Energy jobs

(By Mark Nelson via Examiner.com)

Why do empty nesters always have to announce their freedom? They maybe the most wild people on the planet. The movie, "About Schmidt" is a perfect example of unspeakable "Empty Nester" behavior. The only thing missing in that mobile home monster was a wet bar and a hot tub. He had everything all figured out, even his last day of work. Down to the last tick of the clock. Although, his planning went awry, at the death of his wife. Ironic times have hit the world, economies balanced on the tip of a moment in time. We never thought a "Great Depression" could happen again. The cycle of recession occurred much sooner than it had in the past. Our parents and grandparents described the bottom of that "Depression" and today's economic slope still looks slippery at the moment. They always gave us warnings about debt and paying cash, it is advice that should still be followed.

Does anyone ever plan anymore?
Many people have done things right, an education, worked very hard to provide for their families and now they face the most difficult times since the depression. They are lawyers, carpenters, teachers, programmers, engineers, journalists, power workers and the list goes on. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has spent or made commitments to spend about $287 million in federal stimulus funding, about 92 percent of the $311 million that the agency received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Will it generate jobs or merely infuse money into deeply strapped government departments?

Worker Program Administration (WPA)
It is unfortunate that a jobs program similar to the one created during the depression couldn't have been enacted with this money. Although, there was corruption and waste in those programs, it should be understood that no one would tolerate that kind of behavior today. Jobs are needed for both those on the unemployment roles and those who fell off those roles long ago. National unemployment estimates are above 25%. That is close to 75 million people out of work. Our government and businesses are frozen in fear of taking the wrong step.

The horse before the cart
It seems we should have solved the employment problems first. While congress debates the issue of health care, which is of great need. It seems to be a "Great Diversion" from the critical employment problems at hand. If you have people working at jobs that generate income, they can pay for things like health care programs. Sounds simple.

Minnesotans need to take the reins and demand a employment direction for the state. It's clear that a contingency plan for jobs in a major breakdown was not considered. Arrogance by politicians on both sides of the isle continues to plague those who work for a living.

Consider this...
Each time an innovation in energy occurs, it increases a society's ability to advance technologically, intellectually and as humans. It doesn't require a military budget of a Manhattan Project or a war to accomplish a new era.

This state can accomplish this next step, but not without the strength of a massive effort in renewable energy jobs on all levels and of every kind, especially in the manufacturing sector where production has always played a role in creating strong economies. As a manufacture of a world commodity, Minnesota's renewable energy industry will also create more diverse service jobs. This would create a revenue stream again and continue the solid movement away from the "old" generation of energy (coal, oil, gas and Nuclear).

Fear of change is worse than the change itself. Even old Schmidt figured out what to do next.

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