The failure of political imagination: The Trump "jobs" campaign
A headline on my Facebook feed says:
White House campaign advice to jobless: "Find something new"
This is kind of like when you ask a relative or friend who has no idea about how you are going to find a job, and they tell you: "there must be some sort of job out there for you." And this is the basis for an AD CAMPAIGN, with unemployment worse than in the Great Recession. Here's what CBS News says:
The opening ad in the "Find Something New" campaign beginning Tuesday features ordinary people sharing their stories. A companion website provides links to training and other resources.
The ad campaign has a number of corporate sponsors, and offers personal stories from ordinary workers:
The initial 30-second spot features ordinary people talking about their experiences with career challenges and transitions. Among them are a fitness instructor who completed an apprenticeship program and became a welder after her gym went under, and a man who lost his job twice in one year, took online certification courses and now works as a tech consultant.
"I got laid off twice, but you got to keep going," the man says, adding later on in the ad: "I'm now a consultant in the tech space."
Another woman says she had no career plan after finishing high school, but "I found a medical course online" and became a phlebotomist. "You will find something," she says.
You've got to keep going. You will find something. Who are the creative geniuses who think of this sort of thing?
And here's Ivanka Trump, offering everyone some unsolicited thoughts:
"There has never been a more critical time for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to be aware of the multiple pathways to career success and gain the vocational training and skills they need to fill jobs in a changing economy," said Ivanka Trump, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
Could any statement about the jobs situation contain less information? And, as for the Trump administration, don't they need anyone to do anything? Don't they want anyone to do anything?
The imaginative reserves are running super-low in the White House these days.
Comments
The people who came up with this ad
Have probably never earned an honest dollar in their lives. It is in the same category as telling hungry mobs to "eat cake" in my mind. i don't know where they found those ordinary people, but certainly their stories happened some time ago, not in the last year.
what this ad campaign is
This ad campaign is another form of victim blaming. Congress along with the Trump administration's blessing decided to bail out everyone but the little guys. Instead they insulted real people with a measly one time $1,200 check and told those who were unemployed as a result of the government's own actions, to go file unemployment. If Florida is any example, the backlog is so great and the system simply could not handle the volume. That means that large numbers of people are still trying to get through the system while subsisting on nothing.
What happened in the United States is nothing short of criminal. Other developed countries worked very hard to keep their citizens whole, notably Germany and Denmark. But the United States could not even give its citizens health care and only a one time $1,200 check which would not pay the rent or mortgage for most people.
We had 50 million people file for unemployment in the United States. Experts estimate that about 40% of those jobs will be permanently lost. That means 20 million people are going to compete for a few crumbs left while the oligarchs waltz away with $trillions.
And now this ad campaign is just another kick in the teeth to those who have no job, no income, no future except maybe homelessness. Wow!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
On our Atlanta ABC affiliate they interviewed (remotely)
an “expert” from Georgia Tech who said that people are just making too much money staying home to be lured back to work. He indicated that employers were complaining that their employees didn’t want to return to work because they were making too much money. What went unsaid was how those employees were going to pay their medical bills should they contract Covid19 on the job should they risk returning to work.
The subtext is clear. People need to be made miserable enough to return to work that they have no regard for their own safety. And we know businesses don’t want to be on the hook either to provide a truly safe work environment or for their employees health or life should they fall ill.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
You might enjoy this article
Richard Wolfe has been on Rising a few times talking about how badly we are going to be screwed. He lays out pretty much what we have been saying about how congress bailed out their donors or masters while leaving us high and dry.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/17/why-government-mostly-helps-peop...
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Good article
Richard Wolfe is always good about calling out the system rather than just the players within it. And he is right.
I am highlighting this one aspect of his article because it is something we have not talked much about here but it will be part of the new normal in which even those who have jobs will be further impoverished. (My emphasis added in the quote below)
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
"Get off your lazy asses and get a job"!
Trumpese translated.
Missing from this entire conversation is the fact that many are still in lockdown and cannot go anywhere.
When will the American people realize they have been completely abandoned?
This is the culling of America.
The Social Security Trust Fund will be in fine shape, after everybody over 60 will be dead from Covid19.
Medicare will suddenly be un-needed.
The revenue that paid for these benefits will become available to fund a massive increase in our military boots on the ground, first in Venezula, then Iran, and on to Russia and China.
Win-Win-Win-Win for America.
With unemployment becoming widespread, and under employment as such, and most of us in lockdown already, now would be a good time for a complete nationwide general strike to bring everything to a halt.
And not relent until a complete regime change here and the jailing of the 1%.
IMHO
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
^^^This!!!^^^
I have been asking myself the same thing. When will the American people wake up to just how badly our elected officials have treated all of us? Or are we just way too brainwashed?
And this is perfect. It cannot be emphasized enough.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
The Coronavization of the US
short version; we had to infect the nation to cure it.
O's Administration initiated push for apprenticeships
and people going to vocational/technical schools (instead of college).
Remember, it was GWB who first heavily suggested that "4-year college was not for everyone." He pushed 2-year community colleges as an alternative.
'O' did him one better--told people to just settle for apprenticeships and/or technical or vocational schools.
At one time, policy was considered that would allow high school boards to decide 'which' students should take the apprenticeship route.
(supposedly, HS guidance counselors would have a say in all this)
I tried to sound the alarm at DKos. Crickets, of course!
Then, there was O's/Dems toxic solution to shortage of healthcare workers in nursing homes--unless TANF recipients are willing to take one of these backbreaking jobs (if available to them)--they could no longer qualify for TANF. After all, CNA certificates can be had in anywhere from one week, to several weeks. Dirt cheap.
(and, many skilled nursing facilities will conduct CNA classes/courses *free of charge* in exchange for making a commitment to filling a CNA job or position)
BTW, Al Sharpton congratulated 'O' and Dems for hatching up this policy proposal (on his MSDNC program).
Dunno, but, maybe Mimi does - according to the 'O' Administration, apprenticeship programs proliferate in Germany. Personally, haven't a clue if this is factual. However, I strongly disagree with any form of 'forced' schooling, or career path.
Having said all that, agree that the idea is even more unpalatable coming from a billionaire family, even if it does have bipartisan support/funding.
Mollie
"The leaders of this new movement are replacing traditional liberal beliefs about tolerance, free inquiry, and even racial harmony with ideas so toxic and unattractive that they eschew debate, moving straight to shaming, threats, and intimidation."
~~Matt Taibbi, The American Press Is Destroying Itself, June 12, 2020
"I know, I know. All passion; no street smarts."
~~Captain West, 1992 Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin Movie, A Few Good Men
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went.”
~~Will Rogers, Actor & Social Commentator (1856-1950)
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Not so much different from the message
US workers have been hearing for a few decades as downsizing and offshoring slowly increased unemployment. "Retrain" for something. Learn new skills and incur student debt in the process. Debt for many that never led to that new job. Their kids than absorbed the message that they better get a four year college degree if they hoped to get a job and believed that the degree would open well paying jobs to them and that their student debt would be manageable and worth it.
Hi, Marie--good to see you. You're right. Only
thing I'd add is that (starting with GWB) there's been an effort to discourage so many people pursuing a 4-year degree. Of course, the PtB (starting with WJC) have never been willing to assume responsibility for the economic upheaval, which has resulted in mostly a 'service economy.'
One reason that I figure that the Bipartisan PtB will never back 'free' college, is that our own Department Of Labor has indicated--for years, now--that approximately 2/3's of jobs being created don't require beyond a 1-2 year tech/vocational school diploma (or, Associate Degree).
So, what the last 4 Presidents have been pushing--Community College and VoTech--is actually based upon economic realities (to some extent).
I've never figured out 'why' progressives appear to be so reluctant to call out neoliberals on this fact. (unless it's because WJC actually pushed NAFTA through Congress, or, got it ratified) Go figure.
Mollie
"The leaders of this new movement are replacing traditional liberal beliefs about tolerance, free inquiry, and even racial harmony with ideas so toxic and unattractive that they eschew debate, moving straight to shaming, threats, and intimidation."
~~Matt Taibbi, The American Press Is Destroying Itself, June 12, 2020
"I know, I know. All passion; no street smarts."
~~Captain West, 1992 Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin Movie, A Few Good Men
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went.”
~~Will Rogers, Actor & Social Commentator (1856-1950)
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
‘Twasnt just Clinton
Good ole Biden helped push it through. But just like when centrists refused to accept Hillary’s history they are now rewriting Biden’s and even though he wasn’t their 1st-7th choice for president he’s exactly who we need to reset the country after Trump. Gee I remember that is what I thought during Bush’s tenure when Obama came along.
Hey Molly are you around this weekend? If so can you help me with something? Please message me if you are.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Done, SD. EOM
Mollie
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Mixed messages and reality deflections
The above may have been USG official policy, but that's not what was heard by the public at large. They'd read MSM lists of the new, well-paying jobs growth industries, and those required bachelors and masters degrees. Meanwhile, public funding for K-12, community colleges, and four year public colleges and universities was cut over the decades and the actual amount of education at each level was reduced. Add to that the reduction in corporate OJT. Thus, a tenth grade education in 1940 was equivalent to a high school diploma by 1960. High school in 1960 that included two years of vocational training (subsequently eliminated or reduced) was equivalent to HS plus a vocational AA by 1975. This allowed the "high cost/low quality" proprietary secondary schools to proliferate -- aided by generous USG grants and loans.
A personal observation from 1980 in a white collar, very small industry, so specialized that there was no academic substitute for OJT. Half of those in the professional/managerial ranks (all men and little ole me) had four year degrees and the others had zero to three years of college. Age range forty to sixty (except for little ole me). Math skills varied among those men but not by much. English, oral and written, skills varied somewhat more, but not by formal educational level. Almost from day one, OJT was learning and developing both technical and managerial skills. Even as the ratio of college grads to non-grads among new trainees were significantly increased over the subsequent decades, the aggregate level of professional skills in the industry declined. Ludicrous risk proposals (by old guard standards) were approved with predictable disastrous results.
Dupe
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Crazy idea
Bring back manufacturing to the U.S.
When I was a kid in NYC I loved seeing those guys pushing their racks of garments down the street.
Then I worked in a furniture factory in Cambridge MA.
Too bad economics is geared to the money guys instead of the people.
Not so crazy
The government should be embarrassed that we couldn’t supply us with PPE for our health care workers or even us, but that would mean that they have consciences. I remember the commercials saying we should be buying American stuff, but back then so many things weren’t made as well as in foreign countries. Cars especially. Chevies and Ford’s were crappy cars from what I remember.
Funny how no one talks about how Trump has his hats and stuff made in China. Just like he got a pass for hiring undocumented immigrants to work at his properties.
F’cking hypocrisy!
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
You're right Shahryar.
In 1953 I was an apprentice machinist and my friends were apprentice electricians or other skilled trades. My friends went on to have satisfying jobs, families, nice homes, and all the rest of the good life of those times. I was dissatisfied and wanted excitement and change and joined the Marines. A stupid decision. Nevertheless, I consider myself lucky in making the decision just not very bright. My life would have been very different if I hadn't gone to college on the GI Bill when I was discharged, but it definitely would not have been worse. A person who knows a trade need not feel inferior to anyone and a person with a college degree is mistaken if they feel superior because of it.
Over the decades the oligarchs managed to hollow-out manufacturing and good trade jobs in order to monetize the U.S. and kill chances for a decent life for working people who didn't wear a tie. I will never forgive them for it. We are paying the price for the off-shoring of the American dream.
-Greed is not a virtue.
-Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.
-Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962
Amen to this
We went from families having a good quality of life with just the dad working and mom staying home if she wanted to raise her kids but being able to make ends meet to watching as jobs were sent overseas and moms not having a choice to stay home and having to enter the workforce and then seeing families taking on more and more debt just to make ends meet. Before it was a choice to join the military to now it being an economic draft because there are no other good paying jobs.
If people want to get good jobs these days they have to take on huge debts and then try to find jobs in their fields. Can’t find one but still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars on your loans? Tuff luck you can’t discharge them through bankruptcy thanks to Biden’s bankruptcy bill.
Over a few years ago I was warning people in the middle class that what was happening to the lower class was going to happen to them. And here we are today with many people in the middle class being laid off and possibly seeing that their jobs are not coming back.
Our parents worked their tushes off to make corporations profitable only to then see their employers take them offshore and leave their kids with no opportunities. Got huge student loan debts because you were told that was how you could get a good job? Too bad the economy has been rigged against you. But don’t whine to Joe Biden because he thinks you have it too easy.
"Give me a break" he said to the people who have been left behind. But don’t forget folks to vote blue no matter who cuz Trump is so dangerous.
How ya doing Polkageist? I hope you are staying sane with this much insanity surrounding us?
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Great comment!
I grew up in the 1950's when it did not matter if your family was blue collar or white collar because we both could afford a middle class lifestyle that required only one income earner to attain. Now that is gone and with it came debt peonage for those who wish to get an education with the possibility of getting a stable job.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy