Another symbolic staple of the once-mighty American economy is apparently going stale.
Hostess Bakery-the company that produces Twinkies, Wonder Bread and a host of other sweet delicacies that have been mainstays in the lunch boxes of children and blue-collar workers alike for decades-filed for bankruptcy this past week.
To many Americans, a world without Twinkies may seem inconceivable. But it appears that Hostess has become a victim of changing tastes in the American diet, which in recent years has become more and more obsessed with eating better.
The joy of the sweet snack is being replaced by health-conscious devotees of organic and natural food, who swear that these changes will make us all live longer. Junk food will never be confused with health food-nor should it be-but enjoying a guilty pleasure every now and then isn’t going to hurt anyone.
In many ways, our sudden “crash diet” against junk food is symbolic of the ever-struggling American economy. Just as we thnk having less Twinkies would help us live forever, we are moving away from our industrial backbone and seeking cheaper goods in the quest for immortal prosperity.
Free trade was expanded, and jobs were outsourced to China and other parts of the world. The politicians sold us a bill of goods by telling us that this was going to actually improve our economy as the price of goods would come down-and everyone would be able to afford almost anything on the open market.
To help those Americans who lost their jobs to outsourcing, the government subsidized job retraining and advocated that more and more people seek a college education. They did so without realizing that not everyone is college material-and that retraining or a good education would be enough to help millions find new jobs.
Still, local politicians are all for training programs. All the people in their district-workers and business owners alike- are getting something regardless of their political affiliation, and at the taxpayers’ expense.
The workforce is great, but the job marketplace remained scarce as 2012 started. Help wanted sections in newspapers are nowhere near as full as they used to be. And, what’s worse, those who do find work often have to settle for a lower salary than their previous job.
But there seem to be plenty of job prospects opening up in, of all places, China, where native English-speaking people are being sought to work. Do Americans really have to leave their world behind and cross an ocean to find work these days?
Yet we still wonder why we’re not recovering financially when all of the jobs that once were the backbone of our economy no longer exist here.
If we want to enjoy the sweet life again, we need to stop talking about economic recovery and start doing something about it. Our leaders need to bring back the old recipe for success- a thriving industrial and manufacturing sector filled with goodpaying jobs. Do what needs to be done to bring this about, whether it’s through tax incentives for businesses, higher tariffs on imports or both.
Much like a crash diet creates more problems for dieters, a “jobless recovery” won’t cure what ails this nation.
