As we think of jobs that could put Americans back to work, and be good jobs that will stimulate the economy, I can think of an important category:
Regulators.
Yes, the army of watchdogs that we just don't seem to have.
As we review the scandals that crop up with stunning frequently, we see the same deficit over and over: No one was watching.
Conscience is the little voice inside your head that says, "Someone may be watching."
Bernie Madoff: No one was watching as he collected money, paid out big dividends, but never actually made trades. How was he doing this? No one was watching.
Peanut Corporation of America: Their roof was leaking contaminated water onto food stock and processing machines. They were shipping product all over the country, making people sick, making people dead. And they went for five year (if memory serves) without an inspection! No one was watching.
Wall Street: The fancy-named "financial products" were being sold and re-sold and moved around nationally and internationally. What were these trades about? What were these "assets" actually worth? Where is all this money coming from, or it is just smoke and mirrors? No one was watching.
Extended care facilities: You hear about nursing homes in which old people are in bed and uncared for, causing bed sores. You hear about other episodes of abuse and neglect in various other institutions for the people who are least able to care for themselves. These actions/inactions continue for months at a time. No one was watching.
Dog breeders: Puppy mills run unsanitary operations, with too frequent litters for the health of the mother dogs. No one was watching.
We need to get together the political will to say:
"Enough is enough."
"Sunlight is the best disinfectant."
"Someone should have seen that going on and put a stop to it."
There are a ton of college-educated people out of work who could easily be trained to be regulators. Who could go around the country and bring these things into the light.
Who would watch.