For those that don't know, I'm a news and political junkie. I follow multiple news sources every night. I heard the SCOTUS ruling today, and was somewhat relieved. I have a 22 year old son who is autistic, and is still covered on my insurance as a result of the ACA. He will never be self sufficient, and and until recently, I have fought every employer to retain him on my healthcare. This last year, there was not a question. For that, I'm happy.
As for this "depression" we are going through? I've not seen it happen for those that are capable. I moved to western NY because the opportunities in New England were getting scarce. I've been here 6 years.
I made a choice in early May to move to a State with a 19% unemployment rate. That seems pretty foolish to anyone with critical thinking skills. The results are below the fold.
My wife and I decided to move to Florida. I needed a job before we could leave. I notified my workplace, and my network of contacts. My plant manager made calls, and got things rolling. Three weeks later I got a call, and 4 weeks later I had a job. (I was in no way prepared for it to happen that quickly).
Here are my observations from this experience:
In Florida, as in New York, the pool of talented Millrats is almost non-existent now. I know this from trying to hire qualified mechanics for the job I needed done.
We convinced kids during the 80's that working with your hands was passe'. Computers were the future means of life.
We closed down Industrial Arts instruction courses during that time, so kids couldn't even have the experience of making things with their own hands, (Shame on us adults).
My conclusions are these:
If you are a person who has grand visions of "making things", but have no idea how machines you need to do so work, you need a Millrat.
If you cannot find that Millrat here, you will obviously look elsewhere to make your product. We as a society created a deficit of Millrats.
This is all pure Economics 101.
From everything I have seen in the last 20 years, I am of the last generation of Millrats that is speaking out. I started my career in Maintenance in 1979. Now I have kids I pull off the production floor.
During WWII, Europeans were amazed at the abilities of soldiers to fix things. Now we just throw things away, and buy the newest upgrade.
We need to change that, and I believe that would be a sea change for the country as a whole.
Thanks for reading my rant,
Millrat