Comment by huevosabio
7 days ago
> the upside of this system is felt by the entrepreneurs, investors and high-skill employees in tech and finance, while the downside is concentrated with low-skill workers whose jobs are offshored to lower wage countries.
This is true only if we impose barriers to geographic mobility, which we do via artificial scarcity of housing in our major cities.
If we produced housing like we did cars, all the "low-skill" people would be able to move to the city and find a job in the many other services that require human labor.
> the government to lower the cost of high-quality education, build out social systems, and invest into onshoring select strategic industries by raising taxes at the high end.
We don't need more high-quality education nor do we need to onshore. We need to deregulate the housing market, we make it easier to migrate to the US (funny enough, yes that would help with inequality). And I do agree we need better social systems.
There is no way to frame this admin's policies that makes it look reasonable. It's a Crony Clown Club show.
all the "low-skill" people would be able to move to the city and find a job
That this doesn't work is self-evident. Cities are currently filled with low skilled people. The vast majority of whom find no employment or employment in illegal activities.
Also:
We don't need more high-quality education
The idea that the world, and the US in particular, has no need for more and better education is laughable. Considering the fact that a lack of education is, arguably, what got the US into the current situation in the first place.
Evidence that the "vast majority" of low skilled people in cities find "no employment or employment in illegal activities"?
> If we produced housing like we did cars, all the "low-skill" people would be able to move to the city and find a job in the many other services that require human labor.
Why would they want to do that? Their priorities are myriad, but raising a family, having a degree of autonomy and space to themselves, and remaining a part of their community are all generally on the list.
What’s generally not on the list is living in a tiny rabbit hutch, owning nothing, working a dead-end service job, trying to raise a family in a city (or just not trying at all), and paying a higher price for the privilege.
Because that’s where the money is. The world over people have exhibited their revealed preferences for living in a city, as everywhere continues to urbanize