A reply to Robert Reich’s open letter
Robert Reich, the former Labor Secretary, is currently a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. UC Berkeley should be embarrassed at the shoddy quality of Reich’s intellectual engagement. Over the weekend, he posted an “Open Letter to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michelle Malkin” in reply to our criticism of his recent House testimony in favor of color-coded stimulus spending.
He indignantly accuses critics of twisting his words:
In a time like this, when tempers are riding high and many Americans are close to panic about their jobs and finances, you have a special responsibility to consider the accuracy of what you say and the consequences of inflammatory and erroneous statements. In the last few days, manifestly distorting my words and pulling them out of context, you have accused me of wanting to exclude white males from jobs generated by the stimulus package.
Whines Reich:
Anyone who takes a moment to examine what I actually said and wrote knows this to be an absurd misrepresentation of my position (see this).
Reich’s lone citation to prove his accusation? Media Matters!
Reich refuses to link my post on the subject because I provided full context for his remarks — quoting both his testimony and his blog post advocating for government racial preferences favoring unskilled and non-white workers over skilled and white workers.
Let me quote Reich again from his blog post:
The stimulus plan will create jobs repairing and upgrading the nation’s roads, bridges, ports, levees, water and sewage system, public-transit systems, electricity grid, and schools. And it will kick-start alternative, non-fossil based sources of energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and so on); new health-care information systems; and universal broadband Internet access.
It’s a two-fer: lots of new jobs, and investments in the nation’s future productivity.
But if there aren’t enough skilled professionals to do the jobs involving new technologies, the stimulus will just increase the wages of the professionals who already have the right skills rather than generate many new jobs in these fields. And if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most — women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed — will be shut out.
What to do? There’s no easy solution to either dilemma…
People can be trained relatively quickly for these sorts of jobs, as well as many infrastructure j0bs generated by the stimulus — installing new pipes for water and sewage systems, repairing and upgrading equipment, basic construction — but contractors have to be nudged both to provide the training and to do the hiring.
I’d suggest that all contracts entered into with stimulus funds require contractors to provide at least 20 percent of jobs to the long-term unemployed and to people with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. And at least 2 percent of project funds should be allocated to such training. In addition, advantage should be taken of buildings trades apprenticeships — wich must be fully available to women and minorities.
The House testimony and exchange with Rangel make absolutely clear that Reich intends the “criteria” for the 20 percent/2 percent set-asides to be race-based:
Partial transcript:
REICH: …”I am concerned, as I’m sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high-skilled people who are already professionals or to white male construction workers…I have nothing against white male construction workers, I’m just saying there are other people who have needs as well.”
And as you’ll note from both my post and the actual video clip, Rep. Rangel is ready, willing, and able to push the race-based program much further.
Reich now pretends that you can create exclusionary, race-based earmarks and “not exclude anyone from access:”
My goal is and has always been to create as many opportunities for as wide a group as possible, and not exclude anyone from access. There is and has never been any ambiguity about this.
Spoken like a true, smug academic living in fantasy land.
Concludes Reich:
Words and ideas have real world consequences, and you have demonstrated a cavalier disregard for both.
Pot. Kettle.
***
Related: Day by Day’s Chris Muir tackles the Reich racial set-asides.
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Reich said:
It’s only a matter of time before they launch an “Internet Fairness Doctrine.”
I’d pay real money to hear a lefty admit “I was wrong” just once before I die, instead of playing this “my words were taken out of text” and “I’m sorry if I offended” anybody BS.
Closest thing we’ve ever had is Tom Hanks saying, “I still think Mormons are un-American, but I’m sorry I called them un-American,” pseudo-apology.
UNREAL.
The video speaks volumes.
You say he works at Berkely? How shocking.
I think that is really what explains his outrage. I guess all his family and friends think he’s always the smartest guy in the room and never question anything he says.
Funny how when liberals stick their feet in their mouths they try to blame everyone else.
Spoken like a true, smug academic living in fantasy land.
perfect…
in othe words…
You go out and train a junkie to work a band saw, I’ll stay here and drink caffe au “lays” with my grad student acolytes…
Somebody should tell Reich to actually get out and spend some time at few construction sites. Any stimulus spending devoted to construction isn’t going to benefit whites or blacks nearly as much as Hispanics, a very high percentage of them here illegally. As usual, an out of touch liberal elitist opens mouth and spews nonsense about things he knows nothing about except what he has read in a sudy by another liberal elitist.
We are so screwed.
Good post.
You beat me to it.
The socialists are so predictably lame and phony with their “taken out of context” bul**hi*.
Such dangerous, immature, adolesecent hypocrites and fools.
Reminds me of a joke:
Reich started it.
Standard issue liberal tactic – right out of the handbook.
“I’m going to claim you do what I’m actually doing in order to deflect any criticism of my policies off on to you.”
Of course, the MSM will simply be a liberal echo chamber.
Someone needs to put together a top 10/20 list of all the excuses (and get away with) these crapweasels have used over the past year.
The elitist like Reich and Obama have no problem making stupid comments like this then coming back and declaring they were misquoted. Why? The msm will side with them and protect them.
The Obama presidency is well on it’s way to escalating a race war while spending this county into an abyss of failed business, record debt and raising taxes that hit every American. To top it off he will ensure we lose the war.
It would be nice if the Americans worried about their jobs were the intellectual half-wits in academia.
The responsibility is yours, and you are making the inflammatory statements.
Can’t we all just get along? Reich is good hearted to people of like mind. Too bad some of us don’t qualify for his good heartedness.
It would be cheaper to just give a check to the 20% set aside bunch.That kind of work is hard and they will not like it.A 6 month job will end up taking 6 years.If you are in the 20% they probably won’t be able to fire you for doing nothing or substandard work.If they can let you go then the unemployment checks kick in.Win-win for the 20’s,bad news for the employers.
Like most liberals, they speak in circles hoping you’re mind will get dizzy trying to figure out what they said. Then they throw the “victim” into the mix trying to garner sympathy and throw you off track regarding the original premise, leaving the conversation smugly as if they’d just mastered the art of debate.
The new Press Secretary, Gibbs, has double-speak down to a science. If ever there was someone who could say so little in so many words, it has to be him.
Which reminds me, when the MSM quotes some of Rushs’ jokes as serious commentary does Media Matters ever stand by Rushs’ side?
responsibility for actions and words is a two way street mr reich. when you call for racial quotas it is unfair, illegal and divisive. when conservatives say blacks are 7 times more likely than whites to be in prison, on welfare, involved in drugs, and passing out hiv, liberals scream racial bias. No sir, just facts. the supreme court banned racial quotas, yet you seem perfectly happy imposing them. who is the racist sir?
Saul Alinsky strikes again….. I would suggest that all read his handbook for radicals and memorize it. Reich is doing what all of Alinsky’s disciples know well. Don’t address the truth, repeat the falsity and attack the character of the truth teller.
I believe liberals are now calling those hate facts.
Anyone that believes jobs should be accorded based on race or gender, is, by definition, a racist and/or a sexist.
Reich, you’re a loser too. It’s way past time you got out and visited a real construction site and talked with people that actually WORK for a living.
Just because Reich wants to exclude whites from jobs doesn’t mean he wants to exclude whites from jobs. Er, no.
Just because Reich wants to make race a fundamental factor in reallocating wealth doesn’t mean he wants to make race a fundamental factor in reallocating wealth. Er, no.
Maybe we should exclude certain short, white academics living in a fantasy land from testifying in Congress on any and all topics. Or would that be racist?
True, although I prefer the term Liberal Fascist or perhaps just Marxist/Leninist. Whatever the term I do agree President Obama, Robert Reich, Eric Holder and others are all pushing us towards a race war.
How the Army acts in such a situation is yet to be seen which I believe is why President Obama wants his alternative Security Services. That the FBI and other Federal police services will sell their souls is a given-they have done it repeatably. Sadly in any race war the wrong people get hurt.
—
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Dear Closed minded phonebook percher,
SCREW YOU and your antiAmerican commie ideas. YOU mini sir have been a laughing point for years, I can assure you Americans will not be taken over by the lollipop gang.
with no love lost, B
ops guess my last post was too honest
was banned short version
I am taking bets how far the runt can be drop kicked.
am open for bowling if people prefer
You mean there are still people who listen to Robert Reich?
The new Irwin Corey, only with added racism.
Reich is just pissed because Bilbo Baggins said he was too small to leave the Shire.
Az,
agree and oddly they think they will bunker their way thru and land on their feet. They hate America PERIOD
spit spit spit
Sam,
LOL their arrogance will be their demise
The Left will overreach as usual. When it finally dawns on Middle America what these kitchen table Marxists are up to, the proverbial crap will hit the fan. It is already beginning to sink in with reports of “man-made global warming” falling off the public’s priority list.
Attacks on the latest bail-out “plan” are coming from all sides now, and the lunacy of ’30s-style socialist big government mythology is finally becoming evident. The little jug-eared sock puppet and his handlers are already dissembling as fast as they can and employing the Alinsky Marxist Technique #13 on all their perceived enemies – right now it’s Rush Limbaugh. Prior to that it was GW, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”
See the Byron York interview with Rush:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTU5MjE3MmQ0NWU1Zjc1YzYyMDE1NzNmZmM2MzYxMmI= Hilarious and right on target.
Maybe America can springboard off this latest and most horrific government-caused economic disaster to have a constitutional amendment banning socialst wealth and property theft schemes once and for all. Selah….
Dear Closed minded phonebook percher,?
Serious issue, but that did make me laugh-well done bansharia.
let us not be distracted by the pygmies,
obambi has many decrees from on high this week… why hire hillary ( raw meat to the deathcult ) for state when he sends a man to mideast? sharia dickplomacy hopey changey stuff
after all the cabinet structure is passe to the obambi…
On January 26th, 2009 at 9:11 am, FilmLadd said:
You’re on your game, FL!I read where some guy named David Denby is already setting the stage for such legislation, by penning a scathing new book against I-net posters and bloggers and the need for “e-regulation.”
AZ that runt has made me barf for years
I decided to consult my copy of the constitution (from the Heritage Foundation) to see if I could find anything about construction jobs and limitations on white skin — nothing. It made me wonder why an administration could impose anything of the sort. Then I looked up the word tyranny (oppression, dictatorship, autocracy, domination). Then I went back to the constitution and looked up the second amendment.
Red,
I for one don’t care what obambi voters think or if they have some quasi epiphany. The lines were drawn they are not welcome back to America PERIOD.
SWN,
God created em for a reason and my Family and others used
That Pesky You Tube, shouldn’t the Google Boys be censoring CSPAN
Here comes the…..
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine Fairness Doctrine
From random heresay –
Economics: “The Dismal Science”
How are Economics and Weather Forecasting similar? They’re professions where you can be right about 50% of the time and still keep your job (maybe a little less for the academic brand of Economist).
(etc)
Here’s a site dedicated to Economist/Economics jokes:
http://netec.mcc.ac.uk/JokEc.html
PS. Oh, Reich, you’re still a loser.
My personal fear is that I can’t seem to find the “Middle American”. I think that we have a long, trying experience in front of us, and it will feel like we are all alone. Middle America disapeared.
we are now the UNTIED States of America, obambi made that official in his new air quality decree from on high today. Zero understanding how any POTUS can give one state more/less rights than another but so it goes shall be praised for.
vulgarity warning:
Gives new meaning to a giant sucking sound….
sorry
Again with Mr. REICH, the concept that everyone is equal… Only, once again we find that some are more equal than others… Quotas have not worked in the past, and will not work on THE CRAPSANDWICH either…
thejim,
you find sanctuary in fence sitters?
me I dont let them or dems past my curb
Sooooo….we arrived at this financial mess because the govt. ordered the financial institutions to give loans to people who could not afford them.
…..and the solution to this problem is to rebuild our infrastructure by giving bailout $$$$$ to people who probably have no skills in the construction industry…….
Sounds like a plan!
If Whites don’t have jobs, I don’t know how they will pay the reparations that Representative Conyers contemplates in House Resolution #40 (emphasis mine):
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/bills/?bill=12489961
About This Legislation:
1/6/2009–Introduced. Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act – Establishes the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans to examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies.
Fam,
I agree the runt is not below being a stooge to further a commie agenda.
Was my first thought as well why single out these three?
psst we can see thru you runt even tho we have to lower our eyes!!
You don’t need to be an “academic” (i.e. someone smart) to know the meanings of “inclusion” and “exclusion” and know they they are not mutually exclusive.
What a silly, screeching, twit you are.
What to do? In my little world the thing to do would be to let the contract to the one most capable of doing the job. Then let THEM hire the un-skilled people to do the work. As the unskilled work, they become skilled. As they become skilled, they can bid on jobs too. But that’s too rational for Reich.
Sorry for the extra post, but I forgot to name the source of that info. I found it on AtlasShrugs
Ah, heck, I can’t resist. Reich is a mental midget.
Will there be any program to help little Bobby to grow taller? I think his high opinion of himself and his intellectual stature has stunted his physical height.
Since the nation and its DemocRAT leaders live in a fantasy world, would it not be appropriate to restart the TV show, “Fantasy Island,” and let little Bobby say, “The plane, the plane!” President BO can play the the role Ricardo Monte Balm did as well as respond to reporters asking what the US will use to protect our nation from Iranian nukes by saying, “Fine Corinthian leather.”
I noticed the comments on his blog have been scrubbed squeaky clean and then closed. Lots o’ talk about “hate speech”.
You, and Hannity & Rush, point out his blatant racism (captured on video) and he claims “out of context”, while his zombies scream “hate speech”…
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Remember, the first item on the agenda for every genocidal, dictator/communist/socialist regime is to ban private ownership of weapons or make it so extremely difficult the effect is the same.
An unarmed society is the easiest to rule over.
Better be arming yourselves before you won’t be able to. The liberals are going to take advantage of the agenda they’ve been wanting to push for a very long time.
Ah, yet another entry in the reasoned, persuasive political discourse of the left.
To quote your god, “grow up”
Pol,
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Maybe you should encourage AP to provide the “full context of his remarks” before he starts asking whether Rush Limbaugh is a “traitor” in regards to his “I hope he fails.” comment.
Henry, any dissent will be called racism or hate speach.
Lil Bobby Reich is a Napoleon-complex d-bag leftover from the Clinton administration.
Did i say this out loud?
There are too few minority and women-owned construction companies large enough to handle, on a cost-effective basis, the infrastructure projects ObingoWingoDingo has planned .
These arent just pick and shovel, chain gang types of projects. They require engineering, heavy equipment, etc etc etc. And in rural areas, where most of this work is going to be done, what is the minority population makeup besides illegals? Rather scant. In the SF Bay Area, a different story. But how many minority owned companies will be able to handle the work that will be made available to do? Set-asides are not a solution. Fair bidding process is.
Give everyone a fair shot at the bidding process.
But a setaside? Which projects get set aside?
Which projects are going to have to have 20 percent poor people working on them?
Are contractors going to have to go comb the streets of Podunkville OH or Bizzaroville, CA to find poor folks and minorities in order to be competitive in this “fair” process? Flippin stupid. It isnt going to happen.
And as far as the “poor” are concerned? When they decide that the welfare payments, SSI, disability payments, and other aid payments are a net financial gain for them over low wages and taxes state and federal– and therefore NOT WORTH GIVING UP in order to get a dead end job “rebuilding infrastructure— what do the white male contractors do then in order to get some play in this rigged boondoggle? And even tougher, what about the minority-owned businesses who wont be able to find labor that meets government rules and perhaps have to hire out of union halls etc?
MESS. Another word for “Reich”.
Subcontracting? Sure. Again, give everybody a fair shot at the bidding process.
Setasides? Invites corruption. Big time corruption and the work wont get done.
On another intentionally personal note: Reich is a lunatic. He has never as much as lifted a hammer or worn steel-toed boots in his life. What does he know beside public sector gravy trains?
Pork is greasy and goes bad fast when left out in the light of day, Lil Bobby.
This is exactly why I oppose hate crime laws. Because a thought can now be a crime. The STATE gets to decide what is okay thought and what is not.
Sadly, this concept has really not been a major factor in Federal contracting for some time now (I have a little experience in this area). Layers of “preferred sources/providers”, quotas, non-competitive bids, etc. all coalesce to define a process that does business based upon who you are, not what you can do, how well you can do it, and oh, then there’s the price thing too. <- IMHO, based upon my experience.
Did I say that Reich is still a loser?
OK, now I did.
A very apt description of Reich. Of course, I’m certain that’s where it was directed, and not to our lovely hostess.
My father used to say “never trust a man with no neck” I never understood that until now.
As far as Rangel is concened, he’s not worried about wealth redistribution. All of his money is in off shore tax shelters and multiple rent controlled “offices” in New York.
Even without looking, I just knew that sharp riposte must have come from self-proclaimed genius “eaglehaslanded.”
What else would you expect from an adolescent clown still in high school who writes this?:
Interesting…Pretty soon the whites will be the slaves, as they will be the only people paying taxes to support everyone else. How long before the wealthy and productive decide it isn’t worth it, pick up their toys (businesses providing jobs and taxes) and go home?
His side won – I don’t see what he gets out coming here long enough to call a few names and take a swipe or two at MM, then just as quickly flit away. It’s to MM’s credit and long suffering patience, that he’s still here.
Speaking of silly, screeching twits, do we know who the troll was that was banned last weekend?
Its hard to take that so called man seriously. When he cant even ride on space mountain because he cant reach mickey hand .
For all you “Wild, Wild West” fans of that long gone 60s western show featuring Robert Conrad as Jim West, and his sidekick Artemis Gordon—-
Reich bears an uncanny resemblance to the hyper-shorty bad guy Dr. Miguelito Lovelace.
It’s all in the walk. ROFLMAO
I can rewrite that whole letter in one paragraph:
Cannot disagree…but, please do not insult that fine actor, Michael Dunn, who played Dr. Loveless, and who dies way too young.
er,…died…
Apologies.
“Preview”, interestingly, works on some threads, and not on others.
Either he is a NASA fan or he is one of the loons who believes the moon landing was faked. I’m betting on the latter.
the cameras dont lie… re Michael Dunn and Lil Bobby….. what can i say ROFLMAO
Obama keeps on harping that he is going to create 3 million jobs out of this stimulus, but nobody ever said where all these people will come from. I’m expecting a lot of jobs he is talking about will go to illegals. And I don’t see any job listings to get millions off of welfare so we can save some money there.
Excellent Michelle, the twerp makes statements that are as plain as day and widely quoted. You and others call him on those statements, then he responds by falsely accusing you of lying.
He’s a Marxist and a racist and he doesn’t want to be exposed as such. Well done Michelle, and thanks for the original and complete report on that character.
Michelle — Could you ask Mr. Reich which unskilled laborers built his house or how many long-term unemployed folks are working for him.
It’s scary to envision a world where being unskilled is an advantage — wait — I wasn’t thinking about teaching. Yes, academics excell through the lack of actual skills or experience.
I wasted about an hour on Reich’s blog giving the “intellectuals” the equivalent of hoisting them up by their underwear. I had to hold my tongue with so many small minded professors that it is a real treat when someone shines a light on the underpinnings of their reasoning and it is shown to be anything but intelligent. Thanks to MM for helping Reich to thoroughly de-legitimatize himself.
Hands up who wants unskilled day laborers putting in the wiring in their homes….
No???
Hi Everybody!
Commenting to keep Dad’s acct. active. Dad is doing well enough.
Orders were cut for me to return CONUS, but recinded due to changes requested by POTUS transition office. (not just me, folks, most everyone who does what I do…)
Another note:
Wife is 4ft10in, v. petite. (98#)
Reads MM’s site.
Offers cage match w/Reich, terms:
(1) winner keeps Obie,
(2) loser wears clown costume on TV, (yes, Robert, incl. the nose…) for 2yrs. Other photo-ops, 1yr.
(3) loser can only use a whiteboard for public statements. Colorfuls ink markers negotible.
Bets, anyone?
I’m sure MM would post Reich’s answer here.
(I think my wife can take him, even though Stumpy’s got the age advantage…)
Ah, money …. the cureall for everything. It will transform a failed project into a sucessful one, provide skills to the unskilled worker and transform the unproductive into Mensa members. We are so screwed!
I do simply hate to be cavalier with the whole race taken to extremes things, but here in Colorado we already have a winter 20 percent/2 percent program.
We have 20% cliffs that are just waiting outside of the Denver city limits for unknowing tourists to drive off of ….(highly DANGEROUS! I dont recommend even attempting to drive in Colorado! Locals only, please I beg you)
And we have 98% white snow and 2% black ice. It the ice you have to worry about because it sneaks up on you, even in the daytime! Theres no way to protect yourself OR your family.
Yellow snow is very rare but is usually located around night clubs and college campuses about 2:15 AM on Sat/Sun mornings if you know where to look. It can be toxic, but if you take proper precations and avoid the wind, its a negligible risk.
Be careful out there…
I just wonder why he doesn’t resign, since he’s a white male taking up some minority person’s slot at Berkeley.
Come on Bob, live your ideals.
Hey!!! Can somebody bump me another hit of that crank over here? Im finished with this drywalling down here, so now Im gonna start wiring this s#!$ now…. Larry Joe, go grab me another power strip this ones all full too
(Come on sonny, if bubba can build a meth lab, surely he can splice a simple 3-phase induction motor with aluminum wiring [copper is too valuable for the lab] into his power grid )
RabbidSquirrel: Imagine a person who’s highest qualification is his skin color setting up a nuclear reactor. —shuuudddderrrr—-
Personally, I think Reich is making a fairly pragmatic argument – we don’t want to create a stimulus package that does not help those for whom it was created. If minorities are the worst hit by the financial crisis/recession, why shouldn’t we try to target them in the stimulus package? (of course this is based on the premise that minorities have been hurt the worst, but MM does not argue this point).
I know people here think it’s racist to be conscious of race, so the argument most likely will fall on deaf ears. Ah well.
BLUESOC, Great, let them submit bids like everyone else. Point is if we want to be “post-racial” lets actualy do that instead of playing PC games.
Robert Reich is an Obamaton team player, like most liberals his social engineering agenda hasn’t changed since 1965 and neither has Rangel’s.
With a radical in the WH liberals are feeling pretty bold.
3 scenarios on that:
a) Hey!!! Can somebody bump me another hit of that crank over here? Im finished pouring this concrete down here, so now Im gonna start wiring this s#!$ now…. Hey, Larry Joe, quick flicking the light switch. … whys this s#!$ glowing??
b) Pass the chronic, yo, I gots to chill for a while. My ho’s and I fixin to get all blinged up in dis mofo’er.
c) Que paso, homes… chu no my seester…
.
Did it ever occur to the mental midget that there is a reason for the long term poor and long term unemployment is that these people are not the best employees in the world nor do they have a good work ethic. If these idiots want to do social experimentation, put their money where there mouths are and hire them yourselves.
Bobby boy, would you like to pony up and give a little skin?
It probably did, and he probably rejected it. I think your analysis is overly simplistic.
Your argument only works if there are already minorities competing for construction jobs. If that is not currently the case, it is unlikely that minorities will be helped by a stimulus package that focuses on construction work.
I think Reich takes, as a premise, that minorities are not involved in the construction industry. IF minorities are the hardest hit, it does not make sense to focus on an industry that does not directly benefit those who are most in need.
Federal Contracting guidelines already have set-asides (if the contract stipulates it). Some of the categories: Minority Owned, Women Owned, Veteran Owned, Diasbled Veteran Owned and HUBZone. As a former buyer for a Govt. subcontractor, I was mandated by the SBA (Small Business Administration) to buy a certian percentage of all purchases from the different categories above. My mind swims thinking what my job would be like if my company was also dictated to whom they could hire to fulfill another contract clause.
The long-term unemployed are comprised, primarily, of 3 groups:
1. Ex-cons/felons (people with a significant criminal record or history)
2. People with significant disabilities. In fact, the unemployment rate for certain sub-groups approaches 90% in some cases.
3. “All Other” – those unable to get/hold a job because of substance abuse problems, the part-time worker seeking full-time but never landing such a job, people ‘blacklisted’ for whatever reason, etc. etc.
Not that I’m not taking sides in the preceding discussion necessarily, but, I just wanted to point out that the subject matter has at least 2 or 3 dimensions to it. Some people are likely unemployed for faults of their own; others? …not so much.