This is Viewpoints for Monday, Oct. 24, 2016

Unicor or offshore?

In an effort to take back jobs we’ve lost thus far to offshore production entities, it is time to consider other viable alternatives to restore jobs to America. In search of a viable solution in this regard, we must first recognize that our businesses compete in a global market environment, significantly driven by the principles of supply and demand. Accordingly, we should not mandate action upon them contrary to such principles. Low wages and production cost in offshore venues obviously are powerful incentives to induce CEOs to stay the course offshore. We must accept such facts as a way of life and explore alternative measures that make sense in regard to returning manufacturing to America

It is highly regrettable, but the U.S. labor force represented by major unions has overbid its workers’ relative value. Americans are demanding unsustainable higher wages and annual pay raises coupled with a wide assortment of benefits including medical, cost of living adjustments, retirement, etc. We say we understand and endorse the principles underlying “supply and demand” but when such principles adversely impact our households, we call for government intervention to level the so-called playing field.

I firmly believe that America has a secret weapon that would level the competitive playing field if activated: Unicor. Unicor is a federal government-operated enterprise that employs thousands of inmates — at wages as low as 40 cents per hour — to produce goods for the federal government. The USA Prison population exceeds 2 million potential workers — a vast labor pool that if activated would make a substantial impact in creating future jobs and result in a decline in the erosion of the job market here in America.

Many small businesses perceive Unicor’s current operations as an unfair threat to their economic survival and would do everything in their power to get rid of it. Such were the sentiments, perhaps, in years past. However, the playing field has drastically changed. Therefore, in order to get our workers back to full employment, there must be a corresponding shift in attitudes toward this one industry that could successfully compete against the suppressed wages typically found in offshore venues.

Unicor’s goods are “made in America” and its operation should be expanded to include many industries lost to offshore production. It is time for big businesses, government and labor to form a task force to take back jobs lost to offshore operations. So, what should it be — Unicor or offshore?

Stupidity at UNESCO

With a long history of anti-Israel bias, UNESCO is once again obsessed with Israel. The UN’s cultural arm, UNESCO, has passed a resolution that denies the millennia-old connection of Jerusalem including the Western Wall and the Temple Mount to the Jewish people. Twenty-four countries voted in favor, six against and 26 abstained from the vote.

The resolution reportedly refers to the Temple Mount several times as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, the Islamic term for the Temple Mount. It does not mention that it is the holiest site in Judaism. It also uses the term Buraq Plaza, placing Western Wall Plaza in quotes, appearing to deny a Jewish connection to the site. Back in April, UNESCO approved a resolution denying Jewish historical ties to the Temple Mount; now the whole city — the capital of a member nation.

In accordance with George Orwell’s book, “1984,” the UN’s Ministry of Truth must now remove traces of this connection from all paper and electronic media. The first document scheduled for update will probably be the Holy Bible. It has been the most published item since long before Erasmus. Millions of copies must now be located and updated. Winston cannot do this all by himself. He will need lots of help. This may solve the unemployment problem. I won’t let them update my copies. I’ll just hide them in the walls.

Professional politicians

Georgia lost 139,920 manufacturing jobs (or 27 percent) during the NAFTA-WTO period (1994-2015), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The emails published by WikiLeaks after a hack of Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta’s private account also show Clinton campaign officials and Democratic leaders disparaging supporters of Sen. Bernard Sanders as “self-righteous” whiners, calling Hispanic party leaders such as Bill Richardson “needy Latinos,” labeling CNN anchor Jake Tapper “a d—k” and even lambasting longtime Clinton ally Sidney Blumenthal.

Our inner cities have been destroyed during the past 50 years by professional politicians.

Cash to Iran, destabilization in Libya, Benghazi, Iraq, Syria. ISIS brought terrorism to our shores. And we’re told not to use the words “radical Islam.” It’s time for change — vote Trump. Save our country from professional politicians.

‘Bait and switch’

Several years ago the Bibb County Board of Education hired a new superintendent of schools from up north who promised vast improvement of our schools. When pressed for details of how this was to be done, none were available. In the words of Tennessee Ernie Ford, all Bibb County got out of this was “another day older and deeper in debt.” Bibb learned a lesson, righted their ship, and is making good progress again.

Our governor has gone on television telling us that voting for Amendment 1 will give us another “pie in the sky” education system. Actually the amendment gives the governor legal authority to seize schools from local control and place them under the governor’s self-appointed state board. In the used car business this is called “bait and switch.”Vote no on Amendment 1.

Hillary will win

The election is in progress with early voting. Although I believe candidate Donald Trump with Mike Pence is what America needs as president and vice president, I believe Hillary Clinton will prevail. The reason I believe this is because she best represents the majority of people residing in the United States who will be voting regardless of race, color, creed, national or international origin.

This story was originally published October 23, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, Oct. 24, 2016."