Brexit

December 13, 2019

Boris Johnson won a big election in Great Britain so Brexit will continue apace. Comparisons are being made between Johnson’s Brexit and Trump’s nationalism. They both reflect a deep discontent with the ways things are, but, in both cases, the solutions are wrong.

Technology, financialization, and globalism have led to massive relocations, and anger. Workers need new skill sets to compete. Workers are forced to move and disrupt their support systems to find work as jobs migrate to the coasts. The answer to the angst, however, is not withdrawing from the world, slapping tariffs on goods, cutting taxes for the wealthy, blaming scapegoats, and pitting groups against each other.

What we need is a comprehensive approach that focuses on investing in the future. Workers today and tomorrow need training and education to compete. Free tuition and job training for those who need it should be discussed. We need a credible plan to address climate change. This is the number one issue for young people today. We need a massive infrastructure program that puts people to work on projects we need to be competitive globally. We need a federal government committed to basic R&D. Finally, we need a healthy work force. Medicare needs to be a public option.

We need taxes to pay for all of this. Taxes to pay for these programs will not be a drag on the economy. They will be pay for investments that will provide positive returns for all. The real question, then, is do we have the will to address the future, or are we going to continue to make America 1950 again?