The Death of U.S. Jobs

NewsMax.com ^ | 6/7/06 | Paul Craig Roberts

[stuartcr]

You get time-and-a-half...and raises?

[Quick Shot]

You are very right. A percentage go to business school, some to law school, and some to med school. Engineers have the highest rate (as a percentage of applicants) acceptance in med school.

Of the eight engineers that graduated in my class in '80 only 2 of us are in the field. The rest are doing pretty darn well.

[kb2614]

Paul Craig Roberts rollseyes

Well, at least he didn't blame the JOOOOOOSSSSS for "The Death of American Jobs". PCR and Pat Buchanan have a penchant of taking potshots at Israel and Jews. There both morons.

[riverdawg]

I have friends who grew up in and around Spartanburg, SC in the 1950's and 1960's and who worked mill jobs in the summers. These jobs were, according to them, low-paying, repetitive, hot, dirty, and often dangerous. A husband and wife who both worked in the mill eked out, at best, a lower-middle class living. No pension, few (if any) health benefits, and certainly no dental benefits. You are the very first person I have encountered who has fond memories of working in that industry.

As for the quality of textile-based goods produced overseas, I can assure you that the $50 all-cotton shirts made in Sri Lanka I wear today are just as comfortable and durable as the U.S.-made shirts of 40 years ago, but cost about 50% less in inflation-adjusted dollars.

[Reagan 76]

What type of engineering?

[Reagan 76]

I think that is a part of it. More often the person who only screwed on bolts is being replaced by a machine, just like the mechanization of agriculture a hundred years ago, many simple jobs are going away.

[Reagan 76]

"I have friends who grew up in and around Spartanburg, SC in the 1950's and 1960's"

Yes, as most jobs were in that timeframe. He was referencing the industry a few years ago. Much has changed and improved. You are correct however, the third worlder making $5/day is difficult competition for our mills.

[freekitty]

You know, it is mandatory to have a college education in most jobs now; however, once one has achieved that distinction; they find the job they coveted or any job has been outsourced. Now, what is this person(s)suppose to do after working so hard to achieve what they thought would be a way to their dream is now turned into a nightmare; where they may have to work until their death with no chance of retirement. And not only will this person have to work; so will their spouse (no time for a family) etc.

Does anyone think this is planned?

[Reagan 76]

"the idea that any job where you aren't physically making something isn't a "real" job. "

Agreed. There are also people who will actually posit that paying for an ethnic studies degree represents something economically valuable or that immigrants mowing a lawn benefits society.

[IamConservative]

The new jobs are as follows: Professional and business services, 27,000; education and health services, 41,000; waitresses and bartenders, 10,000.

Particularly in Information Systems, there may be outsourcing of development and systems maintenance, but the sales and services sectors of Information Systems stays in the US where the buyers are. I know IS technology sales people that make $1M plus and Professional Services staff making $100K plus delivering services and $500K plus selling services. What has been offshored is the rote, non-customer facing work.

Just because it is a service job doesn't always mean it is low paying. You can make good money in services, I have seen myself do it.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Despite the cheap labor from Mexico, apple concentrate for apple juice is now coming from Red China.

[MNJohnnie]

Let's see. This is about the 12th time he has made this claim. How many times you going to let him lie to you before you realize he is a complete idiot?

[Mikey_1962]

The loss of manufacturing jobs proves that we don't make anything anymore, just as the loss of farming jobs has all of us on the verge of starvation. That's why Americans have such small houses, no consumer goods and are so thin. We're actually the poorest people on Earth.

Absolutely!

[Rockitz]

Funny, we can't even find engineers to hire. Everyone with any talent is already working 60 hours a week and getting big raises to stay with their firms.

More money always helps. It's called supply and demand. The engineering ciriculum has always been more difficult than law or business and yet because there's supposedly always been a shortage of engineers (falsely driven by bogus business and government projections), H1B visa allowances and engineering schools have cranked up their numbers driving salaries down. Wage parity is long overdue.

[Rockitz]

Until you have tossed out the incumbent democrats who've been corrupt by globalism and transnational corporate money, you won't see anything different.

Corporate-induced corruption is not only the vice of senate rats, there are plenty of pubbies in the same boat. You need only look at the immigration bill that came out of the senate (with plenty of GOP senators backing it) to see that truth.

[hedgetrimmer]

Corporate-induced corruption is not only the vice of senate rats

Absolutely correct.

[Zeppelin]

yeah, my company gives time and a half up to a certain employee level. seeing as I'm a lowly intern, i get OT. according to the guys at work, i'll get OT until i move up to a certain level, usually a couple of years into the job. so not bad, will be good money to help me starting off my new life, ya know?

[stuartcr]

Good for you.