<p>SH, prosperity brings in the votes!</p>
<p>Look, I have a story, too. Maybe it seems obvious to all, even me, now, but this was back in 1996.
A gal in her late 20’s was helping me out a few hours a week with my kids. It was not anything near a full-time job, but she had good hours, free time, and seemed happy with the arrangement, and was free to fill in her other hours with other work. Meanwhile her mother was pushing for her to work full time, as a nanny, at a store, whatever, and she was having no success finding something like that due to her lack of experience and level of education.</p>
<p>The next thing I knew, she, who was unable to get a job at a shop or as a full-time nanny and barely had a HS degree, announced to me was starting to work full-time for the city government. She proudly declared that she would be getting full benefits, too.
I was in awe that she could achieve this, and wondered how much she would contribute.</p>
<p>While I OF COURSE believe that everyone has a “right” to better themselves via hard work, training, education, savings, it is a quandary as to what is fair and what is not.
This gal was not able to attain such a great arrangement except the way she did. (The actual job was something very low on the totem pole and clerical.)</p>
<p>The Mayor was certainly feathering his nest, as they say. During his multiple terms, he increased the numbers employed by the city by leaps and bounds- this was possible as we were experiencing a very big boom. This was in effect also a kind of welfare or workfare. It stimulated growth privately and benefited society in the sense that she was able to spend more, even save, provide a better home for her children, etc. etc. However, this was done with tax-payers’ dollars- is this a good idea? Was she really productive? AND, it has been MIGHTY HARD for the city to lay off any of these folks- each new mayor promises to cut back, but then gets scared off by the potential for depressing the local economy ST and losing future votes, so we are stuck with a bloated budget even in downtimes (and boy are we hurting now, need I say more…)</p>
<p>I just do not know, either.</p>
<p>Turns out she has been really quite successful and now is one the top honchos at the local DMV! So- go figure!! These things can be very very positive for the individual, just as amassing wealth can be at the top end, but are these things working well as a “system”? for a healthy economy LONG TERM??</p>