The unemployment rate in Cayuga County continues to climb, reaching 6.2 percent in February, higher than the 5 percent statewide average. With a recession looming one has to wonder what the future holds for area residents.
Individuals unable (or simply unwilling) to work receive more public assistance than people seeking a little bit extra to help make ends meet.
People working minimum wage jobs are left out in the cold, uninspired to put forth any effort considering that pregnancy or medical disability would afford the same lifestyle.
In fact many couples remain unmarried because they receive more public assistance that way; a vicious cycle that sets a horrible precedent for future generations.
But a flawed system can't be entirely to blame for a poor economy and a nation built on credit.
Consider the average household has two cell phones, high-speed Internet as well as an electronic gaming system of some sort. “Keeping up with the Joneses” has only added to the region's economic woes as more and more people are turning to credit cards for gas and groceries.
Without a “disposable income,” specialty businesses are forced to close, leaving a wake of fast food chains and one-stop supercenters.
The minimum wage adjusts to offset financial need, forcing corporations to outsource the factory and muscle labor jobs that have sustained this region for the last 50 years.
Too old to start over but too young to retire, society can't keep up with rapidly changing labor trends as we move from muscle to skill skilled jobs.
In the meantime, I'm of the opinion that welfare should be based on workfare and not the other way around.
Social programs need to be reworked so that those exhibiting the most effort are receiving the most assistance.
Medical disability should be reserved for those who are truly disabled or handicap and applicants should be evaluated more stringently.
The solution? Well at the risk of taking advice from Whitney Houston, I believe children are the future. It sounds corny, but it's absolutely true.
Younger generations will have the benefit of education to help prepare them for skill specific professions.
The next 25 years will undoubtedly be an uphill battle as more and more professions become extinct.
Estabrook's column appears Mondays and she can be reached at estabrookcarole@yahoo.com
People working minimum wage jobs are left out in the cold, uninspired to put forth any effort considering that pregnancy or medical disability would afford the same lifestyle.
In fact many couples remain unmarried because they receive more public assistance that way; a vicious cycle that sets a horrible precedent for future generations.
But a flawed system can't be entirely to blame for a poor economy and a nation built on credit.
Consider the average household has two cell phones, high-speed Internet as well as an electronic gaming system of some sort. “Keeping up with the Joneses” has only added to the region's economic woes as more and more people are turning to credit cards for gas and groceries.
Without a “disposable income,” specialty businesses are forced to close, leaving a wake of fast food chains and one-stop supercenters.
The minimum wage adjusts to offset financial need, forcing corporations to outsource the factory and muscle labor jobs that have sustained this region for the last 50 years.
Too old to start over but too young to retire, society can't keep up with rapidly changing labor trends as we move from muscle to skill skilled jobs.
In the meantime, I'm of the opinion that welfare should be based on workfare and not the other way around.
Social programs need to be reworked so that those exhibiting the most effort are receiving the most assistance.
Medical disability should be reserved for those who are truly disabled or handicap and applicants should be evaluated more stringently.
The solution? Well at the risk of taking advice from Whitney Houston, I believe children are the future. It sounds corny, but it's absolutely true.
Younger generations will have the benefit of education to help prepare them for skill specific professions.
The next 25 years will undoubtedly be an uphill battle as more and more professions become extinct.
Estabrook's column appears Mondays and she can be reached at estabrookcarole@yahoo.com
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