The work that must be done

Labor Day weekend is leading into a presidential speech about job creation.  Like many families, our holiday dinner of barbecue pork, potato salad, corn-on-the-cob, and iced tea included job discussions.  I spent the weekend with wonderfully bright, educated, articulate and frustrated young adults.  They are part of the generation that is unlikely to achieve the standard of living of their ancestors, and who will struggle to pay off the student loans that should have guaranteed a middle class income.

We all agreed that the best job in the world is creating the special birthday Google homepages.  Thank heaven Freddy Mercury would have been sixty-five on the Tuesday after the long weekend.  That was the boost that got me going back into the work world.

Perhaps the very most "shovel-ready" job is maintaining a healthy family. It is time to cut the workday to seven hours, or the workweek to thirty-six hours so parents can have more quality hours with their offspring.

When parents can be parents, it cuts costs for education, health care, and child care.  When family members care for their elderly similar savings result.

Don't create jobs.  Recognize the work that is already being done.  Help families live with one or 1.5 full time  income.  Improve opportunities for part-time workers who also raise children or care for elderly.


© 2011 Nancy L. Ruder