It's the Lack of Demand,

not a "skills shortage," or "technology," or any of the other bullshit reasons think tank propagandists and neoliberal politicians and economists claim is the reason the economy is in the toilet.

It's all about the ideology of an oversupply of workers and few jobs in an attempt to destroy living standards in the United States and in all industrialized countries in order for them to compete with third world countries in a race to the bottom while the rich continue to hoard all the wealth.

The end result would literally be a return to slavery--not that it has been completely eliminated worldwide, but it would make a fierce comeback, and it wouldn't be based on ethnic characteristics but on social class.

Neoliberalism will not work, it has never worked, and all it would lead to is bloodshed and revolution. We aren't that far away from that day if these worthless morons in Washington don't reverse course with their anti-government rhetoric and actually do what they are supposed to do, and that is fix this mess that they created.

From the editorial:

Corporate executives have valuable perspectives on the economy, but they also have an interest in promoting the notion of a skills gap. They want schools and, by extension, the government to take on more of the costs of training workers that used to be covered by companies as part of on-the-job employee development. They also want more immigration, both low and high skilled, because immigrants may be willing to work for less than their American counterparts.

There are many reasons to improve education, to welcome immigrants and to advance other policies aimed at transforming the work force and society. But a skills gap is not among them. Meeting today’s job challenges requires action to improve both the economy and pay, including government measures to create jobs, strengthen health and retirement systems, and raise the minimum wage. Fretting about a skills gap that does not exist will not help.