Fannie LeFlore
Activist Post
September 4, 2012
Recent economic indicators from the Federal Government estimate that up
to 23 million people are out of work or underemployed in America.
Solutions exist that could change things practically overnight, but are
not implemented. As the economic free-fall continues to plague millions
of individuals and families struggling to make a decent living, and if
governmental options are available but nothing is being done to solve
the problem, the central question is why?
One reason is that many public officials claim the government is broke,
suggesting that too much debt leaves few to no resources to support job
development and employment training initiatives -- but that’s not quite
the case. Nationally-recognized attorney, activist and author Van Jones
and his Rebuild the Dream organization are launching a new campaign to
change the way we talk about our economy and debt. Jones says it's
crucial that we don't buy the myth that America is broke, while today's
robber barons set the terms of the debate and make off like bandits with
taxpayer funds due in part to not paying their fair share in taxes and
using corporate money for their own benefit. "We are not broke, we are
being robbed,” Jones said, as the basis for Rebuild the Dream’s platform
for bottom-up, people-powered activism efforts to help fix the U.S.
economy.
What’s not so clear is just how the American people (that would be me
and you) are being robbed. But much evidence points to businesses being
routinely excluded from governmental opportunities that could
significantly improve the economy. This is relevant because research
shows most new jobs evolve from entrepreneurial activity (small
business), while large enterprises struggle with manageability,
generally do not grow organically, or remain stagnant except when they
buy existing small companies.
Politicians, both in the Republican and Democratic parties, send mixed messages about priorities and shift blame.
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