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Contrary to reports, job market not thriving
Joe Sinagra Sr.
Guest Column
The government may say the economy is
picking up, but the job market isn’t.
The two don’t go hand in hand anymore. Just
because you have a thriving economy, it doesn’t mean there are
jobs galore. It is hard to find another job starting out at
with what you were making, even with skills or
training.
Depending on the field you are in, try finding
another job in the same area, especially if you are over a
certain age. There isn’t supposed to be job discrimination,
but it goes on. Companies are not going to pay $85,000 a year
to someone who is above age 50 when they can get a younger
person for $50,000 or less.
There are plenty of jobs for $300 a week, but
try to get one of those. The competition is getting tough for
those jobs, with the influx of illegal immigrants. Their
benefits are paid for by Medicaid, which is, by definition, “A
health insurance program financed and run jointly by the
federal and state governments for low-income people of all
ages who do not have the money or insurance to pay for health
care. The goal of the program is to provide medical and other
health care services to eligible individuals so that they are
able to remain as self-sufficient as possible.”
Are illegal immigrants considered eligible
individuals? Any medical procedures not covered or any balance
left over from the hospital are written off. They do not have
to pay.
Where do you go to get the money? The working
class, of course. Charge them more to make up the difference
because they are more stable and easier to find. Ask any
medical billing office about how many stacks of unpaid
Medicaid bills they have stuffed in a corner because they
cannot collect on them. If these people are illegal, how do
you collect the money?
As a citizen, you find yourself out of work,
but you have to pay into a COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act) plan to have benefits. If
you aren’t working, how do you find the money to pay for
medical coverage? You’re lucky if unemployment pays for the
groceries.
Who is coming out ahead on this deal? As far
as unemployment goes, those who do find employment are going
to work two or three jobs for less money to make ends meet
until something else comes along. That is, if you are lucky,
because a lot of companies are still using the old adage, “If
the economy gets better, they are going to leave for a better
paying job.” That doesn’t hold true anymore. Find a person who
has been out of work for a year or more and give him a chance
— he will be more than happy to work for you, and you may have
someone who will have years of experience to share.
There was a time when you could leave a job,
and 30 minutes later you were gainfully employed again. Those
days are gone. There was a time you were told to finish high
school or you wouldn’t be able to get a job. That sure has
changed. Even with a college education, try finding a good
job. Today you better have more than one skill if you want to
stay ahead.
Show me a thriving job market, show me
affordable medical coverage, show me affordable insurance,
show me affordable housing. The fat cats can sit back in their
leather chairs and say the economy is getting better — tell
that to the people standing in line on the other side of the
desk.
Show me what you have to offer. First, show me
what you have done, show me a plan and how it is being
financed. Then I may believe you, and you might get my
vote.
Enough with the smoke and mirrors, the
diversions, the rhetoric and promises. Let’s get real with the
issues that concern the working class.
Joe Sinagra Sr. is a resident of
Helmetta
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