Saturday, July 6, 2013

The price-system, the need for a better labor market, and you....

My wife wasn't too impressed with my incite about Karen Handle deferring to state coercion rather than using the price system to inspire better behavior.  See:  Karen Handle for Senate Platform: Erode Wages and Destroy Jobs.   And...  GOP Campaign Platform 2014: Erode Wages/Destroy Jobs (Its not just Karen Handle) 

Which was a good reminder of why I was never a good politician---policy nuances don't excite people like silly youtube videos.

But the fact that a major Republican in Georgia really doesn't have faith in the price system to properly allocate resources is a really important reminder that not only are the GOP only concerned about their political donors.  Its also a reminder that a major Republican figure in Georgia thinks the labor market is so horrid right now that we have to resort to coercion and immiseration of our citizens in order to get the outcomes we as a society desire.

We should be focused on improving the labor market because the new normal in our economy sucks.

We should be growing the minimum wage, mandating paid sick leave for all, ending right to work free-rider laws where they exist.  We should take new steps to reinvestment in our infrastructure; reform how we pay to educate the next generation of Teachers, Doctors, and Scientist.  The list of things that need to be done to improving quality of life for everyday people is pretty long.

Its up to other smart folks to figure out silly youtube videos and find crystal clean politicians that are liked by the average Joe to make that case to average voters on these points.  Lots of organizing of everyday people stands before us as a society.  I've got my hands full with about 100 people in metro Atlanta in my workplace.  Beyond that I have to pass the baton to you; as each of us can only do so much networking, education, and engagement--if you don't have a group of people you feel like you are organizing and mobilizing then you aren't doing your part.

I'll wait...

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