The Labor Shortage Hoax

AmericanEconomicAlert.org ^ | Friday, January 27, 2006 | Alan Tonelson

[Brilliant]

Well, I mean people.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

I don't have any problem with free trade, provided we're only talking about goods and services and capital, not labor.

Sure with those countries that have at least some semblance of economic par with the US. It's impossible for the American worker to compete with those who make .50 an hour as they do in China. That's exactly why they want to import people, to drive down wages so American companies can compete with those in the third world.

[JohnnyZ]

We have skilled workers with families who do not want to compete with skilled workers from other countries

Too bad, we have a global economy now. If they're too proud to work, if they think they're entitled to 6 figures, if they don't want to work they can let their families starve, and whose fault will it be?

[been_lurking]

You have been on this economic "doom and gloom" ride for what, the last 10 or 15 years? When should we expect your predicted economic collapse?

Frankly, you are starting to look like the Internet version of the guy that stands on the street corner with the handwritten cardboard sign declaring "The End of the World is Coming".

[Reaganwuzthebest]

I've no confidence they're going to stay here much longer. Ford, GM and the rest of them are closing up for cheaper labor and so will the foreign automakers eventually. These Free Trade agreements with third world countries is relatively new policy starting with Poppy Bush, their effects are just now beginning to bite us big-time.

[1rudeboy]

Is that why Hyundai built its plant in Alabama, to take advantage of our expensive labor?

[expat_panama]

...not a zero sum game. But it's not self-rising yeast either....

Tonelson seems to be saying that he doesn't like talk of labor shortages.  He doesn't like imports, and he doesn't like foreign labor.   Sure, he's got nothing to offer instead, but how about all them complaints!

There's a heck of a lot of this miserysturbation on these threads --it's absolutely terrific.   Ever notice when someone posts a good news article?   Nobody comments.  Let's face it-- good news may be better for getting aligned with reality, but it's simply not funny.

Today's my day off and I'm here for a good laugh.  Watching Willie and the poor boys twist themselves into ever more intricate convolutions trying to "prove" things are bad, is almost like having Lil Abner's back in the Sunday morning funnies.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Good for them and we'll see if they're still here five or ten years from now. Hope so but I doubt it.

[1rudeboy]

I've no confidence they're going to stay here much longer.

In both a psycholgical and economic sense, if a foreign firm spends $1.1 billion in order to build a plant that opened in 2004, then it is showing a greater amount of confidence than you.

[iowamark]

In the case of worker shortages, employers simply need to increases wages enough...

Sounds exactly like Bill and Hill.

[1rudeboy]

There's that optimism that Reagan personified! Keep it up!

[Sterco]

Too bad, we have a global economy now. If they're too proud to work, if they think they're entitled to 6 figures, if they don't want to work they can let their families starve, and whose fault will it be?

YOURS Economic pirates are easy to spot. Those who make money off of the demise of others generally sound just like you. Self justification. Hope you have yourself convinced you haven't swayed me.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

You know how many companies here in NYS invested millions to upgrade their plants then suddenly packed up and moved away 5 years later or went bankrupt? For a lot of them it's simply a tax write off anyway.

Like I said it's good to see companies like Hyundai investing in the American worker but wage pressures will no doubt eventually force those still trying to pay a fair wage to either go out of business or as they say, "if you can't beat them, join them" in China where workers make .50 an hour with no benefits.

[brainstem223]

This is the 21st century verson of robber baron capitalism in its full flower. In the early 20th century they exploited an endless stream of immigrants with low wages in the coal mines and steel mills, the immigration flood gates were full on to insure an endless stream of warm bodies to keep labor plentiful. Fast forward to now, the same game is being played via outsourcing. Whats worse is that to gain short term profits, they undercut their own potential customers by driving the economy down to third world status, and that is being reinforced by the unfettered gate crashing at our southern boarder.

[1rudeboy]

New York State, huh? Now, let's see, what is NYS known for . . . . [scratching chin]

[Reaganwuzthebest]

There's that optimism that Reagan personified! Keep it up!

We all want to be optimistic and this is still the greatest economy in the world but we have to face reality, the type of Free Trade we have today isn't benefitting very many people except for a select number of large corporations.

[Oniolover]

Prospered for 200 years? What are you talking about? The US has only recently (last 50 years or so) been truly successful economically. This is largely due to trade with other countries (people and goods). If you can remember back to freshman Econ in college the main idea was "everyone benefits from trade". We may be losing low skills jobs to china but we are getting low prices as a trade of. Don't buy foreign made products if you don't like it.

*It is very difficult to tell where a product is made, that ford you drive was probably made aborad while my toyota was probably made in Georgia.

Noting is that simpel when it comes to eoconomics.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

New York State, huh? Now, let's see, what is NYS known for . . .

Yes taxes and regulations, but they were there before the companies made their investment so they had the same kind of faith you're saying Hyundai has.

[moehoward]

"Just another excuse to bring in Mexican drivers."

You better believe that's what this is about. Guest Workers.

[VOA]

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