How to get less from More

Shipyards cannot find Help, even recruiting at High School level for in-house Training programs, and Pay approaching $20/hr. They are covering vast areas, and even importing foreign labor. The main Stumbling Block appears to be aversion of modern Labor to adopt Blue Collar Jobs. Everyone wants to labor from a computer keyboard; but if some sweaty occupation must be endured, nothing which entails special clothing or Protective gear. A Welder has a hot, sweaty Job requiring protective clothing, including the Threat of Burns–both major and minor. A Shipyard has dozens of Jobs similar to that of a Welder, and finds little Interest expressed by the available Labor market. Job Imports from foreign countries even seem to be on the wane, as Labor looks to Automation to even greater degree than Management.

The Shipyards might look to Emporia, Kansas, where there will be an excess of Workers, who will likely not care seriously about Work Conditions. Tyson’s decision to shut down beef slaughter in eastern Kansas doesn’t simply highlight a Switch of beef production to western Kansas, but a major cutback in total beef production because of the ethanol subsidies. I have a running battle with a friend over the issue of more expensive Feed, he naturally taking the position that the subsidies are a Godsend; he being the Producer of several Hundred Thousand bushels of Corn per year. Emporia is only one example, missing 10-14000 Head of beef per day in eastern Kansas which had been previously raised. I expect the entire loss of my native State, Nebraska, would average a 30,000 Head per day loss; remember, We are talking about Two of the most Productive Beef Producer areas in the World. This Process will entirely lack humor for American Housewives.

Another practice which tends to endanger American production, as observed by Tim Haab. Cap-n-Trade inevitably creates the opportunity to make Money by curtailment of Production, this establishing alternative Means to earn without former provision. Little economic preoccupation has been given to this potential Practice, especially in industries with rapid related Increases of ancillary Production Costs. Agriculture utilizes very expensive Fertilizer, and much Fuel, in addition to Water. These three areas often make up half of the Operating Costs of Agriculture. What happens when We make all Three into Cap-n-Trade entities; ask the Co-ops about the hidden Private Sector conversion to Cap-n-Trade for Fertilizer. Some may not understand the danger of paying Producers for not working, but Consumers will eventually feel the difference. lgl