Friday, December 5, 2008

Stimulus Should Include Essential Services

Robert Reich's prescription for avoiding depression (see preceding post) includes an important point about the composition of the necessary stimulus package:

Construction jobs are critical but so are elder care, hospital, child care, welfare, and countless other services that are getting clobbered.

As I have said before in "Policy for Financial Crisis Should Target Those Most in Need", those who suffer most in this downturn will be those who are already most in need. Reich's prescription will help to meet those needs. It will also be the most effective solution for the whole economy . . .

This is supposed to be a service economy. It isn't going to be stimulated if service jobs aren't included in the stimulus package.

Lots of infrastructure is decaying in this country, and that includes the people and systems that comprise our social, educational, health and other kinds of human infrastructure. It isn't just a matter of bricks and bridges. We need to nourish and grow our human capital if this company is going to face the future as a thriving enterprise.