Can we solve our labor problems? Our region, despite some outward appearances, has some very troubling employment statistics The unemployment rate is modest (2.9%). The number of unfilled positions is relatively high (10,000 openings).… Read More
Perhaps it is time to talk about immigration … again. Set against the backdrop of an ever-decreasing supply of labor to meet the demands of our economy and the often-extremist views on both sides… Read More
We live in turbulent times. With Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, Europe is now embroiled in the most significant armed conflict since World War II. It is being fought in Eastern Europe but threatens… Read More
America was founded on a belief in freedom and individualism. Many of immigrants came here to escape persecution. Sadly, concurrently many people were also brought here under compulsion (African slaves) or treated with treachery… Read More
We live in a dichotomous world. It is a place of contrast and contradiction, one in which the trends and direction forward are not clear. Yet, we must act. Our lives continue regardless of… Read More
Over the course of the past twenty years, there has been a significant shift in our relationship with government. In part, this is the result of exogenous factors: the financial meltdown, the bursting of… Read More
There is a growing problem in our country. The economy is now recovering from the government-imposed mandates which effectively shut down the national economy. However, employment has not matched that growth. Employers are now… Read More
For much of my early adult life, I witnessed the struggle between fiscal responsibility and the reach of government, particularly at the Federal level. Without a statutory requirement to balance the budget, the temptation… Read More
“Everyone wants things to be different, but no one wants anything to change.” That could be the mantra of our region. Yet changes, in technology, culture, business activity, as a result of the Pandemic… Read More
It pains me to watch us flog ourselves like some medieval flagellants. Certainly, our region is far from perfect; we suffer from many of the same ills as other rural areas. Yet, despite significant… Read More
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