Elizabeth Warren has long warned that the middle class was under extreme stress. In 2003 she co-authored the “The Two income Trap” in which she and her daughter painted a vivid description of the financial tight-rope that the middle Class find themselves on. She recently appeared in Michael Moore’s film “Capitalism: A Love Story”.
Ms. Warren is currently chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the TARP funds. As such, she has been a refreshingly frank and uncompromising voice in the nation’s capital.
Why is this relevant to America’s brain drain? The dissolution of the middle class has a great deal to do with the breaking of the American brain trust. After all, an American scientist, engineer or academic has more in common with a UAW worker than it does with bankers, stockbrokers and sales people - at least when it comes to compensation. Actually, I take that back, UAW workers probably fare a lot better financially in the grand scheme of things. At the very least, they were not burdened by years spent out of the work force to complete an extensive education.
Thus the brain drain has everything to do with the dissolution of the middle class. Make no mistake, scientists and engineers are employees. They are working people - and as such their prosperity is linked to the prevailing trends of the work place.
The video is short, but on-point. Likening the middle class to a Thanksgiving turkey is a powerful and unfortunately - a very apt metaphor.
Further Reading:
Blogs where Elizabeth Warren is a contributer:
Credit Slips
The Baseline Scenario
The Two-Income Trap by Elizabeth Warren &Amelia Warren Tyagi
© 2009 Ruthmarie G. Hicks, http://www.AmericasBrokenBraintrust.com. All rights reserved.
President Obama hosted astronomy night at the White House on Wednesday encouraging students with a “passion” for science and engineering to follow their dreams. Although I admire Obama’s attempt at trying to put a finger in the dike of the American science brain drain, it is an empty effort if compensation issue is not addressed in a substantive way. Telling these bright-eyed young people to follow their dreams is recipe for financial disaster given the system of exploitation that currently dominates the landscape.
My former field required an enormous input of time as both a student and post-doc. By the time the average biomedical scientist was ready for a “real job” we are often in our late 30s or even into our 40s. The “jobs” that we are often offerd after such an extensive education have salaries that are nothing short of pitiful. Pragmatism caused me to sell out on my passion. I didn’t want to wake up one morning old, poor, bitter and unable to see a doctor and take advantage of treatments that I helped to create.
The brain drain is caused by a compensation drain. This drain is perpetuated by the “in-sourcing” of graduate students and post-docs from third world nations. Don’t get me wrong. They have been my friends and colleagues. BUT - they are also being exploited and their presence allows American scientists to also be exploited. After such an extensive education - it is not unreasonable to expect something resembling a living wage. Unless Mr. Obama addresses this burning need to live above the poverty level - science will continue to languish in this country.
Scientists and engineers need more then empty speeches - they need enough money in their pockets to make a living, own a home, raise their families and prepare for retirement.
Further Reading:
Postdocs at Brookhaven: Establishing a Living Wage.
5000 postdocs choose UAW.
Much has been written in recent years about the appalling lack of academic excellence in our society. Thomas Friedman has written extensively on this issue complaining mournfully about the lack of interest the youth of America display toward fields such as science and engineering. The few remaining Americans who choose this pathway are part of the American braintrust. The knowledge and skills they acquire allow America to remain on the cutting edge. A critical mass of such talent is needed to fuel progress, innovate and create the products, solutions and medical treatments of tomorrow. Without this core of individuals, there is nothing to propel us forward. Businesses will stagnate for want of new products. Solutions to our energy problems, global warming and the like will go unsolved.
At one time, I was a small part of that braintrust. I was a scientist. I have two master’s degrees, one in molecular and cellular biology and another in microbiology and immunology along with a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. I worked as a research assistant, lab manager and doctoral candidate in this field for some 15 years before throwing in the towel and “selling out” to run my own business.
Why the “sell out”? Why leave after such a major investment of time and education? Why leave such stimulating and interesting work for the for the world of business. It was, after all, a wrenching transition. The answer to this question is quite basic. The reason I left was “money” or lack of same. Although I still work as an adjunct professor, my primary income comes from a licensing course that took 45 hours to obtain. Don’t get me wrong. Selling real estate is far from “easy” and most of the training is through the school of hard knocks. In fact over 90% of agents drop out because it is so tough. But that’s not the point. The point is one of value. Why is a broker/agent potentially worth so much more than a than a Ph.D. with unique skills?
These answers are neither simple nor easy. The end result is that many if not most who are part of the braintrust find that though they are among the “best and brightest” they must make do with a life below the poverty line. Small wonder that these fields pale in comparison to the lure or Wall Street, banking and business. How we came to such an impasse is somewhat mysterious - although I think a good part of the problem has its roots in the supply-side, trickle down economic policies that neoconservatives tout. Certainly there are many contributing factors.
What to do about it is of paramount importance. This is particularly true when our entire economy is dependent on new R&D to keep chugging along. At the end of the day - it is the innovators that drive investor’s portfolio values ever higher. So America needs to solve its braintrust issue if it doesn’t want to become a third world nation.
© 2009 Ruthmarie G. Hicks - America’s Broken Braintrust
