Backup careers / LJWorld.com

Letters to the Editor

Backup careers

By Richard Heckler, Lawrence

May 15, 2012

To the editor:

A four-year degree is not quite enough. Having two or three sources of income is not a bad idea. Why? There are six reasons to keep in mind: 1) mergers, 2) hostile takeovers, 3) leveraged buyouts, 4) free-trade agreements, 5) Reagan/Bush savings and loan home loan scandal killed the economy and cost the U.S. millions of jobs, 6) Bush/Cheney home loan scandal killed the economy and cost the U.S. millions of jobs

All of the above ultimately translates into millions of U.S. job losses. Big-time layoffs are the end result. These jobs go abroad with tax codes that prevent taxation on profits made abroad from U.S. big-name corporations. There was a time when becoming employed by corporate America came with long-term employment, fine wages and dependable retirement benefits. Those days are gone.

After a four-year degree, one might consider a vocational-technical institute to become a highly skilled technician in some field. This will make any college grad more marketable and perhaps open doors to self-employment. Or, if one has the dollars, becoming a career student is as respectable as any other job.

Delicious
Digg
Tumblr
Wordpress
Reddit
Copy and paste the link:

Did_I_say_that 1 year, 1 month ago

For instance one might fancy themselves an economist or political pundit yet, make their living mowing lawns.

If a lawn mower has a reverse gear is that a backup career?

kansasplains1 1 year, 1 month ago

You have a very good idea. I've commented on it extensively in my blog under Reader's Blogs, "My Commencement Speech to KU's Graduates",

But it needs to be part of the university education, not separate from it.

The amount of debt taken on today will not be paid off by many university graduates. A lot of things need to be changed at the university level if we are going to make this system work - and still have middle and lower class families involved, which they must be.

And as for the comment above, commenter "Did I say that", that is not worthy of response. Your letter is far more worthwhile than that absurd comment.

Did_I_say_that 1 year, 1 month ago

Yet, respond to it you did.

To consider the comment absurd you would have to downplay the economic value of owning a lawn service. Many college graduates have earned their way out of college debt through lawn mowing and landscaping.

Please explain what is so absurd (other than the rhetorical pun)...

Repubs fear a dramatically improved quality of life for all WOULD keep them out of control for decades….. we would hope.

Repubs:

Fear a dramatically improved quality of life for all americans
Fear Jobs Jobs Jobs for americans
Fear New USA industry thus new wealth for america
Fear new cleaner energy sources because it would create so many new jobs
Fear Improved Medicare Insurance for All = huge tax dollar savings to government,public schools,small business and all of us in general. Single Payer Medicare is the answer. http://www.healthcare-now.org/
Fear Clean Collar Industries which produce jobs that cannot be outsourced
Fear educated Americans because educated Americans ask questions

The bottom line:

BRING ON EMPLOYMENT = THE GREATEST REPUBLICAN FEAR ON EARTH!!!

snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 1 month ago

How many hundreds of times have you posted this same text, merrill? Do you even keep count?

merrill 1 year, 1 month ago

The new RINO GOP platform has come to this:

1. The Reagan/Bush Savings and Loan Heist(Cost taxpayers $1.4 trillion) http://rationalrevolution0.tripod.com/war/bush_family_and_the_s.htm

Move Your Money http://moveyourmoneyproject.org/

1. Wall Street Bank Fraud on Consumers under Bush/Cheney sent the economy out the window costing taxpayers many many trillions. http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2009/0709macewan.html

Move Your Money http://moveyourmoneyproject.org/

1. Only 3 financial institutions were at risk in spite of what Americans were told http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/10/good_billions_after_bad_one_year

Move Your Money http://moveyourmoneyproject.org/

1. Social Security Insurance AT Risk for no reason( This would cost taxpayers $4 trillion, add $300 billion to the debt each of the next 20 years, place taxpayers insurance money at risk and wreck the economy) http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2010/0111orr.html

Why vote republican ever again considering the candidates are not republicans?