A Bush Alarm: Urging U.S. to Shun Isolationism

NY Times ^

[NormB]

"We're seeing it in everything," said one of Mr. Bush's closest aides last week. "Iraq. The ferocity of an irrational argument over the ports. Guest workers. China and India."

[Sunnyflorida]

"I also believe that. you see meth exploding in americas heartland - why? its because in these locales, people could once earn a living in agriculture, small busineeses providing agricultural services, and basic manufacturing jobsof various kinds. alot of that is gone now, replaced with walmart and generally empty "no future" service jobs. so many of them turn to meth."

What a laugh. There are thousands of good paying jobs unfilled in this country. Why do you have a small town with meth producers AND successful small business people? Because you have laziness, sloth and stupidity living side-by-side with the hard working and industriousness. Protectionism breeds sloth.

[Sunnyflorida]

"I also believe that. you see meth exploding in americas heartland - why? its because in these locales, people could once earn a living in agriculture, small busineeses providing agricultural services, and basic manufacturing jobsof various kinds. alot of that is gone now, replaced with walmart and generally empty "no future" service jobs. so many of them turn to meth."

Plus look how fat people are in this country. I went to an event in Fort Myers over the weekend and it was amazing how fat people were and how much they smoked. No way could most of these people handle a job. The kids looked like heck. If you want to get this country in better shape get these people off their butts.

[Sunnyflorida]

"I don't want a country with a net downwards standard of living.'

Me either. But the solution does not come from shutting off competition. It comes when everybody (at least more people) take responsibility for their own life. If everybody (at least more people) saw international competition as a given and decided not to give in but to succeed anyway we would see the standard of living raise. Anyone who can work their way through a community college 'PE" degree and get a license in FL can make at least a hundred thousand dollars a year. Same goes for anyone that can fix boats!!! I pay 60 bucks an hour and the guys and gals make $$ off parts. There is a six month waiting list for an appointment to fix your boat!! I'm trying to get a new culvert to cross a field on my farm and the design (SWFMD) is costing me 100/hour!!! It takes TWO years to build a house these days because of no subs. Get an electricians license. How hard is that? I see people side by side, some make it some don't. The difference is that those that make it know it is COMPLETELY UP TO THEM. These people make it no matter what and vice versa. People get off your butts. Get your brain in gear!

People, take personal responsibility for you own outcomes and you will be fine. (well, not all, we do have the terminal lazy).

[Sunnyflorida]

Ireland cut taxes and went business friendly. They where at the brink. Unions were getting out of control but the people became wise and business friendly.

[Old_Mil]

save americans money. example: GEICO. (General Electric Insurance Company)

You haven't actually priced insurance through GEICO, have you.

[Sunnyflorida]

China.

I'm not sure that it is the absolute level of business friendliness that matters but the direction. The one problem I see in the US is the trend towards more business unfriendly laws and attitudes (cough) even amongst FReepers!!

WHO CARES HOW MUCH A CEO MAKES???

[arasina]

I was trying to explain Bush to my 16-year-old, football-playing, clear-thinking, All-American son, who was quite puzzled about the port thing.

That's an interesting and humorous explanation, but what did you actually tell him about the ports issue since that was what initially puzzled him? (I like the way you expressed the history of the presidency since Ronald Reagan. LOL)

[Sunnyflorida]

"It was just an observation. I wasn't whining about it."

Good. When I drive up to the pump I don't care if it goes up or down. The funny thing here is that when the price goes up the lines build. It is really strange. When it spiked over three bucks this summer you had to wait 20 mins in line to buy even though there did not appear to be a shortage. I also have a stock pile in the backyard in case we do get a shortage. I alos keep the boats topped off when the price is low <$2.50. And I have a transfer rig to fill the car and emergency genset just in case.

[Old_Mil]

2004 was a banner year for CEOs and a dismal year for workers, according to a new report from the Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy, Executive Excess 2005: Defense Contractors Get More Bucks for the Bang. The ratio of average CEO pay (now $11.8 million) to worker pay (now $27,460) spiked up from 301-to-1 in 2003 to 431-to-1 in 2004. If the minimum wage had risen as fast as CEO pay since 1990, the lowest paid workers in the US would be earning $23.03 an hour today, not $5.15 an hour.

This tells you everything you need to know. If the economy is growing equally, pay multiples remain constant. When pay multiples start drifting like the above indicates, it indicates a massive redistribution of wealth, and as some have indicated, the destruction of the middle class.

[FixitGuy]

"If Bush was a globalist, then so was Reagan."

Didn't Globalism start with the Federal Reserve and then the Income tax as a way to rape the U.S. citizens to pay for the debt created by an out of control Congress who uses our own money to buy our votes?

Globalism is only proof that greed, materialism and human enslavement in the pursuit of riches has no boundaries!

Sorry, but I can't get past the riches and the money issues that seem to blur more noble spiritual pursuits. Obviously I have more work to do...

[hedgetrimmer]

You have one what?

[1rudeboy]

Who's citing to the Institute for Policy Studies? You, or someone else?

[lewislynn]

His new theme is different, because it is all about interdependence.

So the foreign oil dependence reason we were given for drilling at ANWR was a lie after all?

[Sunnyflorida]

"If I want to start a business in some of these countries, the red tape and costs are so prohibitive that it is not possible (where it would be in the US'

I have been thinking about this for a while. My observation is that business thrives where the trend is to more business freedom. It is not the absolute level of business freedom but the prospect of things opening up. Most business people look to the future, not the present or past. Business is too hard to just do it for the here and now.

[lewislynn]

Companys will reap profits while scores of once employeed people go on welfare.

Some of those unemployed people become entrepreneurs by going through trash cans for recyclables, we've all seen them. The recyclables are cubed and shipped to China to feed the industry there, only to be shipped back as manufactured products...

So you see, recycling does create jobs and it creates opportunities for Americans to be entrepreneurs.

[Red Boots]

Well, thanks

[1rudeboy]

OMG LOL
Check this out . . . Old_Mill is spamming threads with lefty moonbat material.

[Toddsterpatriot]

If the economy is growing equally, pay multiples remain constant.

When has the economy ever grown "equally"?

When pay multiples start drifting like the above indicates, it indicates a massive redistribution of wealth

Redistribution? From the poor to the rich? LOL!!

[Sunnyflorida]

None of these protetionists have skills that are in demand, ever notice. If you been outsourced, or are about to be, you need to take care of yourself and learn what skills are needed. You may also have to move. Nothing pisses me off when someone in SillyValley looses a 200k job, complains about the cost of living, and refused to move.