Tony Blairs “cool Britannia,”epitomized by hedge fund managers, Russian oligarchs and media stars, offered little to the working and middle classes. Despite its proletarian roots, New Labour, as London Mayor Boris Johnson acidly notes, has presided over that which has become the most socially immobile society in Europe.

via The Future Of Americas Working Class | Newgeography.com.

A very interesting perspective on how economic growth in the post-millennial western world is defined by a hollowing out of the middle, the consolidation of the super-wealthy, and the growth of a large, working-poor class. And, all of it is wrapped up neatly in a bow of complete social immobility.

It might be cliche to sound the call of the “rich get richer while the poor get poorer,” or it might be anti-conservative to suggest that there’s a policy agenda that should speak to mobility. But, having spent time in places like Bangladesh, Indonesia, or Mexico, I can attest to the value of social mobility. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the notion of “freedom” to which we vigilantly cling as conservatives is best reflected by social mobility, or “opportunity.” The freedom to take risks and strive for a greater future, the freedom to take risks, fall flat on one’s face, and be able to pick themselves up again. Each of these freedoms is dependent on access to capital, healthcare, and education, and a social net to some degree – making the each of these – capital, health, education, and welfare – fundamentally conservative values, in as much as they support the most conservative value of all – freedom of social mobility.

There’s a fine line, of course, between creating a state in which social mobility is a driving force, and creating a welfare state. Britain appears to be struggling to find that balance, with immigration and the widely available dole wreaking havoc on their social contract.

Perhaps worse that the effects of immigration and welfare policy, however, is the corrosive dissolution of manufacturing industries. This is something that I’ve observed in my travels. The Middle Class, as we know it, is the product of reasonably well-paid manufacturing jobs – a class of employment that drove our economies through the fifties, up until the late eighties. Countries that have never had such an industrial leg up on creating a middle class inevitably stagnate at an equilibrium comprised of a wealthy elite and impoverished masses. That’s where our western economies are headed today – the loss of those jobs is corrosive to our social contract and mobility. When the middle class can no longer afford to perpetuate itself, you’re left with Bangladesh, or Rio de Janeiro.

That’s not to say that western cities are going to turn into Rio over night – though some might argue that its happening already (see: Safer in Baghdad than Chicago). Regardless, I believe as conservatives we have an obligation to forward a policy agenda that cognizant of the value of small government, but also not forgetful of the “freedoms” on which our continued success, failures, happiness, and mobility are dependent.

Here’s one reason why Arizona’s new laws aren’t any good: to those who chose not to exercise reason, the laws institutionalize bigotry, and in doing so make it passable for everyone – like this restaurant owner in Georgia:

Mulligan’s on Roswell Road in Cobb County joined the heated debate over illegal immigration.

A sign in front of the restaurant read, “Hell Yeh [ sic] Arizona. Send those [expletive] home! Anchor babies & all! If u [ sic] can’t feed um [ sic] don’t breed um [ sic]”

via Marietta Bar Hangs Controversial Sign.

Background: The state legislature recently passed an extremely strict new set of laws that grants police new powers to identify and prosecute illegal immigrants – see the NYT’s summary: Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration.

Among the criticisms levied against the bill is that the ability to demand valid papers from any passer-by will make racial profiling against Latinos systemic, and will create a fascist-feeling environment in which jackbooted Arizona police will demand your “papers.”

I’m mixed: the libertarian in me views any attempts to hinder the free movement of people and capital as counter-productive. The community minded part of me, however, sees the costs of illegal immigration in everything from artificial downward wage pressure and increased crime, to increased pressure on taxed social services.

It strikes me that persecuting illegals once they’ve arrived at the expense of the civil liberties of all Arizonan’s can’t be the best way to go at resolving the issue. Instead, why not look for mechanisms to remove illegal’s motivations to cross the border in the first place? That is to say, they cross to work in Arizona, which means Arizonan businesses are employing them illegally. If stemming the tide of illegal immigration into Arizona is the goal, my opinion is that going after those businesses would be the more rational way to do so.

Of course, targeting businesses isn’t something Republicans (or conservatives) are likely to do.

What do you think?

This is an article I wrote for WorldChanging Canada on a Manitoba startup that aimed to convert ag waste and landfill biomass into fuel that could replace coal. The story ends with the company being shut down, but its a fascinating tale nonetheless.

A few months ago, I sat down for coffee with Winnipeg entrepreneur and business magnate Ken Bicknell. Ken had a story to tell about pellet fuel and his own pellet fuel start up, BioCube. Pellet fuel, I thought, was a fascinating topic; the only settings I had ever seen it in were of a rustic nature—yurts, backcountry cabins, and the occasional garage workshop. With Ken’s business background, I figured he and BioCube might have an interesting take on a cottage industry—and I was not disappointed.

WorldChanging.com – Can pellet fuel make coal plants green?

“Our investment as citizens in our collective “commons” lays the foundation for our individual wealth and success. Taxes are the price we pay to live in a civilized and healthy society. Those of us who have disproportionately benefited from public investments have a responsibility to pay back our society so that others can have similar opportunities.”

via Chuck Collins: Honk If You Want To Raise Taxes on the Wealthy.

How do you feel about raising taxes on the wealthy?

A perfect end-run around online taxes. How long will it be before Facebook’s 400 million users, now armed with their own currency, start siphoning off material percentages of nation’s economies?

Add one more piece of evidence to all of those rumors about an impending launch of a Facebook virtual currency at the upcoming f8 conference in late April. Facebook recently applied for a trademark for its virtual currency platform, which is aptly named Facebook Credits.

via Trademark Application For Facebook Credits Reveals Globe Coin Logo And Other Details.

However, analysts note the inflation data come with a caveat as the Winter Olympics in Vancouver drove up prices in some key categories.

The consumer price data, combined with robust retail sales figures for January, has likely set off alarm bells at the Bank of Canada, economists say, as to whether the central bank can keep its conditional pledge to maintain its target rate at 0.25% until July.

via Inflation surprise spurs rate speculation.

For all working-age black women 18 to 64, the financial picture is bleak. Their median household wealth is only $100. Hispanic women in that age group have a median wealth of $120.

“That means half of [black women] have a net worth of more than $100 and half have a net worth of less than $100,” Ms. Lui said. “So that gives you an idea of how far in debt some women of color are.”

via Study finds median wealth for single black women at $5.

This is an American study, but nonetheless highlights systemic failures in education, financial regulation, employment equity, and a host of other factors that contribute to perpetuating disparity. The US provides a valuable case study for Canadian lawmakers as to how history and policy shape long-term outcomes. Are there lessons to be learned here, for instance, that could be applied to First Nations policy making?

As a result, one has produced a fuel cell that can turn natural gas or natural grass into electricity; the other has a technology that might make coal the cleanest, cheapest energy source by turning its carbon-dioxide emissions into bricks to build your next house.

The thing I love most about America is that there’s always somebody who doesn’t get the word — somebody who doesn’t understand that in a Great Recession you’re supposed to hunker down, downsize and just hold on for dear life. I have a couple of friends who fit that bill, who think a recession is a dandy time to try to discover better and cheaper ways to do things. They both happen to be Indian-Americans — one a son of the Himalayas, who came to America on a scholarship and went to work for NASA to try to find a way to Mars; the other a son of New Delhi, who came here and found the Sun, Sun Microsystems.

via Op-Ed Columnist – Dreaming the Possible Dream – NYTimes.com.

Taiwan-based optical disc drive (ODD) maker Lite-On IT's factory in southern China is running short of about 800-1,000 workers, about 10% of its regular personnel, due to a prevailing labor shortage in the region and eastern China, according to the company.

via Lite-On IT China factory facing labor shortage.