Chicago Turning into a Tale of Two Cities (Springfield, Braidwood: 2013, unemployment)

[Link N. Parker]

I dont know if this was posted yet or not, but I really liked this article:

Chicago becoming two cities — one where optimism abounds, one where opportunity is hard to find. - Chicago Tribune

[chet everett]

Great link!

Love the closing -- "We must commit to the good-paying jobs that support families and stabilize neighborhoods so that the whole city thrives. We need to invest not only in tech sectors but also in the legacy industries. We need to nurture the talents of the city's college graduates by providing opportunities for them to grow professionally. We need to welcome new immigrants, and we need to support the entrepreneurs who will fuel the local economy with energy and innovation.

None of this will be easy, but we control the trajectory. Let's not consign our grandchildren to looking back*and condemning us for failing to make the city a place of opportunity, not just for the few, but for all who choose to call Chicago home."

I hope there are enough of the "legacy industries" left to actually invest in..

[oakparkdude]

This is not just a problem in Chicago, but pretty much nationwide. Its going to take lots of changes in policy at the Federal level to turn things around.

[chet everett]

I don't think reliance on the Federal level of governance is necessary or appropriate. The problems of corrupt polticians allowing pals to fatten their campaign funds and then fleece the state were well documented in both the Ryan and Blago trials. The ineffectiveness of folks that have served in Springfield to do other than vote "present" when faced with tough choices is likely to continue until people wake up and drive a stake through the heart of the disengenious "fancy talking do nothings" that are content to allow for the status quo to be the rule.

Outmoded views on everything from antiquated models of pension funding and taxation to racial preferences out of step with the reality of a new global economy are what are holding back Illinois and the liberal elite that camp out in their traditional hallowed spots refuse to accept reality.

[oakparkdude]

Chet, while the issues you raise are real and important, I think they sidestep the larger trends that are driving the two cities narrative.

Over the past few decades, the vast majority of increases in wealth have gone to the very few top percent. Meanwhile the middle class gets hollowed out. It is increasingly difficult to support a family without a college degree, yet it also increasingly difficult to afford to go to college. Social mobility is decreasing as it becomes increasingly difficult for those born at the bottom to improve their economic condition.

This isn't just happening in Chicago or Illinois. Its happening all across America. Assuming we want to do something about this trend (and I'm not yet convinced that we as a society do), it will take action at a national level.

[emathias]

In the 1950s and 60s there were dozens of movies dealing with "what happens when science and automation eliminate all the easy jobs". We're finally fast approaching that time, and no one seems to have an answer to the question of "what do we do with people who simply aren't capable of doing the remaining high-skilled jobs?"

An ancillary question is, "How long will we run our economy where we treat lottery winners like they won on skill?"

Inventors and leaders should be rewarded for their vision and ability to make things happen. But it shouldn't be like winning the lottery where lucky makes the bulk of the difference between a nice time and an explosion of cash.

[JBVirtuoso]

I think the solution to this is better education, which is something that Chicago definitely struggles with. I think we're starting to see some good progress in CPS, but it has a long way to go before it can really be considered an adequate school system. The city needs a highly educated workforce to work in jobs in finance, engineering, design, healthcare, etc. At the moment, I'd say the overwhelming majority of those sorts of positions are filled by people who grew up outside the city, and even outside the Chicago area. Until Chicago's people are qualified for the new jobs coming into the city, the problem of inequality will only get worse.

[chet everett]

I just heard a segment on WBEZ that was sort of pre-planned to be a follow on about today's speach at Argonne by the President. Argonne remains among the planets premiere labs in reprocessing of spent fuel. Illinois is #1 in the amount of electricity generated from nuclear plants. The reporter went out to Braidwood. At 40+ years old it is ripe for rebuilding or decommisioning. Rebuilding could be an opportunity for lots more new jobs than decommissioning. Will prudent public policy override fears???

[pvande55]

Education is not the whole answer. When everyone has a college degree, that will become worthless. Indeed many college graduates in Chicago work at low wage jobs. The question is how to get employers to bring jobs here, and not just relocate from the suburbs. Of course it would help if we had a lot of oil bringing exploration jobs, but that isn't the case. The main advantage we have is transportation. We need to rebuild and expand our transportation infrastructure. And energy.

[Warsie]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Outmoded views on everything from antiquated models of pension funding and taxation to racial preferences out of step with the reality of a new global economy are what are holding back Illinois and the liberal elite that camp out in their traditional hallowed spots refuse to accept reality.

I am sure unbridled global capitalism which you alude to is the bigger threat than say racial preferencing in jobs. And I Say that as someone who considers a lot of things to be outdated, ranging from the OS governments use for computers to copyrights.