Everyone seems to have their own ideas about how to "create" jobs but there is a fundamental problem. All these solutions are demand driven - increasing the demand for jobs with more consumer spending, more exporting, building more federally-financed infrastructure. Maybe it is time to propose some supply-based solutions. If we had a better supply of workers with 21st Century talents, then this whole jobs issue would take care of itself. The global market would follow the brainpower.
Brainpower, however, involves a long supply chain, longer than any one election cycle, and THAT is the problem. The supply chain for brainpower is at a minimum 22 years long. It starts with those critical years of 0-3 when little brains get developed, then preschool, and a best-in-the-world public K-12 system, then lots of opportunities for about two year's worth of quality training. Some will stay in the supply chain a few more years but what you end up with is a generation of brainpower of unimagined economic and social potential.
We need to start making investments now that won't start paying off for 25 years. That's how each of us manages our retirement portfolio isn't it? How shortsighted of us to have different expectations for our most precious and valuable possession.
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