Posted on 02/09/2014 4:30:35 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network
OK there is a question being asked right now on Fox News Channel, about jobs.
Specifically the question was "Where have all the jobs gone".
Duh. CHINA.
exactly
Good one!
Gone to China everyone. Long time passing.
Tried to do so once, for giggles. Thankfully my boss didn't see.
LOL
Fox News has become completely stupid. So glad I no longer have Cable/Satellite TV any longer.
Fox is asking where have the jobs gone? According to Fox News Sunday there are too many jobs so we need Mexicans to fill them.
The money that used to pay for jobs is now being consumed by Big Government regulations.
The cost of government regulations does not help. I cannot understand how the costs of building new factories in China and the costs of shipping can make things cheaper than paying for a U.S. worker.
The day when there is wholesale distribution of machines that know when they’re going to break is way past my retirement (I’m 55).
But even with that, bearings go bad, drive shafts shear, chains break, switches don’t switch, and motors fry. There’s an old electricians joke about electricity really being smoke that travels through the wires and electronics. When the smoke leaks out, it doesn’t work any more.
A basic washer is now over $500. With tax and an extended warranty that I know from experience will be needed,my last one cost over $700. When looking, I saw many models selling for nearly $1000 before sales taxes.
These are made in America, BTW. In fact, made in my state.IMO, the appliances and cars made overseas already cost too much. US unions and government manufacturing mandates add a burden on everything, no matter where they are made. Your projected prices are only about 2x what things already cost. They may be too low.
I used to be able to buy a reconditioned washer for $100. The people who used to run these businesses no longer do so. I checked the cost of parts about a year ago, when my last washer died and they are so high that there is no percentage any longer in reconditioning/refurbishing an appliance.
My microwave is 23 years old and on its last legs. The replacement cost for that appliance is exactly the same price I paid back in 1991. It was not made in the USA. Our vehicles were made in the USA. One is 15 years old, the other is 8 years old. They will cost approximately another 50% over the original price to replace.
It is pointless to argue w/CNN. He is Johnny-one-note on this topic and will not concede one point to anyone. I have decided that he is a union supporter.
Terrible
“As the leader of the West and as a country that has become great and rich because of economic freedom, America must be an unrelenting advocate of free trade.”-Ronald Reagan
“High trade barriers, what is often called protectionism, undermines economic growth and destroys jobs.”-Ronald Reagan
Wrong.
I am strongly opposed to unions.
That said, I am also strongly in support of American companies, who hire Americans.
Bring back American jobs.
Not just tired, but no longer there.
What happens as the smaller businesses lose even more customers because they are not working and still have to pay for some essential things like utilities that are, so far, not really subsidized and non-essentials that people will not voluntarily give up, like smartphones? The former workers are not paying taxes and neither are the former employers.
Even the Soviet model had government factories and stores. At the end, the factories bartered among themselves with their production. They fudged the books, showing less production to be handed over to the State and used their production as currency. The stores had few to no goods and often had only the seconds or botched runs (like shoes all made for one foot)and the jobless wards of the State spent their time non-productively standing in lines, until standing in line became a job.
This is just a nightmare.
They’re out there now, they just aren’t everywhere yet, but they’re out there. They’ll probably hitting wide use about the same time you’re hanging it up. The rubberband is moving very fast these days.
Have you run a business? Spent the hours on government paperwork and paid the taxes/mandated benefits per employee? Those taxes used to be about 30% of wages. Now they are 50%.
Want to make something and sell to someone who exports w/in NAFTA? Every year you fill out paperwork proclaiming how much and to what extent your supplies are made within North America and there are penalties for being wrong, even though you must rely upon your suppliers to be truthful. Want to distribute what others make? You are now responsible for the veracity of the declarations of every one of your vendors.
Want to manufacture something that requires water and power use? These have *necessarily skyrocketed* and before long, it is not feasible to manufacture anything.
Want to manufacture something, but residents/activists in your area will go to obscene lengths to keep your operation out of their neighborhoods for ideological and political reasons, masquerading as *environmental concerns* that will even include the presence of delivery trucks?
Want to manufacture something but essential parts/supplies are no longer available at a reasonable cost because more government mandates have been imposed on the manufacturers/producers of those elements?
Your solution is to bring in yet another layer of governmental mandates with the accompanying paperwork and regulators that add cost, time (which is a cost)and stress. I wonder how many jobs have to be cut to pay for for every governmental mandate?
Tariffs are not free and do not contribute to productivity, over and above the economic arguments. Getting the government out of private business would be a good first step.
There is no magic wand except a return to freedom.
You do not own your business in China.
China owns your business in China. And furthermore, there is a majority owner who is Chinese.
You do not own your business.
Bring back jobs to America, now.
I own my business in the USA. I can no longer afford employees.
However, I know people who work for American companies who manufacture in China and also in Saudi Arabia and other places. These companies also have manufacturing plants all over the USA. They do own their businesses. They can remove them from China or Saudi whenever they wish. They do employ Americans. Those people are my neighbors and customers/clients.
I know other manufacturers that own their businesses in America and also export their products. They have refused to outsource their manufacturing. They have been under siege by the government for years. Each year, they employ fewer people because the government has increased their costs, yet again. Tariffs would increase their price point and erode their exports.
There is a lot of manufacturing in Pakistan, India, the Phillipines, US island possessions (which are counted as American jobs). Much of this is contracted labor and as such, is fungible. It is so far cost effective, even with import duties, transport and a higher rate of seconds than if the work was done here. These jobs can be moved at any time by the American company. The business originating these contracts owns the production.
I know, you will copy and paste your tired old mantra again. I need to go to work and likely will not reply unless you have something new and pertinent to contribute.
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