NYT: You Can't Make It Without The US Government

When you're looking for socialist claptrap, the New York Times never fails to satisfy. With economic theory straight out of Das Kapital, the old senile lady explains what's wrong with America.

They start with a basic assumption that no one has any money and that personal betterment is impossible without government aid.

The United States has been neglecting job training programs for decades, argues Andrew Stettner, deputy director of the National Employment Law Project in New York. In current dollars, the nation devoted the equivalent of $20 billion a year on job training in 1979, while spending only $6 billion last year.

The stimulus spending bill includes $4.5 billion in additional monies for job training. But under current programs, many of those eligible for training are given vouchers that cover only a semester or two at community colleges, while careers in growth industries like biotechnology and health care typically require two-year degree programs.

“We have to seriously look at fundamentally rebuilding the economy,” Mr. Stettner said. “You’ve got to use this moment to retrain for jobs.”

I got news for Mr. Stettner and the social engineers at the Times: This isn't the old Soviet Union, where government apparatchiks round up random serfs and herd them into collective state enterprises: "You, you're a pig farmer now! And Mother Russia needs 56 more butchers, so you guys jump in the truck as well!" Also, how is it government's responsibility to pay for your education?

We have community colleges scattered far and wide, and they do an excellent job providing skills and education relevant to today's economy. There is a wealth of free career enhancing information on the internet. MIT offers over 1800 college courses absolutely free. You won't get college credit, but you get valuable knowledge. And don't forget public libraries.


Many companies offer tuition assistance and there are also billions in grants available to those willing to get up off their half moons and do a little research. For those youngsters fresh out of high school, there is America's greatest job training program of all: The US Military. By enlisting you are at least working for the bennies Uncle Sam is giving you.

You can make it on your own, Americans, regardless of what some sniveling, statist propaganda rag may tell you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/business/economy/07jobs.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp