Tough Choices: Prison Guards or 911 Dispatchers?

NBC News reported this week about the shortage of federal prison guards and the significant risks associated with the shortage. Watch the report here.

In Denver, there is a shortage of 911 dispatchers and it’s putting residents at risk. In Philadelphia, rising violence and staff shortages of 600 police officers are causing similar issues. In Boston, there is a shortage of emergency responders causing delays in ambulance dispatch. In Milwaukee, the pay isn’t enough to keep 911 dispatchers either.

What’s the common theme? Labor shortage. What’s the cause? In Demographics and The Tough Choices Ahead to 2030 we discussed the problem as well as in The Labor Battle Intensifies: Healthcare vs Retail we outlined how deep pocket and profitable corporations will suck up workers first then everyone else will get the remaining crumbs.

This is going to be the new normal for the next decade. We expect government services to decline in efficiency and quality and expect deep pocket corporations to improve their efficiency and service. Just think of how restaurant food, groceries, or virtually any product can be delivered to your door by Uber Eats, Instacart or Amazon.

This will be a common theme over and over again not that much different from the Final Four Basketball Tournament where 32 entities fight it out until only two are left and there is one final victor. In the case of the economy, there won’t be a single victor but a Corporatocracy where corporations serve as major employer, economic, political and judicial system “managers” and with the push for arbitration clauses, corporate tax structures and political contributions to elections anyone can argue that we are already there.

What should a prudent investor do? Well you could spend your time fighting it or you can spend your time profiting from it. The first is harder and the later easier if you know what you’re doing but the best way to learn how is to stay tuned and stay solvent.