Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 A.M. While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG). He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA), designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE) and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA). After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA) he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN) to the radio (MADE IN INDIA) he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY) and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB. At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day, Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL) poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE) and turned on his TV (MADE IN INDONESIA), and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in.....AMERICA.....
yeah thats about it. my tv went bad recently, tried to buy one made in america. hah you cant get one made here, the politicans let these companies move all the jobs overseas so they can up the bottom line for shareholders and then everybody is out of work. nafta i think that stands for now all f*%# the americans. try to find anything built here, its hard to do. its election day and now the crooks who caused the problem want to be re-elected when most of them should be going to jail. the last one was president for eight long years. when will it change ? henry white 70 GS 350 70 GS 455 70 STAGE 1
Same trend is happening today in information systems. It's very scary as both my wife and myself are in this field. I hope these politicians realize this before we have a HUGE unemployment epidemic in the US. Here is a list of the 'Occupations with the largest job growth, 2000-10'. The trend is to send the development of projects overseas but manage them here. I know firsthand this doesn't work in the real world - it just looks good on paper to the shareholders.
I agree with everything you said! Its true !!! even most of the parts GM uses are made in another country (canada/ mexico) Hey everyone did you all vote!! this is the day to make changes so if noone votes, noone has any say, trust me one vote does count!!
Who is really to blame here? Can we really blame anyone other than ourselves for the fact that the price of American labor is too high for a worldwide marketplace? Furthermore why point fingers at politicians for allowing our capitalist policies to create anything other than a "greed for profit at any cost" agenda when it is the SYSTEM that they operate under that is the real culprit?
Pretty true Robert. Labor unions had their importance way back when. A standard for safety in the work place, 8 hour days and other benefits were absolutely necessary. But somewhere around the early 60s they got too powerful and strongarmed the American companies. When the price of an hour's labor for an uneducated, unmotivated worker got too high, the companies just closed shop and moved where labor is cheap. It costs less to ship raw materials all over the world, manufacture a product, then ship the finished product all the way to America than it does to just make the stuff here and sell it here. Seem a little out-of-balance to anyone else? 2 of my brothers are machinists. They make good pay and have good bennys. The pres of their company wets himself when he thinks they're not happy because he can't find workers with their ability and conscience any more. Can you believe that? There are almost no artisans left in this country. I'm voting straight Libertarian. They seem to be the only party who isn't conscerned with reelection. Can you say Ted Kennedy? Has he ever had a real job?
why point the finger at the politicians ? because they are at the helm. they take the illegal kickbacks from the companies who want these laws. if we want a global economy, then either we have to raise thier standard of living to what ours is or we can live in a grass hut and eat a bowl of rice everyday. which way do you see it going ? true the labor unions did strongarm the companies at one point. and some people make more than they are worth, just look at your politicans and other government employees. i spent 15 years as a navy truck driver and i can tell you this, far too many govt employees are making way too much money with great healthcare , tons of annual leave & sick leave, paid holidays and thier biggest concern is why cant they have a free day off cause there's a 1/4" of snow on the ground or thier health insurance just went up by a nickle. these same people were also the biggest thieves i ever saw who also enjoyed waisting the taxpayers dollars. my own supervisor would order new snap-on tools for the fleet and then take them home to restore his vette. thats only fitting i guess cause he did restore it while using the govt shop and the taxpayers paid him overtime to do it. just a lil education in what govt service is all about. henry white 70 GS 350 70 GS 455 70 STAGE 1 ( four speed ) last 26 years
And does anybody think for one minute that if labor unions were suddenly gone that our good old American companies would keep safety, 8 hour days and all those benifits in place? They serve the shareholders (which probably includes alot us). Shareholders want PROFIT. I think we need to look at ourselves as a big part of the problem. American workers work the most hours for the least benifits of most other developed countries. What government service is all about? As a federal employee myself, I really want to know where the tons of annual and sick leave are. Here's what you get 13 days vacation for the first 3 years, 4 weeks till 15 years then, 5 weeks and 1 day after 15 years. Sick leave is 13 days a year, but don't forget that you won't get state disability (at least in NY) so you better save it just in case you have a major illness or injury. Doesn't seem too different than most corparations. I pay for my health plan and the prices are soaring. A nickel? Where do you get your information? Last year my portion went up $80 a month. This year, $20 a month. In fact for 2 years in the mid ninteys my cost of living raise was less than the increase in health insurance so I actually made (took home) less. A bit more than a nickel. I am not a thief nor is anyone in my shop. I work hard, I don't get paid overtime either. I think maybe Government service is a little different than than what you saw. If you were actually a Federal employee at the time, you were required by law to report the theft you witnessed. My apoligies Henry, but I truely resent your acusations.
karl after 15 years i am well aware of what leave and holidays a fed govt employee gets. it may be like many corporations that do govt contracting but it is tons compared to most americans. not even dabateable. ok you got me on the nickle thing, nothing is a nickle. it was more a figure of speech. sure the rate increase's are like you say. but federal empolyee health insurance is what most people can only dream about. you must admit that even with the increase very few people have it better and most of them are in congress. as far as the theft thing, my apologies to you if you took that to mean that all the employees are thieves, i certainly dont mean that about you or your coworkers, i dont know you so there"s no way i would make any kind of coment about you. i am only talking about many of the thousands that i worked with. glad to hear its different where you work. some departments are better than others, as i said i was with the navy dept. as for reporting the theft, well my boss stole govt supplies and we delivered it to a congressmans house for his private use and yes i could've reported it, but i think we all know what happens to a whistle blower. my word against a congressman ? hmmmm i have lived in the suburbs of d.c. for 42 years and in this town this is pretty much what govt service is all about. like i said glad to hear its not that way everywhere and again my apologies to you, as i say i dont know you and am not making a comment about you. i am only telling you what i saw. i know there are govt employees that dont steal, but they are the minority in the washington d.c. area. what i've reported here is just the tip of the iceberg of what i saw. it gets much worse. not talking about anyone that i dont know, only what i know for fact. henry white 70 GS 350 70 GS 455 70 STAGE 1
Glad I don't work where you work Henry. However your "lil education on what government service is all about" is only what you have seen. Your comments generalize government empolyees as a whole. You may want to check around, the benifits are similar to many what many Americans get. I only posted the leave so it would be clear to all what "tons" of leave is. Unless I'm way off, members of Congress get the same choice of Health plans as Federal employees. There are plenty of people where I work that use thier spouses health plan because it is better or cheaper.
karl glad i dont work there either, i left in disgust five years ago. yes there are exceptions to my generalization but very few leave govt service because they know they never had it so good on the outside. as to the benefits, many do get some benefits but most americans get no cost of living adjustment, no sick or annual leave and few holidays. to the people who get no leave ( most americans ) this is tons. i am comparing fed employment to what most americans have. members of congress just walk into bethesda naval hospital or walter reed army medical center and get the best of care with the taxpayer picking up the tab. you and i never had it that good. i am not trying to offend you, only saying what its like here and what most people on the outside see and wish for. signing off for today. henry white 70 GS 350 70 GS 455 70 STAGE 1
Quoteable Quotes "If we want a global economy..." First of all, I don't think it's about what anybody wants. It's about what is inevitable in the long run if the market economy is going to endure. Multinational corporations know this and that's why they are working to breakdown international trade barriers, encouraging things like NAFTA and embracing the ECU. After all how long can you sell the same product in the same country before everyone has one? If you want really large profits, the kind lots of investors require, you look to the so-called emerging markets. "...then either we have to raise thier standard of living to what ours is or we can live in a grass hut and eat a bowl of rice everyday." We are not raising anyones standard of living, except perhaps on an individual level. (your own) They are doing it all by themselves. They are able to by offering their labor to industry at a reuced rate. While, at the same time, our standard of living SEEMS to be on the decline. Probably because we, as a society, tend to have a short memory. We're probably comparing the now to sometime when there was no real global competition such as at the end of WWII. How many of us can remember when our economy was on the brink, say around 1929 or so? "which way do you see it going?" In the long term, I see it having a sort of equalizing effect where our expectations will remain unattainable so as to appear like our standard is lowering and the developing world will continiue to evolve to the point where theirs appears to be rising. We won't be sitting in huts eating rice, but the rest of the world just might be able to earn a real "living wage". Maybe then they won't want or need to try and come here illegally with the hopes of getting it here. Remember though, I'm no economist and this is just one guy's opinion.
i dont want a global economy, but some do. in the last thirty years people have bought the foriegn cars which has caused many to loose thier jobs here. if we all drove detroit iron like the old days you wouldnt see plymouth or oldsmobile on the way out. people here buying mitsubishi and toyota certainly have raised the standard of living for the people who brought us pearl harbor while leaving americans in the unemployment line. sure they offer reduced labor rates and with thier lack of enviromental laws it does make it hard for industry here. they will pollute thier waters etc and thier govt lets them. theoretically our govt sets a higher standard for amierican industry but the EPA doesnt have any say in japan. our std of living is on the decline every year and thiers is on the rise. if our trade deficit continues rise as it has been for many years things will only get worse. you wont find any ricer junk in my driveway. as to the illegal entry, well between job seekers and terrorists we need to put the national guard on the borders and stop all illegal entry. in FL the other day that boat load of haitains could've just as easily been al queda, maybe with a nuke even. on that account we need to seal the borders. iam no economist either, jmo. henry white 70 GS 350 70 GS 455 70 STAGE 1
Karl, Thats alot more than most companies give employees! The norm is more like this. At least for non union workers here in the Midwest. 0 vacation days until you have completed 1 year of employment. Then 5 days vacation. After 2 years you may get 10 days. Sick leave is hard to pin down since some companies such as mine give you a flat 3 days a year no matter how long you've worked here. If I don't use it at the end of the year they give me the money. In others you accrue it based on hours worked. Unless you become seriously ill, does anyone need 13 days? I haven't called in sick in 8 years at least. Anyone who actually uses that much sick time is most likely abusing the system and should probably be fired! Heck, the last printing co. I worked for didn't give employees any sick pay. My God Karl, you get a hell of alot of sick time! And vacation days! You lucky Bastard! :laugh:
Dale, What if you do get sick long term? Do you get disability? Had a freind out for 6 months, no state disability. His sick leave ran out after 2 months. I'd say he was the lucky bastard. I wasn't saying I have it bad, I don't. But I don't feel that I have it so good it's driving the country into ruin. I'm sure alot of it has to do with your line of work and where you live.
Well, we ARE still the best country at producing food. We spend less on food per dollar earned than any other country in the world. Oh, and last night my wife got a bundt cake pan made in USA. It was a cast piece, very heavy, and very high quality. I pay more for something made here, no sweat. I look for American made products. And if I find one, with a comparable unit made elsewhere, I still buy the US-made one.
Absolutley. Just so you know. I wasn't giving you sh*t about your bennys. I'm all for everyone getting all they can. I don't know what I'd do about disability. Like most of us I'd be screwed I guess. :beer
I'm insured out the wazoo, just in case of disability or death. Yeah, I'm woth a gazillion $ more dead than alive. Please don't tell the wife and give her any ideas...:blast: :laugh:
You guys are lucky I get no bennys No 401K Not hardly any health. (good thing for my wife working for BCBS) I get 2 weeks vacation and thats about all
