USA buy USA: Creating Jobs For Younger Americans

Minnie Bee's Rant:

Recent census data reveals that in the U.S., unemployment for younger people is at its highest since World War II. In fact, for people 16-29 years-old, employment is at only 55.3 percent, down from 67.3 percent in 2000. Even more significant than this, is the ugly truth that for 18-39-year-olds in the U.S. who are graduating from high school with a diploma, an associate's degree from a community college, a certificate from a vocational training institute, or a degree from a four-year college or university, many are graduating without a job prospect in sight, and are remaining unemployed for long periods of time.

A case in point is my cousin's son, Michael, age 23, and his fiancée, Ann, age 22, who both graduated from an accredited four-year college last summer with bachelor's degrees in education. Hoping to become a high school history teacher, Michael, unable to secure a teaching position due to a decrease in teacher vacancies, was forced to take a low-paying part-time retail job that doesn't require a college degree, and to keep living at home with his parents. Ann, hoping to become an elementary school teacher, has taken a job waitressing in a restaurant, and is also living with her parents. Due to the high cost of rent, food, and everything else, they are unable to support themselves on their low wages as their Depression Era counterparts might have done, and they have put their wedding plans on hold for the foreseeable future.

Some experts on the economy say that to a large extent, the unemployment numbers for younger Americans can be explained by the fact that younger people are staying in school longer to extend their education and training. While this may be true, I agree with other economists that a more significant reason for unemployment among younger people is that older people in the 55 - 65-year-old age group are not retiring as readily as they did in a more positive economy. These older adults are holding on to their jobs longer and working to an older age because, with rising costs for everything, they can't afford to retire, or because their retirement is tied to the unpredictable stock market and the unpredictable future of Social Security and they're just too afraid of what the future may bring, or ironically, like my cousin, they are having to support their young adult children longer. All of this, combined with a decrease in jobs creation, translates into a lower number of job vacancies and more competition among workers for available jobs, leaving the young Michaels and Anns of the country unable to secure the jobs for which they have prepared.
On his national TV program, "Hardball," host Chris Matthews recently called for expanding the Peace Corps. This, I think, is a great idea. With high unemployment among young adults, combined with increasingly negative attitudes towards the United States in other countries, creating American goodwill through increasing volunteer opportunities for younger Americans in the Peace Corps would be a win-win situation. Along these same lines, the Job Corps should also be expanded. An expanded Job Corps would be a perfect vehicle for training, re-training, and employing young people, while at the same time, repairing and expanding the U.S. infrastructure. Another win-win situation.

President Obama's American Jobs Act gives Americans a much-needed boost to getting the U.S. economy rolling again, but as with other human endeavors, it's not perfect. It doesn't specifically address the rising unemployment of younger people in this country. The American Jobs Act presently includes creating jobs to improve and repair our infrastructure, but it does not include a plan for funding for expanding the Jobs Corp or the Peace Corp. Under FDR's New Deal, many young people were put to work building and improving infrastructure in the Works Progress Administration's (WPA) National Youth Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC.) Likewise, the Jobs Corps and the Peace Corps could put younger Americans to work, and give them additional training, experience, and exposure, as well as a sense of purpose. Expansion of the Jobs Corps and the Peace Corps should be incorporated into the proposed legislation for the American Jobs Act.

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We create and keep U.S. jobs when we demand, promote, and buy Made in USA
goods and products.

This week's recommended products:

With the official start of autumn and cooler weather just around the corner, many of us will want to start our day off warm and cozy with a bowl of hot cereal. Here are some recommended hot cereals "Made in USA" and some not recommended hot cereals made elsewhere. Remember to check labels. Please feel free to post your own research to this blog!

· Safeway Instant Oatmeal - Made in USA by Safeway, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

(http://www.safeway.com/)

· Maypo Maple Oatmeal and Wheatena hot cereal - Made in USA by Homestat Farm, Ltd., Dublin, CA

(http://www.homestatfarm.com/)

· Old Wessex Creamy Oat Bran, Irish-Style Oatmeal, and 5-Grain Cereal - Made in USA by Old Wessex, Inc., Providence, RI

(http://www.oldwessex.com/)

· Nature's Path Hot Oatmeal - Made in USA by Nature's Path Foods, Inc., Blaine, WA

(http://www.naturespath.com/)

NOT recommended (made elsewhere):

· Wegmans Instant Oatmeal, Quick Oats, and Old Fashioned Oats

· Farina Mills Farina

· Hodgson Mill Multi-Grain Hot Cereal