Your Opinion: Modern approach needed on jobs, poverty

Dear Editor:

I wanted to I take this opportunity to thank Judy Baumgartner for her recent letter. I support the ideas she put forth in her piece, especially her position on those who bash the poor.

There are many who need the assistance of government and it should be no crime that they get it. The rub here is many that chastise those on government assistance are on government assistance themselves in the form of Medicare and Social Security.

It's said that the poor just don't work. Is that so? Do folks realize that wages paid from employers such as McDonalds and Walmart are not enough to lift one out of poverty and that these jobs are most often worked by adults, not high school kids.

The big problem here is that many view today's world through the lenses of yesterday. In the past there were factory jobs, mechanics shops in abundance, appliance repairmen, television repairmen, and such. Those jobs are gone. Many factories have moved overseas. Most mechanic work is done by dealerships due to the sophistication of today's automobiles and Americans can't get appliances and TVs repaired, as manufacturers are making disposable appliances, often assembled overseas.

It is said that for every one job there are three applicants. Many of today's jobs require a special set of skills that are not readily available in the workforce at present. This is why we need to promote education and job training. Not all good jobs require a degree but many require special training and in order to keep those jobs here our state and country we need to respond to those needs.

Just last night I heard a report on KBIA from folks in the know that said that states around us that have accepted Medicaid dollars are creating thousands of new jobs for their states and they will be recruiting health care professionals from Missouri, offering them better jobs at better pay.

Again our tin-hatted legislature has taken its blind hate for President Obama and manifested it in cuts and delays which are going to cost our state thousands and thousands of dollars as well as huge losses in jobs and availability of health care opportunities for Missouri. Then folks compound the stupidity by re-electing these guys.

Also Washington needs to get off its backside and pass jobs legislation. Where are the jobs, Congressman Luetkemeyer?