From: orville%weyrich@uunet.uu.net (Orville R. Weyrich)
Subject: Re: Cash Prizes for Ideas on Saving U.S. Jobs
Reply-To: uunet.uu.net!weyrich!orville
Organization: Weyrich Computer Consulting
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 92 21:07:47 GMT

In article <1819@sousa.ltn.dec.com> paradis@sousa.ltn.dec.com (Jim Paradis) writes:
>
>
>>(1) eliminate the minimum wage to stop jobs moving to Mexico.
>
>I've heard a number of arguments against the minimum wage -- that
>it's inflationary, that it causes labor to be priced out of its own
>market, etc.
>
>So I've got a question (and this is a serious question, not flame-bait):
>Absent a minimum-wage law, what can a society do to ensure that a
>working wage is a living wage?  If the free market decides that unskilled
>labor is worth less than the cost of keeping the laborers alive, what
>are we to do with all those unskilled people?  Ignore them and hope
>that the problem goes away?

Provide "workfare" for such people -- even if it involves moving a hill 
from the north side of town to the south side of time, for a subsistence
wage.  Make exceptions for those genuinely disabled. Provide an alternative
to "workfare" called "learnfare" where a person that lacks any marketable 
skills will be paid to attend pre-paid classes as long as they particpate
and show satisfactory progress.

If a person on "workfare" has an opportunity to get a "real" job that
either offers 
	1) greater compensation
	2) greater job satisfaction
	3) greater prospects for advancement
	4) no reduction in fringe benefits
then that person will no doubt leave the public dole.

The "subsistence pay" of workfare MUST be adjusted for the local cost of
living, and MUST NOT be enough to afford luxuries like  color TV's, 
CD boom boxes, and the like. It is important that workfare provide minimal
levels of fringe benefits  -- many in the current "Great Society" programs
stay on the public dole because they get a level of fringe benefits that
rivals that which most middle class workers can get.

>>(2) highly tax imported cars, electronic goods, and electronic parts; use
>>that tax revenue as capital to (re?)-invest in those industries.
>
>Actually, if we highly taxed those goods that were manufactured abroad
>by U.S. companies with cheap Mexican labor and then re-imported for sale
>in the U.S., we'd solve problem (1), now wouldn't we 8-) 8-) 8-)

I have long advocated a sliding-scale import tax that goes up or down depending
on what the U.S. balance of trade is. It is simple and it helps stabilize the
economy.  Trying to be  more specific  about the targets of the tax invites
loopholes and corruption.

>>(3) require the public schools to teach enough useful skills so-as
>>to make their graduates employable.
>

I think that some schools cop-out and engage in "social-promotions" and the
like, but by and large I also think that a properly motivated student can
learn enough to make a living in most if not all of the schools that exist
in this country. Tying a portion of the teacher's compensation to the results
of standardized testing of their students would improve this situation, but 
would increase other problems, such as "teach-to-test".

But this thread is concerned with how to educate the lowest economic classes,
right? Here in AZ the biggest problem with the public schools is the drop-out
rate. While schools can do some things to fight this problem, the main point
of attack should be at the family level. IMHO it is a problem with families 
that do not place a sufficient emphasis on remaining in school. 

Take the 3rd generation welfare population, for example. Did they complete 
school? Probably not. Did their parents? Probably not. Did their grandparents?
Probably not. Will their children? Unless something changes, probalby not.

I have been in public housing projects. I have had my tires slashed while
doing tutoring in public housing projects. I have seen many kids running  
arround in these projects that should have been in school. Why weren't
they in school? Most likely because their parents didn't care. Their parents
and grandparents survive on welfare, and so will they in all liklihood.

Unless the system is drastically changed.  

I would immediately eliminate all welfare payments to families and give 
children the job of attending school with their homework done, and being 
attentive and well-behaved.  Give the parent(s) the job of ensuring that 
the kids show up at school each day well-washed and in clean clothes.  
Feed the kids breakfast and lunch at school and give them a sack to take 
home for their evening meal. Give each kid shoes and clothes at school. 
Nothing fancy. Plain-pocket jeans.  Reward outstanding scholarship and 
citizenship by offering upgrades on the basic clothing.  Give each child 
basic health care at school. Let their parents pay for their own health 
care out of the proceeds from their job of child care.  

orville

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Orville R. Weyrich, Jr.                          Weyrich Computer Consulting
Certified Data Processor                       POB 5782, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
Certified Systems Professional                      Voice: (602) 391-0821
Certified Computer Programmer            Internet: orville%weyrich@uunet.uu.net
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