Financial Schools Reviews

Yesterday I read about the current budget proposal of 3.8 trillion dollars and tried not to choke. Part of the proposal is the jobs bill, though granted the money allocated to it is very modest. Most historians and economists agree WPA wasn’t responsible on its own for ending the Depression – WWII was mostly responsible. Don’t get me wrong, I think President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Program was a great success. Finished projects under the program include Hoover Dam and our highway system.

Despite the modest funding for the jobs bill, every penny counts and I found my self asking if there isn’t there some way we can have job creation without Depression era WPA-like funding. Like a light bulb, the following idea popped into my head: a national volunteer-to-jobs program system.

I wrote the following letter (yes, really) to President Obama at the whitehouse.gov website outlining my idea. Whether or not he reads it is something I may never know.

Dear President Obama,

I just had an idea for job creation that I would like to share.

You are painfully aware that there are many unemployed people, many of them from manufacturing jobs. In addition, there is a lot of infrastructure work which needs to be completed, the so-called shovel ready projects.

Why not:

1. Have unemployed people volunteer to work on these projects. Some work requires skilled labor, some not. Anyone who can type on a computer, talk on the telephone, or wield an axe and shovel should be able to contribute. 2. You could issue certificates from a central, volunteer run, non-partisan organization. There are many of these organizations in place. 3. Issue a tax credit to companies which hire these volunteers, and can prove it with certificates. This will encourage people to volunteer, as employers will probably be more apt to hire former volunteers.

This way, you will get work done for free, people will feel useful and potentially get on-the-job training.

Kristy Welsh

I’m going to anticipate objections of the critics:

1. Who is going to organize volunteer work, volunteers and issuing of certificates? Many people are going to object to the creation of another government entity. I don’t think it has to be run by the government, can’t the organizer be a non-profit like the Red Cross? The Red Cross works with many governments around the world, receives minimal U.S. funding and http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/human-services/american-red-cross-in-washington-dc-679″ target=”_top”>effectively manages costs and other contributions.
2. Would there be fraud in some cases? Yes, but the point is to get people back to work – giving a few thousand in a tax credit to a business who hires may be the right stimulus, even if there is some fraud. The president was proposing a tax credit to businesses for hiring people who do no volunteer work.
3. Will people really volunteer? I think they will if they know they will get preference in the job hiring process over someone who didn’t volunteer.
4. What projects are we talking about? As I mentioned, there are a number of shovel-ready projects lined up.
5. How long do a person have to volunteer? I’d say 2 weeks would be enough to earn a certificate.

Is this a crazy plan? Maybe, but I am not seeing much else being proposed. I’m hearing a lot of whining about the budget and that there are no jobs. Well, what’s your solution? If you have one, leave a suggestion!

Similar Posts:

• IRS Volunteers often make Mistakes
• Freehold Capital Partners Announces $79,500,000.00 New Mexico Project
• Financial budgeting is easier than ever by using technology
• Which State Has the Best Job Market?
• Do you have any thoughts on how to fix the Housing Market