Factory jobs II
As we explored in my last post, factory jobs are a declining component of the American economy. That is an irreversible reality. The question is “how do we square that reality with the constant drumbeat from manufacturers and their policy and press allies that there is a critical shortage of factory workers today and tomorrow, […]
Factory jobs
Both President Obama in his State of the Union address and Governor Snyder in his State of the State speech identified manufacturing as a key component of their economic growth strategy. Unfortunately, almost certainly, if the goal is more and better jobs it won’t work. In a terrific Atlantic Cities column entitled Sorry Mr. President, […]
Education for the economy of the future
As I have written previously we need an education system that prepares students for the economy they will live in, not the economy that their parents and grandparents experienced. Unfortunately increasingly education policy is moving towards the economy of the past. Both David Brooks and Thomas Friedman wrote recent columns that illuminate what the economy […]
Bipartisan addiction to tax cuts
I have written previously that the state budget policy on a bipartisan basis for two decades has made tax cuts, corrections and health care the priorities. Which by necessity –– or as Bill Clinton says math –– has meant that education, particularly higher education, and support for local governments have been devastated. Every time I […]
grbj.com
I have agreed to write a monthly blog for the online edition of the Grand Rapids Business Journal. I’m excited about the opportunity. You can find my initial post here. The topics will be the same as I write about here. But obviously with a focus on the West Michigan economy. To us that is the […]
Michigan’s recovery
Good news! The Bureau of Labor Statistics just released revised data on Michigan employment for 2011 and 2012. They show larger job gains than previously reported. For the two years combined Michigan added 160,800 jobs, an increase of 4.2%. After a decade of annual job losses (totaling 813,000) this is welcome news indeed. What I […]
Higher education: reality and policy disconnect
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released data on unemployment and average wage by education attainment for 2012. As their education pays chart (below) demonstrates the evidence is overwhelming that those with a four year degree or more work and earn more than anyone else. End of story! And yet its not end of […]
Health care jobs
Catherine Rampell in a New York Times Economix blog entitled Health Care Aside, Fewer Jobs Than in 2000 makes the case that other than health care the American economy has not added jobs for more than a decade. Pretty amazing and worrisome. Almost certainly unsustainable. The basic facts: “In 2000, the economy had about 121 […]
More wrong track on education policy
Two important editorials highlight how far off track too many state policy makers are when it comes to education policy. And that the consequence of bad policy is harmful not just to Michigan kids (what matters most) but also to employers and the economy. Both are must reads! The Detroit News in an editorial entitled Michigan […]