Democrats miss the boat on workforce training

Our good friend Sam Hall covers a rather interesting subject on his blog yesterday: the need for increased workforce training in MS.

Well, Sam, we couldn't agree more! Thankfully, the Barbour administration has gotten MS back on track after Musgrove slashed the budget for workforce training during his ill-fated years in office.

Let's see... when Barbour took the Governorship, he got to work immediately (Education and Workforce Consolidation Act of 2004, anyone?). He's more than doubled funding for workforce training and has funded education (which includes vocational/workforce efforts) at record levels. It has worked pretty well so far (Toyota, GE, PSL North America, highest number of people working than ever before, etc). I will admit, however, that some of this momentum has stalled due to current economy.

It seems to me, Sam, that you should be delighted with the governor's work. But I get the feeling you want him to do more... ah, yes... let's see, you want to create a Department of Labor for MS?

You say MS should have an agency that would "protect the rights of workers, offer displace workers a place to go to help find job training and new job opportunities, serve as a central repository for issues related to the state’s workforce and job development."

It's called the MS Department of Employment Security, and that's precisely what they do.

I know Democrats like duplication in state services, but really Sam, this is just too much...