Reader’s Write: Proposal to increase jobs shows economic ignorance

The Island Now

Last week Mr. Samek informed this readership that: “So many countries have high unemployment. Technology has made it like the handful of people who can make 50,000 fortune cookies every day complete with a little slip of paper. Wonderful. Cut the work week to four days or whatever so than everyone has a job and a fair share.” Hmmm??? 

Now what’s an appropriate response to this insightful observation?

Well, if four days will produce more jobs and a fair share, why stop there? Let’s cut the workday to two days, which presumably will double the number of jobs and produce an even fairer share. In fact, upon further reflection, since there is an inverse relationship between workdays and jobs, according to Samek, why not cut the workday to hours, or minutes or even seconds. This should produce an infinite number of jobs, the fairest of fair shares and effectively put an end to our chronic unemployment problems. A trifecta! Yippee!!! Someone please alert Obama.

Since Thomas Malthus, economics has been labeled the ‘Dismal Science’ but this is no longer appropriate. 

Let me urge the Herald Courier to institute a new weekly category entitled “Our Komedy Kolumn”; where posters like Samek can regale readers with their commentary and observations on economics.

Lord have Mercy!

 

Tom Coffey

Herricks


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