Kleeg.
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We can manufacture and compete in a global market...
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Case New Holland/International EXPORTS 48% of everything they make in Wisconsin (which is considerable)...
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Not only do they export half of what they produce, They are UNION... But.. The unskilled labor is paid an unskilled rate and the skilled labor is CROSS UTILIZED!.... Something GM/UAW/IAM/Janesville/Lear never got it's brain around.
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This succsess was not caused by government... But by Union (local) and Management (Corporate) understanding the reality of our world...
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There are other examples of manufacturing in our state that is profitable for both investors and workers... Union and Non union...
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A talented workforce is a big draw for business... Catapiller/Bucyrus did leave the state because they could not fill skilled labor positions... Action is being taken to address this.... .
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It will be interesting to see how the Democrats react to Gov Walkers investment in the Tech Colleges... Something any Democrat would approve of if a Democrat had put the idea forward themselves...

Government shouldn't create jobs. "highly educated" doesn't mean highly skilled or employable. and 60 grand a year would nicely support nearly every family on welfare, if they wanted to work for it.

Sandman; it's more like the kiss of death

Is that a rhetorical question?

@happycamper, that's the point of the last couple posts. You're right when referring to the big business/corporate mindset. Small business owners within communities is exactly what's needed. KLEEJ is correct, the days of the high wages are waning by the day due to foreign competition. Bottom line is that working for someone else is the risky thing to do in this day and age. People who want the bigger type incomes will have to own their own business. More small businesses popping up all over, more groups of people being employed. It's what America needs. Time to unite people!

No business owner wants an employee, they're expensive. A computer and robot, or both, never needs a vacation day, sick day, family leave, overtime, weekends off, parking space....

Kleej, excellent points I agree completely with the global economy and the faster people come to reality with that the faster they can make better decisions for long term success.

We definitely need skilled trades workers, but here's the problem with it. We're in a global economy. Whether we like it or not, and as a society, we've allowed this to happen, it makes sense for an American company to outsource that labor than to pay it. This is what happens when a society is ignorant enough to think it needs the "state" to get involved to fix it's problems! The "state" doesn't want small business owners, because those small businesses don't fit in with the "state's" big business deals. In short, until WE as a country, pull our heads out of our hind ends and start living fiscally responsible, nothing is going to change. I commend the people who understand this and have taken that responsibility on themselves. Our hurdle is the vast amount of workers who still haven't figured out how to humble themselves to start living a simpler life that doesn't include things that they can't afford. The wages are not going to be going back up as people have been hoping they will. It's just not going to happen. Again, it's a global economy. The best thing for this country is the entrepreneurial spirit to come around in full force so this country can get some assemblance of "unity" back into society so people start working together rather than keeping score and worrying about how many more toys they have than their neighbors. The way it has to happen is, the one's who are responsible and do care about these things have to show grace to those who don't and lead by example. I know this to be true as people were willing to extend me that grace and let me figure out that change was needed. It's going to take humility and courage to rise above all the "crap".

nicksmom, great point about skilled trades there are tons of openings in those areas, but less and less workers qualified to fill it. I heard an interview with a tool and die maker in Milwaukee a few weeks ago that has an apprenticeship program you get paid very well to learn a skill, I honestly wish I had been directed that way in high school rather than being told I had to go to a 4 year college.

lovemycountry - What free tuition program for 4 year degrees? I wish I had known about that when I signed up to pay for mine.

The problem is that we continue to expect the government to fix these problems. It seems to me the more the government intervenes the worse the problem gets. When I graduated from UW Madison, I didn't know anyone looking to land a $60k a year job right off the bat. To a college kid whose worked part time and been broke for 4 years, $25k a year is a lot of money. The problem is very few graduates walk away with no student loans. So the reality of being able to support yourself and pay your loans in a city like Madison on $25k a year is never going to happen.

I disagree that what we need are more people with 2 year degrees. The only people I've seen leaving this state faster than 4 year graduates are skilled trades. There just aren't jobs out there for anyone. I certainly don't have the solution, but neither does the government, so I think we need to quit framing the conversations on how to fix this in the context of government action.

@lovemycountry: I agree in that people are shying away from the trades. College isn't for everyone. We need people in skilled trades. However I'd like to know where you get the notion that a 4 year college degree is free. Student loan debt has surpassed credit card debt for the first time ever in our nation's history.

It can't unless it makes more government jobs... bad idea. Good idea, get the hell out of the way of business and everyone else.

There aren't enough jobs for college grads in the entire country. For every 3 college graduates, there is 1 job available in the U.S. Once again, federal government has CREATED the problem with free tuition for 4 year degree when what we need are 2 year degree skilled tradespeople.

Why is it up to the state???? The best way they can help is to stay out of the people's pockets! We need people within their communities to become business owners. It's the entrepreneurial spirit that has always made us great. More entrepreneurs = more jobs! Stronger communities, less gov't....

Well-educated young adults have been leaving this state for the last 40 years. No one politician can be responsible for that. All it takes to witness the problem would be to take a look at the want ads in the back pages of the Gazette. The skills needed are usually for maintenance work, janitorial work, truck-driving, social work or newspaper delivery service. Who wants to pay $100,000 to $200,000 to go to college and get a job that pays $8 to $15 an hour? The payback isn't there. If youngsters are willing to swear a vow of poverty, this is the place to be. Doctors and lawyers might fare a little better but this is not the economic center of the universe. The steep stairs of economic decline were constructed here long ago and change is unlikely. Is the Rust Belt going to continue to decay?

One viable approach could include ideas sprung from home grown possibilities. Example: Cozy Inn restaurant in Janesville has been a long time staple of area diners.
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Problem: The old, VERY [we need italics, Greg!] steep stairs effectively prevent would-be diners from accessing the restaurant. Diners stay away from Down Town area, thereby limiting exposure to all Down Town businesses.
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Solution: Provide state grant money (with, perhaps, available Federal money) to install an elevator which would allow more folks to get up to Cozy Inn. (Perhaps the project could include a shared, common second-story walkway which other neighboring businesses could share and utilitze...such as the Irish pub). More reasons for more people to get downtown and, perhaps, patronize other businesses.
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Identifying similar “problems” across the state, and rectifying them will create construction jobs, enhance employment to small businesses, and stimulate community pride. Lots of little jobs . . very real potential, not sitting and wishin’ and hopin’ for some dreamy, huge employer to magically appear and make 2000 jobs.

So, what is your excuse for Feingold getting thrown out?

Speaking of uneducated opinions-""Now that the teacher's pet, Doyle, is no longer there to coddle them, and Governor Walker has removed their focus on strong-arm contract renewals, perhaps Wisconsin teachers can concentrate on getting the high school graduate reading level above the third grade level.""

Your bantor is at a third grade level. Wisconsin schools have consistently performed near or at the top in the nation for decades, get your info straight. Laying blame on Doyle for a conjured up problem by you is very funny. Lets compare Doyle to Walker just in the educational arena, shall we?

Jim Doyle- attended Stanford and UW-Madison for his bachelors degree, has a doctorate from HARVARD. Attorney for 30+ years including a stint as AG in Wisconsin.

Scott Walker- Could not finish his bachelors Degree at Marquetts, one job at the Red Cross for less than 2 years and a career politician. Even by Republican standards that is pretty pathetic.

The repubs only like whipping on Doyle because he was in offoce during the global financial crisis which he nothing to do with. Doyle woould still be governor had he chose to continue running. THAT is an absolute fact. He destroyed one of the few respectable Wisconsin Republicans , mark Green, Scott Walker would have gotten beat badly as well.
So were clear I NEVER voted for Doyle, not once. But your really dumb comments had to be addressed.

Wislady- yes because I am concerned about what you view as credible. Your credibility on an anonymous website, is "through the roof". As laughable as most of your slanted higly UNeducated comments.

Berry always misses the point. Wisconsin has the most unfair tax codes in the nation and Berry knows this is the problem and won't address it with the truth.

Wislady- Who says the sit around. A lot of the young people I know go to, horror of horrors, states like Minn. & Ill. Where pay is higher.

We could elect a Republican governor
who promises to create 250,000 jobs.

Un-employed are we ?

Sorry to disappoint you, I have had very good jobs when I was in the work force. Some of which most people NEVER would qualify for, let alone have the fortitude to do.
The Jobs site has about 40,000 jobs listed, so I think it is time for the "smart" people to find one and start paying off their student loans.

Wislady...what do you have against the highly educated ? Cheer up, just because someone has an education beyond eighth grade should not make you feel inferior.

fearandrhetoric4dummies

Continue the name calling, it really doesn't make you very credible.

There is always an excuse for the "highly educated", but why can't they start a business themselves?

No wonder we have jobs that can not be filled, and grads sitting around with worthless degrees. Most of the "highly educated" wouldn't know how to operate a snow shovel.

wislady - You exhibit the typical conservative opinion that is one of our problems. College grads waiting for $60,000 a year jobs. That might have been twenty years ago. Low wages young people leave. Very simple.

Now that the teacher's pet, Doyle, is no longer there to coddle them, and Governor Walker has removed their focus on strong-arm contract renewals, perhaps Wisconsin teachers can concentrate on getting the high school graduate reading level above the third grade level.

It will take 6-8 years to get current grade school kids up to speed through junior and senior high before we significantly increase the output of literate students from our educational system to benefit state employers.

Yes because "creating jobs" is like waving a magic wand Winklady. Large biotech firms and IT companies like Epic not only provide good paying careers for the highly educated, they provide economic development for the communities around them. When folks make a decent wage, they spend money in the community, remember GM?
Unfortunately Venture Capital isn't exactly bringing jobs to the state like some believe it will. Reasonableintellectual is right on, Madison (unfortunately for conservatives who hate my hometown) is the only hope for a bright economic future, because it is the future, especially with brilliant "businessman like our ridiculously stupid senator Ron Johnson who treasures the Chinese business system so much that he wants to drive wages down and profits up!! Great for....

STOP OUTSOURCING OUR JOBS! Statistics show that between 1994 and 2011 Wisconsin lost over 81,000 manufacturing jobs. A majority of those workers were certified as having LOST JOBS DUE TO IMPORTS and OFF SHORING....
Until we eliminate the incentives that corporations have to send high-paying, full-time jobs overseas, we will continue to suffer as a nation.....
Let us not forget WHO REPRESENTS US...Tommy Thompson supports massive tax cuts for corporations that outsource Wisconsin jobs. As for the Paul Ryan budget, the group notes in its analysis, wants to cut the corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent, and EXEMPT the OFFSHORE PROFITS of multinational American corporations from the income tax....
Let's contact our representatives and ask them NOT to support OFF SHORING Wisconsin Jobs!

Great ideas janesvillecomments. Lol

Issue free liquor licenses to bars that have 1/2 price drinks for women every day of the week, institute mandatory euthanasia for anyone who has served more than two terms in the state legislature, executive or judicial offices, and any county board or city council when they turn 65, and raise the state minimum wage to $25.00/hour.

Two-tier interest rates for student loans, much lower for graduates who stay and work in Wisconsin while repaying their loans and higher rates for those who leave the state, might also help.

Great ideas ReasonableIntellectual.

The "highly educated" should be creating new businesses, instead of waiting for someone else to provide them with $60,0000 per year jobs just because they have a degree.

Madison is one of the greatest draws that Wisconsin has. Thousands of highly educated young adults would love to stay in the area - if only there were more employment opportunities for the highly educated. Use tax credits and other incentives to turn Madison into the biotech hub that it has the potential to become. Use similar incentives to turn it into the internet hub that it also has the potential to become (hint: lure Google to expand their presence and others will follow). Find ways to leverage Epic's presence and draw other medical industries to the area (health insurance companies are a natural fit). Improve white collar employment, and the rest will follow...