I found this cartoon a while ago, and I just kept it bookmarked. But I think now would be a good time to use it.
Like the guy in the cartoon, I’m about to graduate. But it just so happens there’s a recession going on. And it just so happens I want a career that’s not in demand and already pays pretty crappy.
But my fear of graduating after spending $20,000 and countless hours studying and overcoming last-minute project panic attacks, oh, and not finding a job after all that, isn’t the entire point of this post. As the cartoon suggests, this has something to do with war.
I’m going to say something "daring" now. Ready?
Unemployment in the US is the highest it’s been in 25 years because of a certain $3 trillion war (for the most part).
$3 trillion?! I don’t even know what that means. That’s like 12 zeros with a 3 on the end.
Now here I go attempting to do math: $3 trillion + 1 big war – nearly 100,000 lives = 1 giant mistake.
When I showed my mom this cartoon, she thought it might be offensive to soldiers. That’s not what I’m saying here. I know people who have fought in Iraq, and people who still are, so I’m definitely not trying to insult them (or anyone else who’s risked or given their lives for that matter).
My own personal turmoil aside, and that of the thousands of unemployed Canadians (which still isn't that bad considering), wouldn’t it really suck to go to war in a foreign country, get shot at, see your friends get injured or killed, only to come home and not be able to find a job?
Like the guy in the cartoon, I’m about to graduate. But it just so happens there’s a recession going on. And it just so happens I want a career that’s not in demand and already pays pretty crappy.
But my fear of graduating after spending $20,000 and countless hours studying and overcoming last-minute project panic attacks, oh, and not finding a job after all that, isn’t the entire point of this post. As the cartoon suggests, this has something to do with war.
I’m going to say something "daring" now. Ready?
Unemployment in the US is the highest it’s been in 25 years because of a certain $3 trillion war (for the most part).
$3 trillion?! I don’t even know what that means. That’s like 12 zeros with a 3 on the end.
Now here I go attempting to do math: $3 trillion + 1 big war – nearly 100,000 lives = 1 giant mistake.
When I showed my mom this cartoon, she thought it might be offensive to soldiers. That’s not what I’m saying here. I know people who have fought in Iraq, and people who still are, so I’m definitely not trying to insult them (or anyone else who’s risked or given their lives for that matter).My own personal turmoil aside, and that of the thousands of unemployed Canadians (which still isn't that bad considering), wouldn’t it really suck to go to war in a foreign country, get shot at, see your friends get injured or killed, only to come home and not be able to find a job?
It’s almost like history keeps repeating itself…
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I don't completely understand the causal relation that you draw when you say, "Unemployment in the US is the highest it’s been in 25 years because of a certain $3 trillion war (for the most part)." They are both terrible things, but I'm not following how the war caused unemployment.
ReplyDeletePutting the morality of the issue aside, the military industrial complex does create jobs and can simulate the economy, like for America during WWII. It is only sustainable by fighting continuous wars. A good documentary to watch about this is Why We Fight by Eugene Jarecki.
The relation I was trying to make was that spending $3 trillion on the war had a major effect on the economy.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to sound like I was blaming the recession and unemployment entirely on the Iraq war, but I don't think the cost of it helped America's massive debt situation either.
I understand what you mean now.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching an interview with Brian Mulroney on The Hour (Watch it here, where he mentions the importance of creating a financial surplus in good times to help us through recessions.
I think the same problem happened in Canada when PM Harper cut the GST. I know it's not on the same scale, but it was unnecessary losses that would have helped through this recession.