It's Jobs, Green Technology, and Rebuilding the Infrastructure, stupid!

It's jobs again... OK. Leonard Lopate had a guest on the other day, (8-31-11) discussing the 19th century's construction of the US railroad system, and how the shadows of the corporate greed we see today were echoed 100 yrs ago. My solution is simple... A jobs program; a green energy program; a national rebuilding program; a jobs program; a new works program administration; a canal; (whoops-- no canal). Everything we need to fix the economy; fix the nations' infrastructure, fix our under employment program, and more in one easy plan.. link to the discussion HERE...

And also to Ira Flatow (Science Friday) on 9/2/11.. Same thing. regarding your guest talking about the interstate highway system.

A reminder:

HERE: is my "Top TEN" list of what we need to fix the country.

These 10 items taken together will ENTIRELY fix our country

1. A Massive Reconstruction (infrastructure) rebuilding project to repair the "Eisenhower Highway" system (and also make it TRANSIT and FREIGHT Friendly). See Green transit here.
2. A Massive Job Training Program to ensure full employment and the ability for workers to work for an honest dollar, and learn a trade that will keep them employed.
3. A new, "Living Wage", not to be confused with today's minimum wage (which may be renamed as an "introductory" or "entry level" wage.
4. A new federally paid system of day care starting at six months, to make our nation more competitive by enhancing education as well as making our society more competitive.
   
5. Ensure EVERY American has Health Insurance that is NOT tied to an employer. Phase in over X years (to over-ride opposition from the insurance lobby). Eventually becomes a 2-3 plan duopoly, overseen by the government.
6. Just like the "Manhattan Project" that built the Atomic bomb, we need a new, massive ENERGY project (as our New president) stated that will eliminate our country's dependence on OIL within 10 years.
7. Tax reform. Start Here: I call this the Millionaire's Minimum Tax. Make over 1 million in GROSS income last year (individuals OR corporations!) You pay a MINIMUM of 1%.
   
8. Mandatory Job Training/Conscription/Community Service (whatever we call it EVERYONE will do it, either in Military or NON-Military options!
9. Lobbying Reform. Need to eliminate pay to play.
10. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission to uncover fraud, lies, and dishonesty in our society.

 BY THE WAY....

I Just can't believe the ABSOLUTE intense similarities between the period AFTER the Great (First) Stock Market Crash of 1929, and TODAY.... INCLUDING Hoover's response to the depression.  Right out of the "TEA-Bagger's Party" (I refuse to call them the Tea-Party... That insults our American Patriots of 200 years ago!)
The circumstances included:

• One in four workers was jobless.
• One in five Americans survived on meager relief payments. 
• The stock market was down 75 percent from 1929.
• Exports were at their lowest level since 1904.
• In just four years, the suicide rate had tripled.

Hoover's reaction to the "Depression" (not called the great DEPRESSION then, of course, but MAYBE called "A RECESSION!)  FDR's presidential Library (see HERE) says

"As the nation suffered, its government seemed paralyzed. President Hoover had tried to combat the Depression, but he believed in limited government and relief through private charity. Though he eventually approved credit assistance for businesses and some public construction spending, Hoover was reluctant to fund massive public works projects, provide federal relief money to the unemployed, or increase government regulation of the economy. By 1933, he was reviled and exhausted.

 Let's do an "INSTANT replay" on that again!

President Hoover tried to combat the Depression, but he believed in limited government and relief through private charity.

Though he eventually approved credit assistance for businesses and some public construction spending, Hoover was reluctant to fund massive public works projects, provide federal relief money to the unemployed, or increase government regulation of the economy.

Gee.... Sounds like the REPUBLICAN Campaign Platform ALL over again.  Especially for those like MICHELLE Bachman and the OTHER TEA-Baggers out there.

And guess what will happen.

We may actually be STUPID enough to VOTE them in again, and have ANOTHER 4 years of MASS damage to our economy.

Top-Ten List (What I believe and Want)

Here's a list (shamelessly stolen from myself here inside this post) where I state what my
TEN programs for saving our country are:

Now, the stuff I came up with (all inter-related, and dependent on each other):

In reviewing the past, and looking where we are today, I surmise that today, we need the following:

1. A Massive Reconstruction (infrastructure) rebuilding project to repair the "Eisenhower Highway" system (and also make it TRANSIT and FREIGHT Friendly). See Green transit here.
2. A Massive Job Training Program to ensure full employment and the ability for workers to work for an honest dollar, and learn a trade that will keep them employed.
3. A new, "Living Wage", not to be confused with today's minimum wage (which may be renamed as an "introductory" or "entry level" wage.
4. A new federally paid system of day care starting at six months, to make our nation more competitive by enhancing education as well as making our society more competitive.
   
5. Ensure EVERY American has Health Insurance that is NOT tied to an employer. Phase in over X years (to over-ride opposition from the insurance lobby). Eventually becomes a 2-3 plan duopoly, overseen by the government.
6. Just like the "Manhattan Project" that built the Atomic bomb, we need a new, massive ENERGY project (as our New president) stated that will eliminate our country's dependence on OIL within 10 years.
7. Tax reform. Start Here: I call this the Millionaire's Minimum Tax. Make over 1 million in GROSS income last year (individuals OR corporations!) You pay a MINIMUM of 1%.
   
8. Mandatory Job Training/Conscription/Community Service (whatever we call it EVERYONE will do it, either in Military or NON-Military options!
9. Lobbying Reform. Need to eliminate pay to play.
10. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission to uncover fraud, lies, and dishonesty in our society.
    

This is most of it. Some things like education go across project lines.
Education starts at pre-school, and will continue through to high school, and an introduction to the new national training/conscription programs. These programs will be designed to help with job training in someone's chosen field.


Note: There are technically 12 proposals, but a 'top ten' list is more 'politically feasible', and some are inter-connected anyway.

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..

Formal Prediction: The Younger Generation

This is a difficult prediction.


We've (our society) managed to do something to our society that is very difficult to identify. It might be called a disease, or the 'dumbing down' of our younger generation. This trend is very disturbing, but is extremely noticeable.

In a lunch conversation today, (someone else) noted that young people today cannot even manage to make change without relying on a cash register. This is but a small example of the conversation I took part in today.

How to define it (the problem) is almost impossible. How can we change this?

It's a gamble. I admit it. But I think I may have an answer, even though I don't have the question.

I hypothesize that one of the problems is that we've lost the work ethic.

One of the proposals in my "second newdeal" program is to institute a program of service to our country (think the peace corps., but only inside the United States).

As a long term plan, I would propose that our nation institute a policy of three years of mandatory service after High School.

The concept of this service would be two-fold. First, to help our youth learn the joys of giving, and assisting others; Secondly, it would be structured so that the participants would learn many different skills that would help them in life.

I broke this policy of mandatory conscription into two parts, each with two sub parts.

Choice one: Choice of Military or Non-Military service.

Choice two: Post HS education (college/trade School) or no Post HS-Education.

These four options, together with the introductory program (which will start in 6th grade) will help our children get ready to start serving our country.

The non-military option is what I would call the basis of the country's new "training-corp", or what could be a successor to FDR's WPA. This training-corp is both a mandatory program (for new HS graduates), as well as for volunteers looking to learn a new skill or trade.

Reasons we need a new nationwide training-corp.

1. A large segment of our population is under-employed, or simply employed in the retail sector. Many of these people would greatly like to learn a skill that will give them a career, rather then a job.
2. The concept of service to our country can help to restore understanding of what our country represents to our next generation.
3. A training-corp has the ability to help in re-building our country.
4. Taking our HS graduates from their home city to another city for their training will help build survival and needed skills for living. It will also ensure that they are focused on their training, instead of possibly having negative interations with people from their home community.
   
5. Training our youth allows our nation to concentrate and train for the skills we will need to compete in the future. I believe that much of this training can be done in the old fashioned manner of apprenticeship to 'masters' in the field.
6. The service-corp is a paid training program. It is NOT forced (or unpaid) labor.
7. Chronic shortages in various professions, as well as in newly forming fields will need specialized training.
   

Training Examples:

1. HS graduates from the suburbs (say Westfield, NJ) who are not going to college or post-HS study, would travel in a group of 20-50 fellow students to a city (say Pittsburg), where they would be divided according to what professions they wish to study. At that point, they may be put together with a group to study, or practice as appropriate.
2. A group of students from a city (say Philadelphia,PA) might go to a ongoing construction project (say, expansion of a major highway to include a Heavy Rail transit line). Here they might learn skills such as operating heavy machinery, craft skills such as masonry or electrical work.
3. Students going to post-HS educational institutions will go for training periods during school breaks. Again, they will be going by groups, to appropriate (for their field) training opportunities. Someone wishing to work in accounting may work as a site accountant for a construction project. Someone in teaching may work in a community training project, and someone that wants to work in the computer field may first work to train senior citizens how to send and receive e-mail.
   

The Auto Industry: Rest in Peace

Here's an interesting Obituary. The US automobile industry is dead. Or must be declared dead.

Not that we want the jobs (between 1 and 5 million jobs, according to varying estimates) to go away. We WANT GM and Chrysler and Ford to remain major manufacturers in our country.

What we as a country want is to be RID of OIL as the controlling energy in our country.
How can we do this?

1) A (much bigger) national tax gas. (Will push gas guzzlers off the road!)
2) Offer financial incentives to those driving older cars when they are retired and destroyed.
3) Alternative Fuels: Hydrogen Powered cars are Dead. Corn based Ethanol is also dead. (We need the corn to feed to our cattle and put in our soda and all our foods!)
4) Infrastructure: Putting Mass transit, and Heavy rail (TRUCK) down the center of EVERY (Eisenhower) highway in the country. (See here).

5) Most importantly: We need to PROD/PUSH/PULL the Detroit automakers to give up the automobile, and become TRANSPORTATION companies.

5.a) The initial loans will be used to help Detroit re-tool, hire technical specialists, help retrain current workers into transportation experts.
5.b) Light Rail (Streetcar/passenger) and Heavy Rail (Trucks/trailers) and heavy freight systems will need to be built all over the country, and re-engineered all over.
5.c) as an example, using plans for the recently built Jamaica (NY) to JFK airport, that was built over the Van Wyck Expressway, (The highway that Robert Moses spoke of , saying "Over my dead body will there ever be mass transit on THAT highway!") These plans can be very helpful to build also Rail Lines on Long Island (by the Robert Moses built Northern and Southern State Parkways)

Most importantly by PUSHING the companies to move out of the auto industry, and to retool, we will be putting a great tool for changing energy usage, commuting, and our future country.

The companies can also be told that by creating all this infrastructure future growth for our country that they will be setting up a new generation of energy and commuter futures for the country.

Finally, by forcing the companies out of the auto industry, there will be significant training opportunities for new jobs, and retraining in this new green economy.

oh yeah, each of the companies will also need to keep ONE line of cars/trucks active.

A van, a pickup truck, an economy car, and a taxi-sedan sized car.
But not 30 cars in 8 different car lines.

Topic of Week: This week: Tax Reform: Tax the TOP!

This week's topic?: TAX reform: TAX THE TOP!


Very simple The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) did a survey here that discovered that 66 percent of the corporations (NOT SMALL companies, but ALL companies) in this country do NOT pay taxes.

RE-statement: 66% of the corporations in the United States DO NOT PAY ANY TAXES.

Simple Idea:
TAX the TOP!

I say: Eliminate the Current AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax).
Create a NEW, InDEXED alternative Millionaire tax!! (AMT)
(update: no. need to call it the MMT (multiple Millionaire Tax or MMT)

The New AMT (Alternative Millionaire Tax) is simple.

For every Million dollars in GROSS income, your MINIMUM tax due will increase.

Starting at five million dollars you will owe a MINIMUM of 5% of your gross income (or $250,000) in taxes.

at 10million dollars of GROSS Income you will owe a MINIMUM of 5% of your gross income (or $500,000) in taxes.

It should cap at 30% tax, because we don't want to be 'greedy'

Same for corporations.

No more tax exemptions for income transfer, or other games.
The Technical Adjustment TaX Alternative Corporate Tax (TAX-ACT)
will creat a MINIMUM corporate tax, dependent on corporate INCOME, sales, or some other indicator of business transacted in the past year.

IT's a straight ONE percent of sales. PERIOD.

If you had 1 million dollars in sales, your MINIMUM tax due is one thousand dollars

If you had 10 million dollars in sales, your MINIMUM tax due is Ten thousand dollars
(tax table 100M=100k 1,000M=1mil, 10,000m=10mil, 100,000mil=100million)

if you were Walmart and you had 100Billion dollars in sales, you'd pay: 100Million in taxes.


How's THAT for a FAIR minimum tax.

NO SHIRKING your responsibility..

It's the ALTERNATIVE minimum tax, adjusted for good!

This is the topic of the week!

NOTE that these dollars will be neededto help finance some of the new programs I propose, including ToTAL health care and day care, improved education and infrastructure construction.

Proposal: Mandatory Conscription of 17 yr olds (Military Option)

OK. This will be controversial... and I mean MANDATORY SERVICE for ALL!

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.

There will be a five year phase in, 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 program 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, 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 the service programs. 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, and will serve two purposes; One, to teach and reinforce skills associated with trades, and two to ensure that the student helps and learns how to contribute to the community.

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

Those graduates wishing to enroll in the military, will need to ensure their school has an ROTC program, as their time will partially be during the summer, and partially during the school year.
The initial military service will not commence with a traditional 'basic training', but with a "pre-intro" ROTC training on their college campus, during the summer. this will be followed with a training assignment with the new recruits doing local service. The first fall will include an ROTC introduction, that will work to get the recruits ready for basic training.

All college costs, including books, tuition, and room/board will be paid for by the military, once the recruit has finished sch0ol, and served 3 summers, and one full year of service after graduation.

Military options will be slightly different from the current army. Since one of the major goals of the mandatory military service policy is to undo the contractor/privatized army, short term assignments will initially focus on support roles currently outsourced to private corporations.

As assignment lengths and experience increase, recruits will get other assignments, including leadership roles, as enhanced through the ROTC. Upon completion of their service and degree, students will be offered the standard ROTC leadership position and ranks if they desire continued military (active) service.

Those not wishing to continue in the military 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.

One of the goals of this program (military) is to train citizens to assist in society. Another is to ensure the service time spent does not turn them off to military service.

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

Standard current Military procedures will be followed for these conscripts. Initial assignments will also be oriented to supporting the current mission of helping to support troops by performing tasks currently outsourced to private corporations. After a short term assignment of support services, traditional training and jobs will be made available to the recruits. After the three (four) year conscription period is up, recruits will be encouraged to remain on active duty. If they choose to return to civilian life, they will also be required to have a ten year reserve commitment.


Mandatory NON-Military (Service) alternatives will be discussed in a different post.

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

Mandatory Draft SERVICE : Pro and Con (Topic of week)

Mandatory Draft:
Pros:

1. Desperately needed to undo the Cheney/Rumsfield Private Army (estimated this past week to have cost the US of A. over 100Billion Dollars PER YEAR, since the START of the IRAQ WAR!
2. Manpower will be needed to replace the 180,000 contractors (not counted in our troop-count) in IRAQ.
3. Forcing a new mandatory service conscription will be good for our current generation of TV/Video-game Addicted youth. It will teach them valuable skills needed for success in "REAL LIFE"
4. Mandatory Service will become the 'norm', as opposed to something rarely done. The "What can YOU do for YOUR country", spirit will be continued.
5. The Mandatory draft as structured, will allow for non-combat recruits to take part in the "US Service Corps", (similar to Peace Corps, but ALL inside of USA.
6. Mandatory Service Corps Participants (as well as military participants) will be encouraged to sign up to learn detailed life skills. Both military and Service Corps will have life-long career paths for lifetime employment.
   
7. Social training. A great number of social failures (interpersonal, failed communications, etc) occur during the late teen years. This program will also allow for 'gentle' training of the new recruits.
8. Three or four year term of service will allow detailed training (in Job Corp.)
9. Training for those attending Higher Education will be by school, area, and will occur during summer and other breaks.
10. Training for those not attending Higher Educational (or other schools/training programs), will consist of continuous service.
    
11. First six months of service will be 'support' type services, (Kitchen/Laundry), and will occur just after 'basic training' is completed.
12. Conscripts opting to go for advanced training (similar to West Point/Annapolis, same kind of term commitments) will go to leadership school, and train in engineering, science, math, etc fields.
13. Preparation for Mandatory Draft will allow those currently 15 or older optional opt-out. Those below 15 will have 2-10 years to be trained and readied for new requirements.
14. Initially High School Freshman (about age 14) will begin first training sessions, starting with one day visits/discussions about volunteer work, and off-site visits to military bases. If a Jr. ROTC program exists in the school, this will be the first and key method to start discussion programs.
1. Current HS Freshman/Sophomores will be presumed to have this program apply to them, so most details and planning will start here initially. Starting with basic overviews of existing volunteer work (Habitat for Humanity, etc) will introduce topics. Initial training implementation (for first 2-3 years) will not specifically target military, but will emphasize the volunteer/paid/training status of this service.
15. Training and introductory sessions will move down from High School to Middle School, and eventually a basic introductory lower school volunteer program will exist.
1. As program progresses, HS will focus on military options, careers, service, conscription vs. career options (for both service and Military options), while lower grades will introduce/start fostering volunteerism, concepts, as well as careers, and training options.

Cons:

1. Mandatory Draft goes against EVERYTHING the current generation attempted to achieve in Vietnam era.
2. Mandatory Draft will create Havoc with Higher Educational institutions.
3. Mandatory Draft will create antagonism within current generation.
4. A new mandatory draft to undo the Cheney/Rumsfield Private contractor army is too expensive.

your ideas?
comments?

The Mandatory Draft: Alternative Service Option

A new Mandatory draft will be established, graduating HS Seniors or those 17 (whichever comes later) will start to be required to provide service to our country. Service can be either traditional military service, or a new alternative US service, similar to the current peace corps.

The Mandatory Draft will serve several major purposes:
1) The first step will serve to start to undo the privatized army, and to use the first year recruits for KP and support functions, to help remove the current army of contractors.

2) This will also help to train our youth that service is a noble cause, and should be a normal part of our society.

3) This mandatory service component will help our society by taking a segment of society that is under-employed and prone to crime and under achievement, and give them firm and salable skills that will be usable when they have completed the program.

The program will work in different ways, depending on if the person is going to go to College (or trade/vocational school), or is just starting to look for work.

For graduates (or those who have dropped out of High School), this mandatory service will occur before trade or vocational school, and will be job oriented.


Trainees will be taken out of their home environment (neighborhood), in order to be exposed to different cultures, ways of life, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Potential Example
A group of 30 graduates from a particular school may be mixed with 3 other groups from different areas, and transported to an inner city neighborhood.

These 120 trainees will be divided into different teams, and given what I will still call "basic training". This basic training will include overviews of different projects, parts of the community, as well as different jobs that are needed to be performed.

Trainees will be given overviews of each job, as well as a several hour "trial" of each of the jobs that are available. These trials are designed to help people get the best possible job experience and match for their desires and skills.

Our example group may include those interested in teaching, learning skilled trades, as well as those undecided about their future. Skills that will be emphasized in inner cities will include training and education in:

• Child care
• Early childhood development and education
• Family Training/Facilitator training
• Skilled Trades; hands on and classroom training in:
  
• Plumbing/Heating (HVAC)
• Electrical Work
• Sheet Rock
• Basic Construction and Repairs
• Computer Basics;
• 
  
• 
  

• For those attending college, their service will be provided during school summer breaks. This service repayment will also be a partial

The Mandatory Draft: Alternative Service Option

We've all been had..

Our president has sold his country into a state of war for the next century. We must overcome this. One of the only ways we will be able to do this is by instituting a national mandatory draft for all citizens turning seventeen, or graduating High School (whichever is later.)

Why are we in trouble? Because the exact same administration that lied to us about invading Iraq because of weapons of mass destruction, has also saddled us with a huge debt because of the privatized army that we are using.

We no longer have the same structure we've had in previous wars. There are no cooks and KP details in the all volunteer army. They were all privatized, by Haliburton, and KBR. We need to take the contractors out of Iraq, and put our citizens, and children in.

The new mandatory draft will be three (four) years, for all children older then seventeen or High School Graduates (whichever comes later). The draft will have two forms, a traditional military service, or an alternative service-to-America component.

This new alternative service option will be very similar to the military in structure, and basic organizational setup, such as a basic training period to acclimate the new students into their roles as assistants to helping rebuild America.

A basic training period for the new service recruits will cover such basic social items as:
* living away from home
* living with mixed sexes (and why animals never go to the bathroom where they eat!)
* living in the city/suburbs
* how to work with targeted local populations
* appropriate equipment training.

Signing up for longer service, will get advanced career training. Just like West Point, a new training academy (America's Academy perhaps?) will be established for engineering, math, civil engineering, and other needed fields.

There will be two primary tracts for new recruits, either inner city or suburb. Recruits from the suburbs will go to inner city for training and teaching. Their duties may encompass teaching (computers/music/daycare training/whatever) in the inner cities. In order to accomplish these goals, they may also need to learn (and practice) management, project management, computers, general and specific teaching skills, as well as interpersonal management skills.

The goals of these inner city teams will be to empower and help these youth in their educational experiences, help build the community's infrastructure, and jump-start the community's future.

Recruits from Cities, will go to a rebuilding and -infrastructure program. Here they may learn skills as diverse as:
construction skills such as: plumbing, carpentry, masonry, project management
how to operate heavy machinery (bulldozer, backhoe, tractor, repaving machines)
traffic and police management techniques
civil engineering.
Again, the program is designed to help educate our youth, so that instead of just having a life of bagging groceries, or working in service industries, we can train them in many of the traditional jobs that we currently have unfilled.

Another goal of the service in America project is to jump-start our work-force, so that we can begin to rebuild the infrastructure of our country that has become rotten, and soft at the core.

The graduates and recruits of the service academies will be encouraged to remain employed and trained by the Service project. Recruits remaining for the full service will receive two years of fully paid college (an associates program). Re-enlisting in the service corp will earn further educational and training benefits, as well as be counted to the twenty year service career path.

Both inner city, and suburb graduates of the programs will be eligible for advanced training, and entry into the national service academy. The service academy will train our future engineers, mathematicians, civil engineers, as well as many other professions for rebuilding our society.

The Mandatory Draft: The Military Option.

It's disgusting. It's dirty. It's foul, but extremely necessary. We, the collective country, have been, pardon the expression, “screwed”. It's a given, since unfortunately, the Bush administration will be know as the originators of the hundred years Jihad, which started as the Invasion of Iraq.

Almost four years after brazenly lying to the American public (on an aircraft carrier, in front of a banner saying mission accomplished), we are STILL at war, and we WILL be at war for at least the next one hundred years (according to one of the candidates running for president in 2008.)

Why are we in trouble? Because the exact same administration that lied to us about having completed the war in Iraq has also saddled us with a huge debt because of the privatized army that we are using.

We no longer have the same structure we've had in previous wars. There are no cooks and KP details in the all volunteer army. They were all privatized, by Haliburton, and KBR. We need to take the contractors out of Iraq, and put our citizens, and children in.

The new mandatory draft will be three (four) years, for all children older then seventeen or High School Graduates (whichever comes later). The draft will have two forms, a traditional military service, or an alternative service-to-America component.

One reason that the time frame is three (four) years instead of the old two year draft is because of the needs of higher training for today's intelligent weapons. Instead of simply a way to pass time, the military service option will also offer much training, and possibility of enhanced service for those to spend more significant periods of time (such as a career in the military) in service to our country.

Such a radical new change to our society will require careful planning and insight. It cannot be rushed into existence. It must be phased in over a number of years, with careful training, and dissemination to the masses. A few examples of how this can be managed is that the law will phase in over five years. That is, anyone in eighth grade when law is signed will be required to serve in either the military or the alternative service program, whereas those in High School, can volunteer into the program, and receive the same benefits, but will not be required to serve.

This phase in will also be required to assist Colleges and Universities in managing the different enrollments that they will be receiving from the newly released veterans. Part of this plan will include full tuition for two year associate degrees (paid directly to the schools) for all who serve the full required draft time. Additional years, and degrees will be paid for as the amount of service time goes up.

Another change from today is that future recruits will commence adjusting to the army, while still in school. Existing programs such as "Jr. ROTC" will be used to start to acclimate students (initially starting in the ninth grade, and eventually going down to middle school). Such experiences as a weekend introduction to the local military camp, as well as longer summer experiences will help acclimate students to the military.

Those not choosing the military (the choice will be given to our children, during the last few years of High School) will also benefit from the acclimation they received over the years, as the Service corp will also have the same format (away from home city), as the military does.
New recruits to the military will get preferred and enhanced training (as well as further payment for education), for extensions of their stay in the military. Obviously, we will also be attempting to entice our new trainees to choose a traditional twenty year military career, so we can better plan our future fighting forces.

Additionally, the Military Academies (West Point, Annapolis, etc) will have new selection processes, asking for volunteers and recommendations from the current troops, as well as based on field recommendations.

Besides advanced training, recruits choosing enhanced jobs will serve less "traditional" support tasks, but will still be cross trained. Those doing the basic three (four) year service will be trained in light arms, standard basic training, as well as the traditional Kitchen, Laundry, and transport support roles.

See also additional info in the mandatory-alternate-service doc.

Proposal: Transportation/iNFRASTRUCTURE

A total rebuilding and re-dedication of our workers using a Work projects administration type group will be required to re-do the roads in our country.

Dwight Eisenhower did a great job, but we will revisit the national highway system and do fresh investment incorporating freight (train) transportation, as well as commuter or light rail lines

All existing highways will be retrofitted by the new infrastructure corps, to have a freight rail line and a commuter or light rail line.

The freight line will be capable of loading trucks at the beginning of the highway, and delivering them without any diesel gas used to the end of the highway (or anywhere in between)

Commuter lines will interconnect and interchange.

The jobs and positions for these construction jobs will be from training/draft, as well from infrastucture agency, and will also serve as on the job training/job training for unemployed (at living wages!)

Proposal: Day Care at 6months

OK. Mandatory (opt-out with testing for "stubborn moms" is ok) paid child care starting at six months old (federally paid)

Will allow middle class to work and not have to worry about child care.
will allow previously unemployable class to start to have a valid career.
Will allow the "head-start" concepts that DO work to work its magic with our next generation.

Goals:
No TV's in child-care centers, (no babysitting!)
Kids and PARENTS will learn (parent training=mandatory!)
Kids will be ready for pre-school, knowing how to read...
community support necessary for later schooling to be built
Job training opportunities for many of the mandatory service folks.


Additional:
six months maternal/paternal day care (combined however) paid by government...
allow parents to bond.

Reasoning:

We've lost a whole group of our youth. The educational system has failed them.
We need to value this upcoming generation, and it is ESSENTIAL.

Since we've discovered that the Head-Start program really works, we can now start implementing the concepts at an early age.

Associated with this federally funded day-care program is another main part of the program...
Job training. (and "hand-out" reductions).
As well as the living wage.
-------
By re-training the people who may currently be unemployed or on welfare, we will be teaching them a valuable skill, that will allow them to become proud members of society.

Some important considerations are:
*low child-caregiver ration (4 infants for one caregiver, X for toddlers, etc.)
* limited (if any TV)
* NO "baby-TV" or toddler TV.
* The ability to work with the parents in teaching THEM modern, appropriate parenting skills.
* early reading/math training, getting the kids ready to read/be read to...
* Early intervention, working with experts to help solve any early learning disabilities.
* How to successfully socialize, and make sure the kids understand good/bad.


Now not ALL of these things will (obviously) start at 6 months.
of course reading books to them WILL start early...
but the family education WILL become a part of the routine for parents.

* It would be a good goal for new parents to have 15 minute sessions with the care givers to go over new concepts too..

Essentially we need to retrain the parents, as well as train the kids...
It can be done...

Initially, training for the caregivers will come from the alternative service sector, from people qualified to train the caregivers.

Proposal: Draft and Reclaiming the Army from the Corporations

A new minimum three year draft of military or NON-MILITARY service will be instituted to all HS Graduates/over 18 (whichever comes last).

No hardship or exemptions at all.

Either the person will go into the existing US armed forces or the new USA service Corps.

Rationale:
We will (despite what the politicians claim) have at least 50-100 thousand troops in IRAQ for the next fifty years thanks to the current President.

The current Vice President, and former Defense Secretary are responsible for the "downsizing" and privatization of the army because of actions they both undertook in the 1990's.

This private contractor army (laundry/food/transportation/etc) MUST be stopped, and all services restored to the original raw recruit.... As such, kitchen patrol, etc will become one of the new hallmarks of service in the military.

The three year period is a compromise to help the army get some usage of their training from the recruits, besides their alternative role of support people.

Proposal: Military:
When drafted, three year (full-time) service with a commitment for 10 years (minimum) of reserve service. Guaranteed benefits, and job upgrades if you commit to longer periods of time. Career options (as today) are still encouraged.

Draftees who choose for the three year period will function primary as support personnel (drivers/food/laundry/etc) with some advanced training for self defense/etc.

Reserves will be similar to current national guard (or Israel Army reserve). 2 weeks a year active, and one weekend a month. Pay will similar to the full time service granted. Eventually the 10 years will become 20 years, after the first generation, so that as the kids grow up, they will be used to the reserve forces.

Proposal: Service Corps:
A new US only service corp will be also established at this time as an alternative to military service. It will be a foundation for the new version of the WPA/training corps.
basic training
* living away from home
* living with mixed sexes
* living in the city/suburbs

duties as example: teaching (computers/music/daycare training/whatever) in inner cities.
Inner city youth go to suburbs/building -infrastructure program
Suburb kids go to inner city for training.

Signing up for more time gets advanced career training. Just like West Point, a training academy will be established for engineering, math, and other needed fields.

And, various career paths will also exist.

Both Military and Service corps will serve as a method to help train our future youth in NECESSARY (non retail...) jobs, such as construction, teaching, and other fields.