News from the past two days, that the State of California has issued pinkslips to 22,000 teachers and school workers. Now in case anyone should accuse me of starting a panic or overstating the numbers, the referenced article above does mention that last year only 60 percent of those issued with pink slips were actually let go. So that would roughly be only 13,000. In the State of Illinois, the two largest districts, Chicago and Elgin have announced layoffs with Elgin estimating 1,100 to try to meet a 44 million budget shortfall and Chicago an undetermined number because of a 700 million budget shortfall. Again, some of those may be brought back if the shortfall is not as bad as expected. I like the Daily Herald article the best, as it gives teacher names. These are real people, not just numbers. I also like the inclusion of the class ratio. 30:1, wow! Chicago estimates they will go up to 37:1. I challenge any of the lunkhead posters/bloggers out there spewing their venom for how much money we are overspending to try and last one 45 minute period with 30 middle-schoolers.
These are the taxpayer paid positions, the ones people are griping about because we are spending too much government money. Well, yes that is true. Once these people are on unemployment that will also be government money, and there go 14,100 (plus) jobs just from 2 sources. That doesn't count all the layoffs places have had last year, and in 2008. Sorry to focus on teachers, but with our funding loss at my son's school, and a teaching certification which never got me a job but plenty in pending student loan debt, I'm wondering where people are supposed to find jobs. I'm wondering where economic experts are seeing "green shoots" and why the Dow Jones keeps going up and Oil is $82 a barrel. Is China really buying that much crap? Once these people are out of jobs, there go taxes that they pay, property taxes, sales tax when they curb their buying, etc. They don't go out to eat, so restaurants or other places aren't hiring, so you can't even get something part time.
This seems like the third round, as the last bastion of employment, government, starts its cuts.
Here's a suggestion, lets see how everybody likes this little gem. Ok, government spent too much with bailouts, tax cuts and spending? Lets start cutting.
Cut out the majority of the defense budget's new programs. Right now, no one can challenge our technological superiority. Really, are the Taliban in Afghanistan facing off against us with the latest Russian Mig-29?
F-22 Raptors, costly to build $350 million each, and expensive to operate (30 man hours of maintenance work for every hour of flight.)
“This plane has never flown over Iraq or Afghanistan — the two wars that we are in,” McCain said.
Uh, no. They have AK-47's and Rocket Propelled Grenades, 2 weapons which have been around since the early 1960's.
Oh, but wait, we can't do that! Then Boeing, and Lockheed-Martin and Northrup-Grumman and tons of their suppliers lose business and people get laid off...etc. etc. etc. Senators who have people with jobs in places like Georgia would get blamed. $680 Billion dollar budget. Almost three quarters of a Trillion, for one year (I know, that includes paying our troops.) We're all tightening our belts, right? You can do without cable, you don't need a phone, you can get to work riding a bicycle, right?
Ok, not good. No one likes that. Hmmm...Wait, I've got it. Close all the National Parks, and the Museums and all government offices for the next six months. All of it. Courts, Congress, the Senate, everybody gets furloughed for 6 months. What's that? You need to have your case heard by the Supreme Court? Sorry, closed due to lack of funds. Don't take the family to see the Smithsonian, or to Yellowstone. The police can't respond, sorry, try the state troopers. Oh right. Also let go. Well, how about the fire dept.? Nope, no good.
All kidding aside, are we kidding ourselves that it is over? Are we kidding ourselves by labeling it a Recession? I wonder. I wonder how much further it will go.
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