Lum wrote:
the idea of the state dictating what career you end up assigned to is not an idea that sits easily with me.
Thats a little harsh way of interpreting it. I'm all in favour of people choosing career paths, helping people train in their chosen path, and when they claim dole, trying to make full use of any abilities they have. I'm not in favour of professional oprah-addicts living on my cash.
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You point about the farmers is an interesting one. I suspect most of these million unemployed live in cities or suburbs a long way from the nearest fruit farm, any improved earnings from taking on a seasonal job like that will be obliterated in transport costs so may as well just stay on the dole.
Yes, all those largely empty trains
leaving the cities in the mornings and
returning at night. Commuting against the flow has many benefits, I'm sure a deal can be worked out.
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The fact of the matter is there are some parts of the country where there is just no work. My stepbrother has recently finished full-time education and is unable to find a job, even the local McDonalds had 500 applicants for a single position. I don't think he's ready to leave home just yet (like he can afford it as an unemployed teenager) but whilst my family lives where it does he's basically screwed. All the further education courses he wanted to do were oversubscribed and thus he got rejected from those.
In a years time he'll be no different, on paper, from all those chavs who have no intention of ever holding a job and for the state to then turn around and say "right, from now on you're a toilet cleaner" seems somewhat harsh.
I wish all the best for your brother, but I'm sure if he's got his head screwed on right he'll understand the concept of there's "no free lunches." And if he's got skills and aptitude he won't be cleaning bogs.
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Oh and you wont get the coal mines re-opened. It's OMG! Fossil Fuel. Plus I suspect the residents in mining areas will be somewhat resentful of their old jobs being given to hardened criminals, or at least unhappy about hardened criminals being shipped into their area daily.
the coal will be painted green and called eco-coal. Eviromentalists buy any old rubbish if it's sold right. seriously, I'm not convinced there's too much mileage left in eco-mentalism, a house of cards always collapses in time. Ex coal-miners will be needed to train and supervise the convicts.