Comments about ‘The on-ramp to the new economy’

The 'Internet economy' came and went. Remember the 'dot com' bubble that burst a decade ago? That was the height of the 'Internet economy'.

I work from home. Because of the Internet, I can control computers for customers in Utah and Idaho and California. Because of the Internet, I am paid the same as people in India and China who do the same work from their homes.

Nobody likes to talk about the practical aspects of what it means to have a 'flat world' where all nations compete for the 'high paying' jobs that the Internet promises; that the colleges and universities tell us are just waiting if we'll plunk down years of our lives and tens of thousands of dollars to pay them to train us. We get substandard wages. We buy our own expensive computers. We receive a 1099 tax form, which means that we pay 100% of the taxes, including over 15% for Social Security and Medicare. We receive no benefits.

Go to a local employment center and see how many hundreds of people are competing for the high paying computer jobs. I've been there: Over 100 skilled people. Three recruiters.

"They realize they must have workers that are eager to be constant learners, a characteristic that is necessary to compete in a dynamic and global economy, ..." In other words the globalized economy is one where workets are whipsawed to death. This is the world of constant retreading. At some point exhaustion sets in. Florez has always been a Republican booster, and as such sees a commonality of interest. Such exists, but only to a very limmited degree. Labor has to figure a few things out globally and collectively. They're not getting to get much insight from Florez. BTW, Mr Richards tells it like it is!

Until they invent instant transport over the Internet, I think we're still going to be needing roads. While improving technology and education are good motives and these types of careers may be better fits for some people, I think blue collar jobs are always going to be around and people who can do them well will always be needed.