Wednesday, October 12, 2011

THE FEDERAL BLOGGERS' PROJECT

Gentle Readers,

I  just watched a very interesting documentary about the Federal Writers' Project that was part of the WPA during the Great Depression.

I always wonder why that time was the Great Depression and now we're simply having a recession. Shouldn't we at least substitute a word for great and call this some kind of depression? The Crappy Depression. The Lousy Fuckin' Depression.

But, ah, I digress.

For those of you who aren't up on your history or are Canadian or Slovenian, the WPA was part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. It was the Works Progress Administration, and the idea was to give jobs to the unemployed not only because they needed to earn money, but having a job also helped people get their dignity back.  A lot of people -- including me -- don't want charity. They -- including me -- want jobs. While Roosevelt's administration admitted that the WPA cost more than putting people on relief, they knew how important the jobs were for morale. This I totally understand. Not being able to find a job is so disheartening. The program was also good for the country's infrastructure because many of the jobs involved building roads and bridges and even parks.

Of course writers were not earning much during the depression and some were on the verge of starvation. People didn't have money to buy books and magazines and many newspapers laid off writers and editors, so a group of writers got together and demanded they be included in the WPA. The writers included such luminaries as Zora Neale Hurston, the author of the amazingly marvelous Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Thus, the Federal Writers' Project was born. Writers were given jobs writing, and since the point was to provide employment, the writers sometimes included typists or the occasional truck driver who needed work.

But what were the writers to write? Eventually someone came up with the idea that they would write guides to all the states, focusing on places of interest, what the cities and towns were like, folklore. Up to this point, no such guide existed for the U.S.

So where am I going with this story? I bet you know. Since some of us -- including me -- can't find jobs, President Obama needs to create the Federal Bloggers Project to provide jobs for unemployed bloggers! I would continue to stay at home and write my blog, but I'd get a decent salary and benefits.

Wow! Is this a good idea or what?

And I don't even have to be told what to write because you can't shut me up. I always have something to say.

Lots of other people who need jobs could also write blogs, or maybe we need new state guides. And wouldn't it be great if the state guides told the truth? Like "St. Augustine may be the nation's oldest city, but it's a tourist trap." Or "Topeka. Why bother?"

Unemployment problem solved. Tourists well informed.

You're welcome.

Infinities of love,

Lola

13 comments:

  1. hahaha I think I'd move to America just for that. God Idea, you have my vote.

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  2. I like the idea. :D

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  3. Great post and informative. Peoples dignity gets forgotten in the clamour over money.

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  4. Selling out to a big publisher like the Government? I can't believe you'd sell out like that.
    I don't want anyone telling me how much I can or can't blog about how much I masturbate.

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  5. Goodness could I ever use this!!! Being in a recession and then being not allowed to work in the country I live in, (with a student for a husband) making a living from blogging would be a blessing from heaven! Technically I can be employed by American companies (just not the ones in Ireland) so I would be first to sign up!!! Great idea!

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  6. Oh Allen and Coffey, We could do the work and get paid for it and talk dirty and masturbate on our breaks. And thank you to the rest of you for your approval. My self-esteem is rising.

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  7. I've read some of those stories and they are remarkable.
    Here where we live, there are still reminders of those WPA years.
    Our old high school gym was built by the WPA. The old Dora Library, though the roof has fallen, the rocks laid by the WPA are standing and as strong as ever.
    I hope you find a good job soon.
    I clicked on some of your ads so maybe you'll get a little money from adsense.

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  8. It's a great idea. Somebody's got to come up with jobs somewhere, somehow. Recession my ass! This is a Depressing Depression. And when the Prez said we were in a recovery I choked on my coffee that day. Get in touch with the world Obama and all you other politicians. They have no clue what the real people in this country deal with.

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  9. Lola! Lola! LOLA!

    *stands up on top of the table, leads the masses in a "light up" of the cel phones*

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  10. Awesome idea, my dear Lola.

    And I like the new look. :)

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  11. Rick, I've seen parks and picnic areas that were built by WPA workers. Thanks for the clicks on ads.

    As for my presidential campaign, I think it has already ended and it never even began. Hmmmm . . . I dated a guy in high school who's a lobbyist now. He really wanted to get laid and I always turned him down. If I made him an offer now, I wonder if he'd lobby for us.

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