Big Ideas

Next week, the president has scheduled a big speech to propose new measures to create jobs and get the economy going. Reports are that the administration is still has not decided whether to put forth a politically bold plan or propose measures that might pass the Republican Congress. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka had it right when he told the president: "Do not look at what is possible -- look at what is necessary." Republicans have already made this an easy choice.

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Before leaving on vacation President Obama said he is going to talk about creating jobs in September. The latest word is he will give this speech next week. Campaign for America’s Future has put together some ideas for creating jobs. See our series Big Ideas To Get America Working: more »

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If banks took action to eliminate the overhang of underwater mortgages on the economy that would create more 1 million new jobs, keep families in their homes and begin to stabilize the housing market and economy as a whole. Best of all, this solution doesn’t ask those struggling the most to pay again. This solution tells those who caused the mess in the first place to begin to pay for the cleanup.

Writing down principals and interest rates will effectively function as the second stimulus our nation has been desperate for.

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Young Americans are a generation betrayed. Official unemployment is more than 25% for those aged 16-19. That means the real figure is much worse, especially in minority communities and depressed parts of the country. But jobs are scarce for everyone. College students are graduating with record levels of student debt before entering the worst job market for graduates in recent memory.

We're handing them a nation of crumbling infrastructure, lost ambitions, diminished prospects - and a seemingly endless parade of baby-boomer pop culture references, too. They deserve better than this legacy of dust and ashes. Since we've made such a mess of things, why not hire them to build the nation - and the future - that they deserve?

We can do it. Better yet, we can help them do it. A WPA-like program for younger Americans would give them a brighter future by hiring them to rebuild our infrastructure, develop imaginative new business ideas, create alternative energy sources, and become tomorrow’s artists and writers. We can give them control over their own destiny, too.

But first, a look at the mess we've created for them. more »

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At the end of 2010, manufacturing was just 11.7 percent of the economy. If we want to recharge the nation's job-creation machine, we must make manufacturing a larger segment of the economy.

A bold jobs plan aims to boost American manufacturing by insisting that international trade be on a truly level playing field, America adopt a national manufacturing/industrial/economic policy, Congress write into law a "Buy American" policy for government procurement, and the administration execute a plan for capturing the lead in green energy.

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Companies hold back from expanding and rehiring in the face of weak demand for their goods and services. The few jobs that are being created are low-paying positions with declining wages. Given these obstacles, how can we jump-start demand and create the impetus for rehiring that businesses need?

We need meaningful proposals that can help put a little more money in the pockets of millions of Americans who are working but are still financially struggling. Here are three: Raise the minimum wage. Eliminate wage theft. Protect the rights of workers to bargain collectively. (Part IV of a series.)

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Robert Reich will be a featured speaker at the Take Back the American Dream conference, convening in Washington D.C., from October 3 to 5. The following was originally published at RobertReich.com. more »

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I don't think anyone has ever even tried to make the argument that education and jobs are not in any way linked. But the economic argument for education is not well understood even by those -- politicians especially -- who are most apt to make the connection.

So before we demand that political and civic leaders at all levels turn around our troubled economy by increasing investment in public education, we need to get the framing right. You can't blame the bad economy on education. But you can blame education cuts for a bad economy. (Part III of a series.)

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For decades now America has been putting off necessary investments in our public infrastructure—our roads, bridges, airports, ports and waterways, rail, levees, schools, water systems, energy systems, and other public facilities. This infrastructure meets the public’s safety and welfare needs, and supports the nation’s economic growth and competitiveness, but it is falling apart.

At the same time we have a jobs crisis: 13.9 million Americans officially out of work; another 8.3 million working part-time who would want full-time jobs, millions more who have pretty much thrown up their hands in today's stagnant economy.

The answer to both problems is obvious: Put millions of people to work repairing and rebuilding our public infrastructure—now.

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Reports are that the president will unveil new proposals in September on jobs, and challenge the Congress to act. So what would a real jobs agenda look like? The task is not simply to give the economy a stimulus, like a dead car battery that just needs a booster cable and a charge to get it going again. We need to rebuild the engine and modernize the wiring, creating a new strategy for America in the global economy even as we put people back to work. Here are the elements of a real jobs agenda. (Part I of a series.)

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