The New(ish) economy: Dirty Jobs Trump the Ivory Tower

We are all witness in this new golden age of journalism and media, the likes we have never seen before. With a video camera and an internet connection, people are etching out their own place in the world to tell truths and raise suspicion in ways we haven't seen since the days of Thomas Paine.

As more media comes online, media that isn't solely driven by profit but instead driven by passion & truth it's competing on level playing field and in some cases replacing traditional media outlets. Where no longer your platform is your advantage. And it's not just newspapers in jeopardy anymore. All traditional and mainstream media quivers with the notion they're being tuned OUT, not IN. But to be a credible witness you must pass the jury of truth.

We are that jury of truth. Words, ironically enough do matter. Thank you, leftists! And if we sit back and take everyone at face value without preconceived notions of platform and statue whose words are true and whose are incoherent nonsense may surprise you.

Today I present to you, the jury of truth, three witnesses. And the case I present to you is Jobs and the skills gap. Skills "gap," you say? This happens to be a dirty little secret for anyone that works in construction or simply travels the country enough to see there are jobs to be had; we just don't have the quality of trained people to fill them. As a small business owner myself, for me this is the biggest struggle I have growing my business. Anecdotal of course but make no mistake, across the country the skills gap is very real.

Paul Krugman, a liberal economist doesn't believe there is a skills gap. He once opined that the skill gap was in fact “a prime example of a zombie idea — an idea that should have been killed by evidence, but refuses to die”. Yes, the same Paul Krugman who blamed the weakest recovery in American history (apologist for Mr. Obama no doubt) because the government was forced to curb deficit spending. In Krugman's world, deficit spending = job creation. Without pointing out the obvious short-sidedness of this in any long term measurables, even at the zenith of optimism, in the short term… it’s a dead cat bounce at best.

“TO FIGHT THIS RECESSION THE FED NEEDS MORE THAN A SNAPBACK; IT NEEDS SOARING HOUSEHOLD SPENDING TO OFFSET MORIBUND BUSINESS INVESTMENT”

This is a man after all who believes and writes op-ed after op-ed on how the FED can cure all that ails the natural economic cycle. The FED. Not natural interest rates but the artificial rates orchestrated by the FED. Be that it may, a crooked petrol dollar fiat scheme until the bitter end, it's still of this world and a 100% human creation. Therefore you cannot escape its entropy. Inflation in this monetary system is like gravity in spacetime. You cannot travel faster than the speed of light to outrun gravity and you cannot escape the compound interest paradox regardless of how many Harvard degrees you accumulate on your wall. Paul Krugman is not a credible witness.

Donald Trump complains about jobs leaving overseas. SEIU, one of the largest unions still left and incidentally enough the largest government union in the nation announced last week it's cutting its budget by 30% because of.... President-elect Trump.

“BECAUSE THE FAR RIGHT WILL CONTROL ALL THREE BRANCHES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE WILL FACE SERIOUS THREATS TO THE ABILITY OF WORKING PEOPLE TO JOIN TOGETHER IN UNIONS,” PRESIDENT MARY KAY HENRY WROTE IN AN INTERNAL MEMO OBTAINED BY BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK.

First of all, "far right"? Trump? Trump is hardly far right but I digress. That is actually a win for Trump. Nothing to add to that. But my eyes could simply skim over this quote from President Mary Kay Henry...

“FOCUS OUR RESOURCES AND ENERGY ON THE FIGHTS THAT POSITION US TO RETAKE POWER IN 2018, 2020 AND BEYOND.”

Organized labor fighting for power in elections. Where have we seen this movie before? Circa 1933?

To his credit, Trump was the only candidate to continuously rail against NAFTA and TPP. While it’s true, the middle class has been chipped away at over the last four decades with trade being a part of that decline; it’s not the biggest culprit. That decline was in effect long before the offshoring of jobs started taking a footing. The best way to sum up the decline of the middle class and the loss of jobs overseas is simply this: It's complicated. So much so that it’s layered with layers of many competing mitigating factors. To blame it on free trade above all else is irresponsible and just plain not true.

We have seen entire sectors hollowed out while others boom. Sure, many Americans do feel left out and left behind in Middle America. And that, probably above all is what made Mr. Trump the 45th president. But that doesn’t make those people or he correct if they’re thinking to end free trade or raising tariffs will simply be the magic wand to make America great again. It might bring back some jobs but it will destroy just as much or more of existing jobs with existing families relying on them. Surely, It will make goods and services costs rise and that is no recipe to grow an economy.

Recently, Deborah Lockridge wrote a piece on free trade and quoted FedEx Chairman and CEO Fred Smith. Smith speaking to the audience at the National Council on Competitiveness Forum in mid-December warned Trump by saying this:

“WE HAVE THE BEST EXAMPLE OF PROTECTIONISM FROM OUR OWN HISTORY. THE DEVASTATING SMOOT-HAWLEY ACT OF 1930 RAISED TARIFFS ON MORE THAN 20,000 ITEMS. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO A 66% DECLINE IN WORLD TRADE FROM 1929 TO 1934. THIS MISGUIDED ACT OF CONGRESS IGNITED THE GREAT DEPRESSION.”

Does this mean raising tariffs is a bad idea? Not necessarily but raising prices on goods and services will cancel its gains out by raising prices. Government wins, consumers lose.

Bringing back blue collar jobs (manufacturing) is a noble cause and one that should be positive but how that is accomplished will be messy. In a matter of a decade, we saw manufacturing slip from 20% of GDP to 5%. But how many jobs can be saved from automation? It's not like we are living a Jetsons lifestyle just yet but automation is at some point will be the next scapegoat for the declining middle class as its only a matter of time where technology is improved and even more jobs will die off. However, while bringing back jobs that were let go offshore won't save the middle class it certainly couldn't be any worse than the previous administration's stance on offshoring jobs...

"SERVICES LIKE ENGINEERING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTION– WHICH TYPICALLY PAY HIGH WAGES – CAN NOW BE MORE EASILY TRADED ACROSS COUNTRIES. AS A RESULT, THE UNITED STATES IS POISED TO EXPAND ITS TRADE SURPLUS IN SERVICES, WHICH HAS ALREADY GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY, NEARLY TRIPLING IN SIZE SINCE 2003, TO $146 BILLION IN 2010."

So if unpacking the jobs that left will be hard what about the jobs we have here now that are going unfilled? Contrary to popular belief and the stigma that goes along with it, a college degree isn't the only pathway to a respectable and sustainable living.

Take transportation for example. This is is one sector that has been a major winner with free trade. Trucking alone has had shortages of drivers for at least a decade.

Bill Graves, former president and chief executive of the American Trucking Associations wrote about this issue last summer.

"WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS IN 2003, AMONG OUR INDUSTRY’S TOP CONCERNS WERE DIESEL COSTS, THE DRIVER SHORTAGE, INSURANCE COSTS AND SECURITY.

IN THE NEARLY 14 YEARS SINCE MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED. I THINK IF YOU SPOKE TO TRUCKING INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES TODAY, THE COST OF FUEL AND INSURANCE OR HOW BEST TO SECURE THE SUPPLY CHAIN WOULDN’T BE AT THE TOP OF THEIR PRIORITY LIST, BUT THEY’D HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE DRIVER SHORTAGE."

Driving a truck, that doesn't seem that prominent does it? But that's just it. That's the problem with perception and conditioning. We've been conditioned to scoff at these types of jobs while they go unfilled while another college graduate goes underemployed or simply unemployed.

2015 mean annual earnings of truck drivers: $43,410
2015 average earnings for college graduates is: $45,400
2015 those who’ve only completed high school: $25,900

We don't have a jobs problem here. We have a fortitude problem. So Trump, like many or most of his diatribes is tapping into a problem or sees the writing on the wall, except it's written in hieroglyphics and he only speaks in sign language. Thus, Trump isn't FIRED but he must do a better job of addressing the wage gap that already exists.

Now, may I please present to you juror #3. Mike Rowe. Yes, that Mike Rowe of the Dirty Jobs variety. He's doing his best to promote ending the skills gap with actually incentivising skilled work through his charity ProfoundlyDisconnected.

There is now a 5.6 million skills gap from everything to plumbers to masons to heavy equipment operators and everywhere else in between. This is not just some random number from Mike Rowe either. He is quoting the Department of Labor. And training for these new careers won't add to the 1 trillion (and growing) dollar boondoggle that is the student debt bubble that ominously awaits an eruption like a fiat Mt St Helens.

So yes we do have a problem with the hollowing of the middle class. People left behind from the factory that disappeared are a reality but the problem isn’t just going to be cured by a company reopening its doors via tariffs, repatriating or from idle threats. Does that mean trading jobs for tax breaks should not still be pursued? Of course not. The corporate tax rate stifles business especially small business but in the meantime, let's take the easiest route possible. It's just a matter of perception and priorities. Mike Rowe gets it. He's traveled the country and understands quite well the reality versus perception that has sacked this nation's "can do" spirit.

If we define success and working nirvana by a four-year degree with a mountain of debt attached to it (thank you subsidies) then that gap only widens. But if we reverse this pussification and get real about OUR economy we will achieve the closest we've been to full employment as we've ever been.

Angela Rye: Persona non grata

Seemed fitting enough, the title. A little HT to one of the Big O's last actions as POTUS. Expelling 35 people to only have them reinstated a month from now by your successor? Seems like President Obama is a bit of a masochist doesnt it? Potentially some pure emasculation here. He just keeps setting these softballs on a tee for Trump. First Carrier now this? But i digress and also flitting enough because this is about electoral afterbirth.

This election cycle was pure comedy gold. One one hand you had a flip flopping blowhard who gave zero's about what anyone thought of him. That was refreshing. On the other hand you had a steaming pile of bile. A posterchild for what exactly ails the country and a PC/liberal wet-dream personified. This was an entertaining shit show through and through. One of the more humorous narratives that came out of this muck was from the left and it went something like this:


'Now we can finally see racists for who they truly are'

'America was never "Great" for anyone not white'


You've all heard this. And while it may be true and in some cases i think if anything it may have emboldened people to speak their minds good, bad or indifferent. Is America really more racist? Or are we actually having conversations that we haven't had the gumption for? The truth of the matter is this - those with the "America is more racist because of Trump" narrative might actually be an admission of guilt themselves. They might not realize it but their narrative is a manifestation of their own racist tendencies. Sort of like the macho dude in high school who calls everyone faggots and is always talking about someone sucking dick. Then you find him 20 yeas later congo dancing at a gay pride event wearing chaps and a leather vest with a ball gag in his mouth, i see you Donnie!

If there was anything gleaned from this election it wasn't race or walls or wars. It was news. How its made. Whos it made for and does it even matter if its correct? Fake news is news and news is fake news. Whos fake and whos real just depends on what flavor you like in your cup of tea. Nowhere is this more comical than CNN.

MSNBC and Fox cater to their audience. Its business. The news is isn't that important. Its not even a vehicle. Just look at the variation of ads on MSNBC and Fox. Its no different than watch a Penguins hockey game on ATT than it is watching the NBA Network. Race, class, gender, family its all been isolated bought and sold for its target market.

If i was running CNN, i would look at the business model of cable news and realize we missed the boat. We created the genre but didn't realize that people weren't tuning in for just the news. What the majority of people were tuning in for was an echo chamber. Sure, they wanted the news but they wanted it prepacked ready for consumption. CNN has no direction. Many days they appear more liberal than the Huffington Post. Most days its a free for all - like a food fight at an old folks home. Messy, slow, sad and just plain embarrassing.


Over the last few months here's some things that stood out watching the train-wreck that is CNN:


Chris Matthews roast fellow liberal Rachel Maddow on Clintons inability to appear as a viable candidate.
Van Jones refer to Trumps election as a "whitelash"
Cancel Mike Rowe's show
Still employe Erin Burnett and Fareed Zakaria
And the never ending gift that is... Angela Rye


I was sitting at a burger king a few days before Christmas (i know & not proud of it but i'm a fat boy who likes quick burgers) and I came across this nugget while consuming my 1100 calories and watching the audio-less aforementioned CNN.

"The Electoral College is problematic from its inception and something that was built upon and designed to oppress certain people,” Rye says. “It is okay for us to ask questions, particularly when we know the Electoral College was built upon a system to protect the interests of slave states.”“We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that horrible history,”12.21.16

Just a few days before that she said something similar:

"I have every issue with the Electoral College, and I have since before this election. It does not speak for me. I am not supporting a system that was built on the backs of my ancestors who were slaves. I’m not here for it. … That guy is not my president.”

Then there was this very telling interview back from July of this year on CNN...

The fact that his campaign slogan could be, "Make America Great Again," and that pains me and people who look like me to no end. The fact that he could reference something like Operation Wetback in a debate where hundreds of our Mexican brothers and sisters were killed, slaughtered, and taken out of this country because someone didn't allow them to be here anymore is exactly the problem. The last time America was great to me, Fareed, was in 2008 when he was elected President, and ever since then, we've been paying the price for that.
I think, at some point, the issue is, we have to ID -- and by that, I just mean identify -- the fact that so much of this comes from the root of racism and what racism has done to every system in this country. That is what this country was built upon -- or I should say rebuilt upon because that's not how the indigenous people intended. But when white people got here, this was a system that was built upon the systematic oppression of people of color.

Where have we seen this before? A Liberal democrat not accepting the election results. Its 2000 all over again.

She doesn't support a system that doesn't speak for her. Instead she would rather have the popular vote decide everything. The popular vote where you can concentrate on the East and West coast and win thus making everyone else nothing more than spectators. California and New York combined hold 60 million people OR roughly 20% of the population. This is the very reason we are Republic and not a Democracy. The minority thus still has a voice. If you live in Wyoming or Iowa your vote matters.

This is a women who is for people of color. Her Mexican brothers and sisters in tow. She is against the system white people built when they came here. Sorry, she said we "rebuilt upon" because that's not what indigenous people intended their country to be rebuilt (as if said people had a country before said white arrival... yeah, they did not). Remember the root of racism has infected every system in this country according to Rye. So, of course it doesn't work for her. She, a minority that doesn't think protecting state sovereignty is relevant anymore. Her sheer ignorance here would normally be astounding if it wasn't so damn predictable and TIRED.

What happens if she got what she wanted and we went to a direct democracy and the popular vote was all that mattered? What happens if white people started to vote like black people? Where 90% voted one way and that was Democrat/black? But now 90% Republican and White? Say for example in the areas that make up the very middle of the country you want to essentially disqualify from their right to vote? Then, the coasts dont matter. Now the fly over sates accumulate the power. I bet that electoral college wouldn't seem so bad then would it now?

This isn't just some political commentator. This is a race hustling pimp who was executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus. You cannot possibly make this stuff up. This is a women who does not only have no respect for our system - she loathes it. But she dont mind the money that it brings though now does she? Shes bitter and if you're white, in her eyes you're still the oppressor. In fact she called the Republican Party as much. The Republican party is a lot of things and to me, not many are good... but oppression? Nonsense. But thats just it. This isn't about politics as much as it is about vengeance. Because, if we lose the electoral college and much of the middle lose their power to voice their opinions through national elections than there is really only one American alternative. Move to the coasts. Except you might not find such a warm greeting upon your arrival from the likes of this triggered race baiting, race hustling pimp known as Angela Rye.

"All of our lives could be better. One of the most fascinating things about this election to me, Alisyn, is that Donald Trump, a real estate mogul, a developer, has talked about inner cities and never once has talked about gentrification. That would have been a good way to segue into a conversation with African-American voters that's actually productive."
Aired October 26, 2016

Thats right, good 'ol gentrification. This is a classic. This is simply a case of damned if you do and damned if you dont. But when you're entire career is built upon emotion and victimization its only a matter of time before the logic house of cards comes falling down. But hey, this is business too. Race bating crybabys bitching and moaning about "systematic oppression" that nobody suffers from today sells. White liberals eat it up more so than anyone. But everyone likes a good boogeyman. People would much rather have a scapegoat than a kick in the ass. So i get the whole angry black woman angle. Just dont expect me to take you too serious when youre attacking the very system that has been the beacon of light to the rest of the world. The West is indeed the best but im a capitalist too so #StayWoke

Can we stop lying to ourselves?

Sometime between Christmas and New Years we all will have many conversations with many different types of people that make up our American families. Some you look forward to. Some pass the time. Some you cant escape and others always end up with someone rolling their eyes at the very same time looking for the nearest conversational exit. Fortunately my wives family is small and mine is somewhat splintered, so the people I do see - I happen to enjoy their company. I guess afterall divorce does have its perks.

Of all the people i speak to, if there is one divide... its politics. From old Reagan democrats to Fox news conservatives to young bleeding hearts (read inexperienced and ill-informed) to tenured professors to a few (maybe 1-2 at most) like myself: libertarian leaning - conservative - ultra pro west - sarcastic pricks. By and large everyone is respectful but you know who's who and you know who's buttons are where and over time just how to push them.

Now, after two paragraphs some of you were probably going to end up saying "why the need for the family history, say what you got to say and let me get back to my dungeons and dragons" because skimming through two paragraphs is taxing for the modern over stimulated mind. I get that. Hence why i took the time to preempt that. The setup matters. Your ability to relate to said setup will only further enhance your ability to process and retain the moral or crux of the story. So, for that you're welcome.

Of all these different people the men i grew up riffing with the most also happen to be two people i probably admire the most (step father and maternal grandfather). They also happen to be quintessential Fox News Republicans. My step father will tell you he voted for a Libertarian once (John Anderson circa 1980) and my grandfather will tell you he does not care what gay men do. And although these things are probably true these two men are also anti-democrats. They hated Clinton as much as they laud Rush Limbaugh. They laugh and snicker at Al Gore (still) and loathe Obama but not because he was Black but because he was Blue. As in Democrat. These were men who worked in the same blue collar companies for 40+ years each. They're as honorable as they are honest. But sometimes they dont have time for facts. And facts Trump EVERYTHING.

And that is my point.

If we are going to have political opinions and make them a bedrock for or a reflection of our moral compass, well then we had better get them right.

If you say in the middle of a conversion when we are verbally high fivin' over HER defeat last month "Obama doubled the National Debt in just 8 years" and i rebuttal that with a simple; "well yeah, but Bush did too, so what does that mean?". It means dont wave me off and walk away.




It means ask me to cite it. As i offered to. Please, by all means, test me or anyone presenting you with facts that chip away at our culture. By that culture i mean a pro west conservative leaning culture. Do it here, amongst family and like minded people as opposed to out there with people that need to be countered. Many of those same people who are waiting for you to do the same so they can label you a Racist, Xenophobic, Islamophobic, Misogynistic, Transphobe, Genderphobe, a Phobephobe or a Phobephobeaphobian. And BOOM. Discussion ends and you've lost in the court of PC Public opinion. Being a conservative or a ProWesterian' does not absolve us from mistakes. The worst thing we can do is ignore those mistakes & pretend they dont exist and carry on a jaded self serving mantra of willful ignorance. That's not us. We're not liberals. We can be betterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Si Senor

Welcome to the end of the world. Where reality is stranger than fiction. Where a reality TV star is actually leading polls for the office for the President of the United States in September before an election year. I know we're circling the drain but evidently the puddle is shallower than I've casually perceived.

So much has been made of Donald Trumps bombastic rhetoric that's short on execution and long on hyperbole. Anyone can talk. And this clown never stops.

Of all the empty promises and hallow words there lies (pun most definitely applicable here) no bigger fugazy than his illegal immigration reform. His words here.

Much has been made about Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates support for expanding the H-1b Visa Program. Trump thinks the program should be reduced and instead filled with "the number of black, Hispanic and female workers in Silicon Valley who have been passed over in favor of the H-1B program". So, instead of allowing a corporation to hire whom they want based on the most qualified they must be forced to fill their positions from a dumb down American pool first. American company's forced to hire not the best man/women for the job but the most qualified man/woman Americans for the job. Small government and affirmative action don't jive.

There is the E-Verify program Trump touts to screen legal employees. This program would cost small businesses 2.7 billion to comply according to Bloomberg. Not to mention,  the killing of agriculture; as ending illegal immigration alone wont pick the corn. It still has to be done by people and who does it and how long does it take to get them? Crops don't wait for red tape. There is also the loss of tax revenue implementing this mandated system across the board. According to Bloomberg, this would be around 17 billion in lost revenue for the government. and more importantly there is this... E-Verify would become a defacto National ID system. How can this be the opinion of a small government minded individual?

How in the world does he "impound remittances" of  "illegals" ? Legal Americans of foreign decent send remittances as well. How does this work? Confiscating all and then sifting through the legal and illegal ones? Does anyone trust the government to handle this task efficiently ? Whats next, sorting through their mail too? And this is how this cat funds the Great Wall of Mexico?


Then there is the numbers.

Sites like this advocate the illegals as a drain on the economy. One where illegals cost California alone 21 Billion in wasted tax dollars. Now subtract that from the 130 Billion that Undocumented immigrants alone contribute to California's GDP – a figure greater than the entire GDP of Nevada – or AT&T’s total revenues. Or, you could say 17 Billion more than all the states COMBINED deficit due to illegal immigration. 

What about Social Security? What about the 1-Trillion illegals have contributed to that ponzi scheme that they wont even participate in? Talk about a screw job. Those wars in Iraq and Afghanistan you liked so much? Paid for by the sweat of wetback Mexican laborers. That 2010 Tax Credit from the Hope and Change savior? You rember that 34 dollars dont you? Paid for by fruit picking, lawn mowing Mexicants. Who helped pay for that balanced budget string you got in the 90's by Jizzy and Newt? You know it.

Then there is this from the Right leaning American Action Forum on what taking the 11+ million illegal aliens out of the country and workforce would look like:

• Take about 20 years and cost the government between $400 billion and $600 billion
• Real GDP would drop by nearly $1.6 trillion and the policy would shave 5.7 percent off economic growth
• Not inlcuding the cost of: constructing new courts, prisons, and other buildings that might be needed to process and detain millions of immigrants.

There is also tripling the border patrol. Again, not a small government position.

Last but not least. Above the idiocy. Above the flip flopping. Above the total empty hot air this guy spouts out there is one fundamental flaw with his logic and it has nothing with him being a big government whore. Its life.

We "Conservatives" will tell you a child is not a fetus. We will tell you the child shouldn't be punished for the mothers lack of morals. Funny how fast we flip the script when talking about illegal immigration. All of a sudden those babies don't hold the same value. Funny how politics can be used to promote morality and in the same breathe use politics to discredit the very morality that was justified originally when its doesn't fit an agenda. So instead of babies... they are anchor babies. As if that title denies them the very protection we so vehemently defend all unborn life with.

So if you want to feel patriotic, light a firework, shoot a gun - sing the star spangled banner with your dick in one hand and an American flag in the other... but whatever you do, don't espouse to ideas that essentially cut your nose off in spite of your face. Illegals aliens, undocumented workers or whatever PC term we are using these days are a boon to this economy. It keeps costs down and that provides a strapped middle class with much need savings. Its like having a slice of China in a field near you.