The Real Problem

This article claims Trump is a final warning to elites. Specifically, the (Canadian) author says elites need to come up with policies that "play to Peoria." He cites NAFTA and the "war on coal" as examples, and asks what is somebody who gets "C's" in high school supposed to do.

Here's the dirty little secret. First, coal. What's causing the coal-mining industry to collapse is methane, AKA natural gas. Thanks to fracking, natural gas is cheap. It's a fluid, thus easier to work with, generates no ash and very little stack pollutants. In short, coal is on the way out.

Second, factory jobs. US industrial output is up and has been increasing for some time. But the number of industrial workers hasn't been going up as fast. Simply put, more and more factory jobs are automated. The biggest industry not automated, garment making, is running offshore. (That's why your skivvies are made in Bangladesh.) A change in trade policy can bring some of those garment jobs back, but its only a matter of time before automation hits that industry.

In short, many of the employment problems facing the working class are structural, and the market forces are all oriented to making these structural problems worse. As a species, we'll have to fix the problem, for some value of "fix." But it's not going to be easy.

Blind Squirrels and Acorns

I mentioned that Sunday's Presidential debate was just this side of a WWE event, probably because of the age and athletic ability of the principals involved. I think I've been pretty clear that the only way Trump should get in the White House is if he buys a ticket for the tour. Having said that, Trump did say something I agree with.

He said, regarding Syria, that "Aleppo has already fallen." Now, I think it's the case of the blind squirrel finding an acorn, but I do agree with him. There's really nothing we can do in Syria, and I for one don't want to fight Russia for the place. If they want it, have it with my blessing. A few years of dodging IEDs would do the Russian Army a world of good, and would greatly boost Putin's popularity.

If you believe that last sentence, please contact me about some oceanfront property I have in Nebraska. Hurry - supplies are limited.