Without jobs that create value added, like manufacturing, mining and energy generation, nothing will improve quickly. The small business owner will work longer hours for less money. The educated and technically proficient will find little need for their specialized skills. Service workers will have less and less customers to serve.
We need to invest in jobs that will create vital resources. Americans now realize that energy is not only an essential resource, it is a strategic resource. Without it, we are at the mercy of those who have taken the time and effort to supply it. Homegrown energy provides a way to create jobs that create value.
Consider a simple example: residential solar electric and hot water. It can provide construction work tomorrow. Every home to be retrofitted with solar must have a roof ready to perform for years to come. The mass demand for solar products and weatherization fuels multiple industries, while homes and business become long-term power stations.
The only problem is financial. This should be a national effort, but most of us are not creditworthy to borrow the money to make this economic and energy boom possible. But a government guaranteed loan program could make this possible. Isn't it about time our leaders decided to invest in the people and in the technology that will fuel a tangible economy?
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