Sooo, what now?

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by casualobserver

It's a very informative read in terms of the broad reach of the history presented, but disappointing in its skinny research into paths to solution.

I agree up-educating the younger workforce is one way to a solution, but I handicap that at long, long odds......not unless Huizenga bequeaths his fortune to retool the University of Miami into someplace where one could get a bluechip MBA or a pedigree PhD in science. And all the premier middle school and high school systems around the country (New Trier in Chicago, Weston/Wayland in Boston and Montgomery County in Maryland) don't evolve until you have the bluechip parents hanging around town for their own careers putting the screws to the school boards. No, at best, the hope can only be for minting some higher education niche like UAB cultivated with medical technology. I think the green industry could be an developable pathway in that regard, just as soon as someone explains to 85% of the Floridians what environmentally-conscious actually means.

While that might be a plausible pathway, I will actually put my money on the tourism and retirement juggernaut continuing to hold its prominent footprint. However, there will be a large transition from the defined benefit union pensioners to those who had professionally managed 401k's augmented by the affluent South Americans, rap stars and golden-parachuted baby boomers.

I guess I'm the only person reading this that doesn't get it.

Of course the odds are against Floridians respecting education, it's been that way for decades. What does the citizen's lack of respect for education have to do with retirees?

Retirement juggernaut? Would you be referring to voting? I'd suggest that the non retirees go vote. Pretty simple. The voting block wins. (not including the year 2000's lack of ability to count with a Florida education).

I'd also suggest that the governor stop refusing to pay incentives for businesses to come here ala QVC...incentives brought them here. (footnote Time magazine)

I'd also wonder why 41% of all Florida children are enrolled in Medicaid and AGAIN (I know Compelled hates this, sorry lol) why Florida children can't seem to attend school till the end and graduate. A simple concept. Some would say they enjoy social promotion to a point. (Medicaid footnote below)

http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM...CONTENTID=1858

Lastly, since 70% of the working people in the USA are non college degreed, you may wanna rethink the concept that highly paid "boomers" (assuming you mean "professionals") are going to bail out Florida. (sorry I lost the footnote to this stat but it was also announced by economists during the weekend).

And although it's a sexy reference to rappers are you seriously saying that entertainment professionals represent any significant Florida demographic?

By the way, "union pensioned" and "professionally managed 401Ks" are not mutually exclusive. My company's 82,000 union workers (partial state count only) continue to enjoy ongoing pension benefits AND professionally managed 401K with a company match of 80%, whereas the management staff lost their pensions years ago.

Lastly I fail to understand your reference to "bluechip" parents being the Obama-like answer for CHANGE. Participation of parents in their children's education, school board meetings, voting and other daily activities of parenting are not the exclusive pervue of the "haves" versus the "have nots". My former school districts in Pa were much more "politically active" and demanding in the blue COLLAR and even middle class white collar areas versus the blue "CHIP" anyway. The "blue chip" attracting schools had the highest drug issues and highest rate of apathy in the parenting groups.