On topic, what to do with all able bodied folk will require a paradigm shift in society. I suggest we phase the current welfare system out over the next 10 years or so starting with turning it into workfare. Farmer Joe needs to harvest tomatoes? Call the welfare division instead of importing migrants; walla the crop gets picked and the folk on public assistance earn a living while acquiring a marketable skill. Or the local government could use the workforce to complete public works projects like trash removal, blight reduction or the like. Choose a "term limit" for public assistance... if able bodied you either get hired somewhere and make your own way or get a 90 day furlough before you can re-apply. Encourage exit from the program, not reliance thereon.
Homeless and indigent people could sign on for consideration in the same system and benefit from working as well. The logistics would need some fine tuning but since Obamaphones I expect it is doable.
I live in a port city which is also in an area where tree farming is big business. Possibly the most sought after labor in my area are commercial truck drivers. Hell, anyone who can pass a DOT physical and is not mentally impaired should be "trainable" in that capacity. I am certain similar local needs exist all across this country waiting to be fixed. BUT no one who is likely to get elected Nationally has the stones to try something like this so I think we are still F****ed.
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