A storm may be brewing for the very kind of work that could save America. For one thing, rising attention to “undocumented workers” (immigration) could be the precursor to increased indignation about “undocumented work” (any work off the books by small time freelancers, contractors, and solopreneurs). Remember, we live in a “who do you think you are?” economy, when it comes to redefining work as something other than a job. The commitment to “jobs” is militant. For another thing, all the lobbying to add a point or two to the taxation of corporations and the wealthy by those clamoring for the government to create jobs, will undoubtedly result in a tit for tat approach regulating transactions between independent workers. That already started with the new 1099 requirements of the health reform law, but it could get even more draconian.
Add to this “set me apart as a visionary” Gingrich’s attempt to inject a pulse back into Republican credibility with creative brainstorming about ‘solutions’ like work programs in grade schools. Just as the drama about identity theft led to registering and tagging of children, much like livestock, one could argue, in a corporate farm, so the introduction of kids to a half-way house for economic contribution and tax supply is likely to tightly wed their potential for independent wealth generation to monitoring and tracking.
FYI: Lest anyone suggest we’re advocating tax evasion, that would be to almost intentionally miss the point, for which we’d zonk you on the head for the intellectual dishonesty that gets trotted out whenever one suggests power isn’t an absolute deserving of worship. We’re not aware that evasion of monitoring is the same as tax evasion, however.
In short, we’re likely going to see the rise of the independent professional not as a surprise to those who plan and regulate, or those who wield political control. The only surprised people are the ones who still call for the plant to re-open long after the company has moved on – those who keep calling for “jobs”, and are conditioned by their political leaders to do so, because “job creation” is an almost religious placebo in rhetorical manipulation of crowds. Everyone else knows the culture has shifted to a condition more similar to the pre-industrial era and, therefore, going after evil deadbeat independent workers, not evil industrialists, will likely be the next big trend.
