Thank you red, white and blue

I just found out about a program that was implemented last year in May of 2009 called the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program or TAA. It is designed to offer people over 50 financial Aid towards educational trade programs, wage supplementation and even tax compensation for health insurance expenses. Sounds great right? The qualifier: you must be over the age of fifty and your job must have been eliminated due to company outsourcing. Outsourcing in a simple definition terms is when jobs and/or manufacturing are moved overseas, which causes people to lose their jobs here. This makes the requirements for eligibility into this program very specific. The way I understand it is, the organization, with the goal to help people re-enter the workforce using their acquired marketable skills and strengths, it may endorse certain training programs, but a person may take part in any approved training up to 104 weeks. The person may also receive unemployment through their training period which can include class time or learning on the job site. Strong emphasis is put on finding suitable choices that will match a person's already acquired skills. I assume this is for obvious reasons, but also to cut costs and allow the process to be timelier. As far as I know a person may use the program towards any new career choice including marketing or even nursing and medical assistant. The latest statistics issued for the program drop off in 2007, but between 2006 and 2007 146,983 people were compensated by the TAA.

I had no idea that such a program had been put into place. While it is an amazing attempt at covering up the lack of trade and outsourcing regulations we impose on big business, it does not erase the facts.

"...at least 3.3 million white-collar jobs and $136 billion in wages will shift from the United States to low-cost countries by 2015.”Forrester Research January 2004

http://www.rttsweb.com/outsourcing/statistics/

It is a result of big business craving more bang for their buck, keeping their revenues and projecting newly acquired shipping, trade and tariff costs upon us. Which is why even though an I-phone is made in Asia (most likely for a dollar or even fifteen dollars,) it is sold to us here for 300. Now imagine that our economy is floating on these inflated prices and balancing on their risks. I suppose that is a whole other economical issue that I don’t fully understand, but I do understand partially how deeply embedded we are into outsourcing. How do we prevent it, how do we bring the jobs back? How would it affect us here to limit or even no longer allow companies to take advantage of weaker (it is not necessarily true that they are weaker, especially in some Asian Countries,) systems overseas?

All I am saying is that when it comes down to it, big business dictates the state of this economy. They formed their companies and while selling us their products and making their big bucks, they are no longer offering us jobs. The money is going elsewhere; to other people in other economies, but at outrageously lower rates than it would here.

What I am really trying to say is, what can you do now about it? You can create a program to help to cushion those who have been affected. Spread a few pillows and blankets over rock bottom.

Thank you red, white and blue. Thank you.