair our country, as well as build alternative transportation alternatives.
   (See also Proposal: Transportation-Rail network and below).
5. Teaching Aides/Teachers. Those with suitable experience, and interest will be encouraged to work with the local school system to assist in student education. Possible areas of expertise might include computers, drug/sex awareness, language, reading assistane, math mentoring, chess programs, etc.
   

The Railroad (Transportation project) (See also: http://sos-newdeal.blogspot.com/2008/02/proposal-transportationinfrastructure.html )

Transportation alternatives will include:
a) New Railroad construction. All existing interstate highways will have new rail systems retrofitted to provide (at least 2, preferablally 4 tracks) with exits at every existing entrance/exit. Initially, the freight service will take tractor trailers (with cabs) onto rail cars, to travel to their destination. If road is toll, or managed by (state/city) agency, that agency will co-ordinate with construction.
b) "final" Railroad (freight) plan:
While all these railroads are being designed and built, a new completed railroad network inter-connecting all these highways will be planned, designed, and constructed. This new network will be computerized, and similar to a computerized luggage delivery system at commercial airports. Modern technology, such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology will identify individual tractor trailers with the source, destination, date loaded, due date or expiration date (and other information).

Readers will search the trailer, and auto"magically" forward the trailer to its final destination.
At the final (closest) destination to the final recipient, a truck will remove it, and do the local delivery. Engineering concerns:
Speed, accuracy, re-educating population/truck drivers to new cheaper delivery methods.

c) Final Railroad (passenger) plan:
The second set of tracks is for use by commuters, to interconnect with new light rail systems that will be developed alongside and in major streets across the country.

Two types of service:

Alternative Mandatory Service

• High School graduates and those going to college or trade School:

Those graduates wishing to enroll in the Alternative Service Corp, will join a group based at their school, and will work as a team. Their service will partially be during the summer, and partially during the school year. Both the summer, and the full year programs will stress service in their respective fields.

Campus groups will be a main organizing principle, and would be approximately 48-50 people. (This logical group will fit on one BUS!). It is important to know that a basic tenet of this training program is that service will not initially be done in the local community. Please note the word initially... Later years will have ample local volunteer opportunities.

Initial non-military service will commence with a non-traditional 'basic training' mission, during the first summer. Each group of 50 will be combined with groups from several different schools giving a pool of approximately 200-250 people in each unit. This basic training will be an introduction to community service, which will be followed with a group assignment with the new recruits doing service as a larger team. The first fall back on campus will include an ROTC type group that will work to get the recruits training in their chosen fields, as well as a course credit.

As assignment lengths and experience increase, recruits will get other assignments, including leadership roles, similar to the military's ROTC program. Upon completion of their service and degree, students will be offered a leadership position similar to the type offered to ROTC members and ranks (payscales) appropriate to their new position in the training/service corps.

Those not wishing to continue in the service will be offered an additional training incentive of paid internship in their chosen field for one year if desired. After their three year commitment, a 10 year (minimum) reserve service will be required. This reserve status will become a method to help all citizens serve our society in times of need. It is important to note that reserve service WILL be tailored to the graduates chosen career field.

Those interested in either continuing for more specialized training, a career in the service, or simply show excellence, will be eligible to go to the USSA (US Service Academy), to be established as a academy, similar to West Point or Annapolis. Similar to the Military academies post service employment is also required.

All college costs, including books, tuition, and room/board will be paid for by the government, once the recruit has finished school, and served 3 summers, and one full year of service after graduation.

Alternative Mandatory Service

• * High School non- graduates (dropouts) and those NOT going to college or trade School:

Communities with less then 50 non-college/training bound students will be combined with other
communities to get correct numbers. Groups will not remain in the same community they come from.

These groups of 50 community members will be grouped with other (somewhat random) recruits to make larger units of 250 members. Groups will be co-ed, and basic training/indoctrination will include important basic social and group dynamic considerations. It is intended that the larger unit will have members from similar, but not identical backgrounds.

The Basic training programs will ensure that recruits have suitable scholastic skills, including reading/math skills. A basic training program, similar to but highly modified from military basic training will be followed for these conscripts. Needs of the community, as well as recruit's talents and employment desires will be taken into account for training.

These larger (250 person) units will be deployed across the country, in different missions, ranging from diaster relief, to teaching, and rebuilding the country's infrastructure.


Mandatory Military Service is discussed in a different post.

***See also post HERE: http://sos-newdeal.blogspot.com/2008/03/mandatory-draft-alternative-service.html

Proposal: Transportation

Dwight Eisenhower was right about the military-industrial complex. But he was wrong about the interstate highway system that he helped create.

With gas at three to four dollars per gallon, we cannot support the trucking industry and save gas.
Don't believe me? Travel in New Jersey on the NJ Turnpike at one o'clock in the morning and count the thousands of trucks going all over.

Radical proposal T-1 (Transport-1) : Rail-lines on all existing interstates.
New legislation would require (and pay for) Heavy/light rail lines (four tracks, two each) to be built along all major interstate highways. If road is EZ pass, it would be run by them, otherwise open to bidders.

FREIGHT Lines

1. A freight Rail line would operate the length of highway. The purpose is to offload trucks from the road, to fuel efficient railroad transportation
1. The Rail line would run the entire highway with stops (stations) every (every X) highway exits.
1. Trucks Entering at the George Washington Bridge (Northernmost NJ exit on turnpike) would pull into sections according to what exit they need.

• Example1: NJT exit 18 to exit 10 in New Brunswick would go to entrance ramp 8.
• If going to exit 16, the truck would go to ramp 2.
• A truck going to trenton would go to ramp 16.

The train would make all stops, discharge/remove trucks or RRcars (to make onloading - offloading) faster.

A final example is that this NJT route would be extended in small sections to all of 95 North (and South).
Making new freight routes along major highways so drivers and cargos would not need to ride highways and make freight cheaper.

Radical proposal T-2 (Transport-2) light-Rail
Light Rail (See also my discussion of Robert Moses, and how he destroyed NY)

One key feature of our transportation system is we have gone from being a rail or bus centric society to a car driven society. By starting to re-build our nations infrastructure with a new light rail system, we can begin to ensure that we can reduce these dependencies.

By ensuring that there are two freight and two light rail lines, we can (relatively) cheaply also rebuild local transportation, and reuse a great deal of our country's inherent assets.

These light rail systems will interconnect at all exits with other transportation and will eventually become the hub of a newly rebuilt infrastructure in our country.

As mentioned in my discussion of Robert Moses one of the critical points in his failure is that mass transit was neglected REJECTED by him as being an enabler of the poor.

YES we need to re-ENABLE the poor, and middle class of our society.
Light Rail across our nation's highways will make our country totally accessible. Perhaps Greyhound should run it too?


Radical proposal T-3 (Transport-3) New Roads-Newtracks
All new roads built would ahvea freight and a light-duty (passenger) line. Plans to extend freight/passenger service would be part of and implemented by the new "Works Projects Adminstration" (WPA) and service institutes.

Radical proposal T-4 (Transport-4) NewCommercialConstruction
All new industrial/freight centers will be built with access to RR tracks to re-encourage rail transportation.

Radical proposal T-5 (Transport-5)NewOffice
All new industrial /Freight/Office centers and ALL commercial construction over
(initally over 5 million dollars, and eventually down to 1.5 million) certain price point will require green energy, construction, ingress to Rail lines, and if possible energy regeneration technologies.

Multiple Residential units over three units will require green construction. A twenty year goal will be to have all new residential construction become green.

The Reconstruction Agency

I previously wrote (see the original post here)
Some of the reasons we need to start to rebuild our country.

I propose that we need to institute a FAR REACHING recovery program to REPAIR our society.

Several global programs are involved, and I feel that Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" legislation is a good way to start.

Items would include:

1. Nationwide Health Insurance for ALL (finally!)
2. six month till three year old day care for all
3. National LIVING wage
4. Mandatory three year conscription/service (military/alternative) after 3 year grace period.
5. National Truth and Reconstruction Commission for crimes committed by REPUBLICANS and Political Donors
6. Campaign FINANCE reform: $100.00 via internet period.
7. Nationwide "WPA" type reconstruction agency
8. "Service Academy" (West point type) for people wishing advanced degrees in
   
1. National MATH/Science training
2. Advanced/Accelerated Teaching program
3. Late life adult retraining institute

Essentially, my view is if you start with poverty, and work it backwards, it touches every single aspect of American life.

If we have a real living wage (we can no longer call it a minimum wage, because that's a farce!), then people will be able to support a family making this wage.

* I'd expect the base living wage to be around $15-18.00 an hour.
This also ties into the day care issue, as affordable day care (like they have in France) is a good start to getting our kids TRAINED to learn and LIKE learning.

* Next comes job training. Some will do the day care, in LOCAL, formal day care centers (which will have NO Television SETS at ALL!) Also will have formalized training programs, utilizing the service corp conscripts and trainees.

* After this is mandatory and full nationalized health care.
I'd like to propose a 15 year phase in of a single payer national mandatory plan, which will give the insurance companies time to transition.

** Alternative note, if we have a draft, and a 20 year reserve commitment, an alternative way to phase in full coverage is that all draft recruits receive full insurance, and it phases in as family benefit....

*Next is the Three year draft. UNPRIVATIZE the Cheney/Rumsfeld led "private military taxpayer fleecing act".
Army/Navy KP and laundry will be needed forever.

Three years because they WILL need to learn the high tech weapons too.
* The new military will have a mandatory reserve corp component for 20 years too. Once every year, just like the Israeli army.

There will need to be a 3-5 year phase in of the draft because the effect it will have on the universities and other associated industries.
* the conscientious objectors can go into the service corps, and serve the country instead.

* The new "Service Academy" (like West Point/Annapolis/Air Force/etc) will be used for training others

*and this leads to a good start to eliminate poverty, one of the reasons we have had this crisis in this country.


PS: updated update: On October 15th, Paul Krugman, the Op-Ed columnist for the NY Times was on Leonard Lopate on WNYC...Listen yourself HERE