Also this weeks, the Education and Workforce Committee unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to improve career and in technical education, making it easier to connect people with the skills they need to get good-paying, in-demand jobs. I've got to tell you, wherever I go, just in Wisconsin last week, we have a real skills gap between the skills people need to get good jobs and the good jobs that are out there being offered. This is something that we really have to address, and I'm very pleased that the education workforce committee is moving forward on this legislation.
Isn't that special! We're going to help you poor, stupid workers!
Unsurprisingly, Ryan failed to mention the real issues behind this alleged job skills program.
One, his good buddy Scott Walker cut nearly a billion dollars from public education funding, more than any other governor. On top of that, he cut another $300 million from higher education funding.
I'm sure making sure it's harder for Johnny to know how to read isn't helping matters along at all.
Wisconsin's real problem is more of a pay gap than a skills gap, thanks again to his pal Walker. When Walker passed Act 10 and "Right to Work (for Less)" laws, it cut workers' salaries substantially. The Republicans can't figure out why someone might not want a job worth $25 per hour but paying only $15 per hour. Instead of taking drastic cuts in pay, many workers are either just dropping out of the job market or moving out of state. I have lost count of how many people I personally know that have moved to Minnesota, Colorado, California or Washington State to get good, family-supporting jobs instead of staying in Wisconsin and working two or three jobs just to make ends meet.
By training new people to do these jobs that might be out of work or making minimum wage, the Republicans, and their corporate masters, are banking on them being willing to work for less than value wages. How generous of them!
