Saturday, July 11, 2009

Money & Business

Capital Commerce

The Green Collar Job Myth

August 27, 2008 01:47 PM ET | James Pethokoukis | Permanent Link | Print

Jimmy P. at the DNC—Another staple of the many convention speeches is the claim that Obamanomics, via government "investment," will create five million "green collar" jobs. But here's the thing: These jobs are, for the most part, not the kind of gigs many middle class folks would have much interest in doing: bike repair, hazardous material cleanup, landscaping, tree cutting, attic insulation, large-scale green waste composting.

Then again, these jobs really aren't geared toward the middle class to begin with. A 2007 report by the city of Berkeley—of course!—described the potential pool of applicants for green collar jobs this way: "Youth and adults who do not have a high school degree, have been out of the labor market for a long time, were formerly incarcerated, have limited education and/or labor market skills." So basically we're are talking about matching low-skill folks with low-wage jobs. For the really high-paying green jobs, you have to look at the firms being created by entrepreneurs and financed by venture capital, with or without federal tax subsidies. But there's been no mention of that in Denver.

Tags: careers | environment | Democratic National Convention

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Reader Comments

Turbo Tax

Badly need your help. When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of the reality.

I am from Marshall and too poorly know English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Do synthroid help you lose weight while maintaining and treating hypothyroidism?"

Thanks :o. Arley.

Obama & Geothermal Energy

What does Obama have in mind for Geothermal Energy Power Plants?

Geothermal power plants have a small footprint and are base load generators. (that means 24/7). They are completely GREEN and require no fuel other than the heat found in the earth.

This country could easily build thousands of them. What would this mean? A Million plus jobs both in const. & operation. We could export much more coal. Much less dependance on foreigh oil. Reduce money going to foreign countries. It would revese the trend of trade deficits. It really is a no brainer. But we hear very little about it, WHY??

"Has not the Republican government already written rules to favor ethanol? In a way that impinges on the jobs of oil workers? Not to mention raising world prices of food?"

They (along with Barack Obama and Dems, who voted for the bill that John McCain didn't) have passed the bill that encourages ethanol production that impedes on development of jobs in the energy sector, as well as cut jobs that are already existing. But this has occurred way before this. We can also look back at the legislation passe that banned offshore drilling both by the Democratically controlled Congress and by Bush Sr. and see how that has impacted jobs in the energy sector. But noticed I said "politician". This is not a partisan issue, but a bipartisan one when it comes to favoring certain industries. And it need not be oil. Look at farm and sugar subsidies.

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About the Capital Commerce Blog

Send an E-mail to mbandyk@usnews.com.

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital. Reach him by email at mbandyk@usnews.com.

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