re: #151 Targetpractice

Cohn’s saying in so many words the same stereotype that most such men are pushing: That there are hordes of Americans living on the dole who could, if “encouraged” to leave it tomorrow, solve our “labor shortage” within a matter of weeks or even days.

The reality is that we’re at or below the UE figures for the same time last year, it’s just that most of those who worked in menial labor jobs pre-pandemic used the time and resources afforded through government assistance to look for better jobs or even go into business for themselves. This is proving to a massive issue for a system that is used to turn-key “recoveries,” where businesses just throw open the doors and call the workforce back as though nothing ever happened.

People are tired of working shit jobs that not just have awful working conditions and terrible pay and benefits, but also have a strong likelihood of leaving you sick or dead. These ivory tower economists need to understand the pandemic has brought a sea change in the way people think about their jobs. People are not about to DIE for some capitalists in Hudson Yards (and why yes, I use that deliberately) just because the capitalists think the best thing to happen is for everyone to go back to work and to hell with the consequences.