Jobs. The American Jobs. Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs did not care about American jobs. Or if he cared, he did so quietly. What he cared about publicly was the American lifestyle, for him and those who could afford his fancy toys. Now, that sounds mean. But it seems meaner to avoid giving a straight answer to a sitting president[1] who, instead of using his magic pen to create American jobs, asked people like Jobs about how they would do it. Recently, The New York Times reminded us that unless we go back to slavery, the Jobs of the World will not create American jobs. These Jobs are in the business of creating sweatshops.[2] Because slavery is banned. Even in China.

 But, I do not want to give the wrong impression: that iPad owners are the only ones condoning sweatshops as a better alternative to slavery. The Pentagon does not care about American jobs either. Take Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s new plan for replacing our young men and women with drones[3]. Now, the military will continue making money: the budget will increase, but that money won’t go to pay soldiers. So, here we go, having the last great American employer turning its back on us.

 The problem, as I see it, is that without jobs, Americans won’t be able to pay for Jobs’ toys. There will always be a few million Americans rich enough to pay for the drones, with their 1% taxes – that’s what we are aiming for, aren’t we?  And there will always be a few more customers beyond  our borders who will want and afford to purchase our drones. So, big deal. There will be a corporate life style to make and promote instead of an American life style, and an American military to protect and defend that corporate lifestyle. We won’t even feel the difference. Not to mention those Chinese toiling in their sweatshops. Why should they care who pays their 10 cents a day?