A Catch within Health Reform

A debate erupted this morning about adult children out of work living at home with parents. First of all, I am convinced that one of the most important facets of the traditional family is the safety net feature. Not all kids progress in to careers at the same pace. They may need help from the family. That is a rational hope and expectation to the extent the family can provide it.

In the recently passed health care reform, insurance companies must provide coverage for dependent children up to age 26. A rational idea since the economy does not allow as many smooth transitions from education to self sufficiency as it once did. A further benefit for students who deliberately consider and try multiple options before settling on their true commitment.

However, the age 26 option carries with it a built in problem. In the IRS code, families filing a 1040 return get to claim an exemption for dependent children in one part of the tax return and a tax credit for dependent children in another part of the same return. How long before astute politicians seize on this anomaly between health reform and tax returns. Changing the tax regulations so the dependent age agrees with the 26 year old insurance reform age would reduce tax revenues.

So reform giveth and reform taketh away. In a time when burgeoning deficits threaten economic recovery, can we afford agreement between the two portions of federal law mentioned above?

Adrift in a sea of more qualifed people

Unemployment is a common phenomenom in today's economy.

There are three competing philosphies.

One focuses on personal contacts. According one expert I talked to, "everyone has 2,000 acquaintances." You contact them, get an appointmentfor 10 to 15 minutes and give them a sales pitch about yourself. THE PITCH can be no longer than three minutes.

Two focuses on the internet. Get on Facebook, write a blog, go to many job websites, find website of favorite companies, websites of headhunters (the human ones, not the meanies who dine on some of our closest friends). Get your name out in cyberspace.

The third, crawl in a hole and die (a Glen Beck favorite).

The truth is you are only as effective as that to which you are commited. If you're comfortable cold calling, jump in to number one. If you are an internet wizard and you have the hardware, assert yourself with the second option. Option number three is in this for "comic relief".

The biggest tools are dedication and patience. This economy is not producing new jobs. You're going to have to displace soneone who was retired, fired, or just got lazy. That takes time and luck. Find an opening at the exact right time, and impress the person in front of you asking questions you hadn't thought of. And take break each to watch "The Rifleman" play video games, play chess, etc. Eight hours a day will only make tired.