My suggestion is for a new national law which would immediately employ over a million people in 48 states. Because this suggested new law wouldn't effect our state or the state of New Jersey, I think this bill should be co-sponored by someone like Senator Menendez (D, NJ).
Using the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act of 1974 as a template, and incorporating sunset provisions (for no shorter than five years) I suggest a bill which would duplicate ORS480.315 making self-service gas stations illegal nation-wide.
Additional suggested requirements which should be included in the bill (which would affect Oregon and NJ):
- Require a dispensing license (which will have a fee which is similar to an alcohol certification or a food preparation license). This training can be made available online, but could only be issued in person (by a licensed gasoline retailer) to US citizens who are at least 18 years old. (The purpose of the law is to employ out-of-work adults, not high school students and illegal immigrants.)
- Require each State Fire Marshal to employ additional Inspectors, funded by the additional fees and fines.
There are many safety and equality justifications cited as to why full-service may be better than self, but I suggest this new national law only be proposed in order to quickly employ a large quantity of Americans. I estimate this law would employ between 1.2 and 1.8 million people.
Obviously, all—or almost all—of these employees would be minimum-wage, less-than-full-time, non-benefit, employees. And, also obviously, the fuel distribution companies would raise the cost of gas and pass the added cost to the end-consumer (I estimate that the cost of gas would increase between 10 and 15 cents a gallon). None the less, the added jobs would definitely spur spending and grow our economy at a time when it is most needed.
My quick calculations indicate there would be about 240,000 gas stations affected.
I've been wondering, for some years now, about the incessant "job creation speechifying." I think if this new law were proposed by an Oregon Senator, he would be seen as proposing a fix which (because it would have no direct benefit in his state and was only an attempt to improve the national economy) would quickly employ millions of Americans.
I hope my suggestion is of some use.
Veach Glines
2 comments:
Humbug.
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