When Litvinov was in New York during the depression he was told by the mayor that snow plows had been abandoned in favor of shovels in order to provide more men with work. Litvinov replied...Why don't you give them spoons to insure total employment".Since we're deindistrializing at a rapid rate, this may not be too far off the mark.
BTW, your post was very good,dear friend.
I didn't know you cared!