US Unemployment - Is Guam The Answer?

Comment from a reader on "Americans To Do Hard Labor In Guam":

SB: I am not American, so my comment is not based on any "pride" issues, but observations working with them on all levels.

You are right, America has gone soft, they have not really been challenged for a long time and those on the outside perceive them as weak.

BUT! Americans are a great people, who when their backs are against the wall, invariably come thru.

Mainly because of an indomitable belief in their democratic "of and by the people" way.

U.S. hard labor in Guam will be a catharsis for some, easy for others but a wake up to the next generation not to lose the edge that the post WW2 generation fought so hard to give all those who make snide remarks about Americans...the chance to make them!

TIMES...they are a-changing

and another;

While I usually find SB observations to be fair, factual, and balanced, I feel compelled to offer disagreement on several points.

My sense is that SB is somewhat out of touch with the scenario that has transpired in the U.S. in the past year. We are looking at unemployhment rates not seen in many years.

SB is correct in noting that the U.S. social welfare system panders to the lazy, the stupid, and the misfit, we are now loooking at desperate people who for the first time in their lives are unable to find jobs. We all know people willing to take any job that they can get. This has led to a big change in attitude regarding the humanitdarian spirit SB alludes to.

Guam is a U.S. Territory that is NOT self sustaining by the Guamanians themselves. Guam only exists because of support from the U.S. Dollar, and that translates out to U.S. taxpayer contribution (not always cheerfully tendered). If labor is needed for massive work projects in Guam, who would quarrel with the proposal that first employment go to those U.S. citizens able, willing, and needy?

Incidentally, the aside regarding "Mexican illegal" tells me SB is really out of touch with the impact of the economic downturn. I would suggest communicating with somebody familiar with Oklahoma.

I fail to understand the basis of claim that Chamorrps have highest enlistment rate. Enlistment in what? Since the armed forces are having no difficulty with recruitment and retention, it is difficult to pinpoint ANY State or Territory as "highest."

Thanks for the space.

[The Subic Bulletin] Thank you for disagreeing The Subic Bulletin would be pretty boring if we all just patted each others backs.

Your right in that of the 7 US states I have visited this year (not include the territory of Guam) Oklahoma was not one of them, and I had never considered Oklahoma to be the indicative example of the entire USA. Last time I went to the DIY in California (this year) I counted 22 men of Latino origin standing outside looking for undocumented work.

Maybe there is a terrible rate of unemployment in the USA but hard labor jobs in Guam is not going to scratch the surface and those unemployed are not likely to be living with a family of 10 inside a tin "garden shed" working 12 hours for 3-6 dollars.

Of course the people of the Philippines and especially the Olongapo and Subic Bay area are close to our hearts, it would be a hard argument to convince us that anyone deserves jobs more than them.

With regard to the Chamorros enlisting, the original story had a link in it, if you click on these links a window will open with the source article displayed. A link looks like this.

This quotes Guams own Congresswoman Madeline Bardallo who says "People from Guam are very patriotic, she added, pointing out that Guam has the highest rate of enlistment in the National Guard and Army reserves of any U.S. state or territory".