Tomorrow's Jobs

Barron's ^ | 1/5/04 | Gene Epstein

[Texas_Dawg]

THE OLD, TIRED IDEA that America has only a finite number of jobs -- and that we must guard them zealously against raids from cheap foreign labor -- has been making a remarkable comeback. The only difference is that its upside-down view of the economy has plumbed new depths.

[Texas_Dawg]

In the mornin' you go gunnin', for the man who stole your water, and you fire till he is done in, but they catch you at the border, and the mourners are all singin' as they drag you by your feet, but the hangman isn't hangin', so they put you on the street.

Amen.

[Support Free Republic]

Got a minute?

I'd really like you to scratch my ears,
or help out FR.

[Texas_Dawg]

Cover story of this week's Barron's, for those of you who don't subscribe. De nada.

We're all doomed.

[JoeSchem]

THE OLD, TIRED IDEA that America has only a finite number of jobs -- and that we must guard them zealously against raids from cheap foreign labor -- has been making a remarkable comeback.

The reason for this is that free-marketeer economists forget that there's a short run to survive, in which China does all the manufacturing overseas and illegals do all the service jobs domestically, and it takes a while for the economy to generate high-paying new jobs to take their place.

And so millions live a step or two ahead of homelessness, thanks to bureaucratic regulations that stagnate the economy from adjusting rapidly enough.

[Texas_Dawg]

And so millions live a step or two ahead of homelessness, thanks to bureaucratic regulations that stagnate the economy from adjusting rapidly enough.

Or thanks to their incompetence and the fact that they do a job so easy that billions of people around the world can do it for much cheaper. Good riddance. Life is tough. Grow up, walk it off, and quit whining. That's what the overwhelming majority of Americans, who aren't socialists, are doing. The US rules.

[Mears]

If 70% of all boomers expect to be working beyond retirement age they had better be self employed.

No one wants geezers around. What was the mantra of the Boomers,wasn't it "Don't trust anyone over 30"?

The Boomers will be shoved aside the same way they shoved the previous generation aside.

They can always be cheery greeters at Walmart,that's if the old body is still holding up.

[Freedom of Speech Wins]

Believe the author of this article is at best delusional and at worst negligent.

The author thinks jobs are being created in financial services. Hello, they are being eliminated and 0 salary commission jobs is there if one wants them.

Jobs in entertainment? Terrific, we can all be the next Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks or Joe Millionaire or the American Idol then. If one wants a job in entertainment people's career advice has been to get a job as a waiter in LA.

Then there is computer science, another field the author says has a lot of opportunity but an area the author likely knows nothing about.

Lastly there is nursing. Yes, if one has gone through a nursing school one's skills are in demand.

The author really presents no facts in the article to back up the view either.

Everyone can't be a computer programmer. Everyone can't be an actor. Everyone can't be a nurse. Everyone can't be in financial services.

A wider variety of opportunity is needed.

Employing the citizens of other countries rather than Americans causes these opportunities to disappear across the board, period.

Nothing "outdated" about that, just realistic acknowledgement of the situation as is.

[byteback]

But won't these jobs just go to Bush's rich friends?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

In ten years we won't recognize the new technology that's in the works now.

Superconductors, nanotechnology and biomechanics will astound the world as well as create millions of new jobs.

America has always led the technology booms but the competition is getting stronger.

We need more than ever to make American ingenuity more competitive by rolling back anti-business regulations.

In the 1970s, autoworkers' unions held back modernization of Detroit's assembly lines from the implementation of robotics.

From that moment on, if not for the exceptional genius of design engineers, America's auto industry was dead.

Nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is highly desired if only it's hysterical opponents could be sidelined.

The future looks bright if only America's taliban-national socialists would get out of the way.

[Texas_Dawg]

But won't these jobs just go to Bush's rich friends?

Of course.

We're all doomed. Just ask the anti-American FRinge.

[Eccl 10:2]

"America has always led the technology booms but the competition is getting stronger.

We need more than ever to make American ingenuity more competitive by rolling back anti-business regulations."

Well said (as was the rest of your post).

In a world of increased competition and ease of input flows, the best advantages we can have are a superior education system (with emphasis on competition and developing job-ready skills), a business-friendly government and taxation system, and a business-friendly legal environment.

Any threat to any of these needed advantages can not be tolerated.

[Texas_Dawg]

Employing the citizens of other countries rather than Americans causes these opportunities to disappear across the board, period. Nothing "outdated" about that, just realistic acknowledgement of the situation as is.

I'm sorry, man. I really am.

[Mears]

I thought the American auto industry slumped because of the Japanese beating us to small,well made,high gas mileage cars.

[Orangedog]

The author also doesn't understand the technology he's talking about. With statements like "True, the high-speed coaxial cables that girdle the globe courtesy of information technology have opened the gates to a new level of skill...

The backbone that connects countries all over the globe is fiber optic. Coax is used for cable tv (and cable modems) and inside central offices.

[Jim Cane]

Mixology: Just one of the many exciting careers awaiting you in Jobs of Tooommmmorrowwww!

[ex-snook]

"THE OLD, TIRED IDEA that America has only a finite number of jobs -- and that we must guard them zealously against raids from cheap foreign labor -- has been making a remarkable comeback. "

Sure since 3 million citizens have lost jobs in America.

Patriotism is needed in the war for America's jobs.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I thought the American auto industry slumped because of the Japanese beating us to small,well made,high gas mileage cars.

Yes, that's partly true.

But it was a drastic reduction in the cost of production that made a product priced to buy.

Proof is in what Americans drive today.

Trucks and SUVs are large, well made and burn lots of gas, but they are the preference of many drivers.

[John123]

Superconductors, nanotechnology and biomechanics will astound the world as well as create millions of new jobs.

I like forward thinking posts such as yours. Why do you think future opportunities will be in those areas you mentioned above?

[Orangedog]

I thought the American auto industry slumped because of the Japanese beating us to small,well made,high gas mileage cars.

And to this day the US auto industry lets the accountants dictate their engineering. The greed of the unions didn't help matters either.

[Texas_Dawg]

I like forward thinking posts such as yours.

Noting your handle, it's amazing to me how often the pro-American conservatives here are Bible-believing Christians while the anti-American, anti-GOP, right-wing socialist FRinge posters at FR are almost always not.