President Blames Unemployment On Lack Of Tech Skills

IEEE ^

[Florida_Irish]

During a Wednesday morning (July 30th) press conference, President Bush was asked a question about jobs going overseas as a result of technological innovation. His response was:

"I fully understand what you're saying. In other words, as technology races through the economy, a lot of times worker skills don't keep up with technological change."

Many people have taken his response to mean that unemployment in the high-tech sector is the result of American workers who allowed their skills to become obsolete. This is an unacceptable explanation.

[grania]

I remember back when George 1 was elected and one of his first initiatives was in education. The plan was to prepare US students who graduated to be totally qualified for the world of technology by the year 2000. Untold millions (billions?) of dollars were spent on computers, special programs, new courses, teachers, etc., to assure that everyone was computer literate.

The cynics among us thought that it was a real good way to get cheaper HS graduates to do jobs that otherwise would go to more expensive, college-educated labor, and that a lot of important stuff...like basic sciences, social studies, shop courses, were getting the short shift.

So now, George II is saying US workers don't have the computer knowledge? I know so many people who did the original innovations on programming who were replaced when they finished the initial work, by foreigners they trained. Besides that, this is a silly explanation when one considers the number of overseas jobs that involve phone support services going to people who are supposed answer questions and can't even speak English?

[harpseal]

I don't think I go with the america ONLY crowd...

I am unsure what you mean by this

but I wonder, shouldn't american companies put american workers first?

These companies do not consider themselves American except when it comes to the benefits of American protection.

Or is maximising the bottom line no matter who gets screwed, the way our system is supposed to work? The history of incorporation does not support that theory

[csvset]

move everything to Mexico, where, oddly enough, those same people are crossing our borders to come up HERE. And then when they get here, they want free medical care, free education, and what's left of our jobs.

Don't forget, just prior to 9-11-01, Bush and Fox were chatting up the idea of "amnesty" for the millions of illegal Mexicans.

Meanwhile, Bush, Ashcroft and Ridge hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil about our porous border with Mexico.

[clamper1797]

Re: post 463 ... very nice ... BTW ... good to have you back my friend. I hope the job hunt is going well

[RaceBannon]

Excerpted and condensed from:


Adam Smith: The Wealth of Nations, Book 4, Chapter 2
Of Restraints upon the Importation from Foreign Countries
of such Goods as can be produced at Home


"There seem, however, to be two cases in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry...

The first is, when some particular sort of industry is necessary for the defence of the country....

The second case, in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry is, when some tax is imposed at home upon the produce of the latter. In this case, it seems reasonable that an equal tax should be imposed upon the like produce of the former....

As there are two cases in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry, so there are two others in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation; in the one, how far it is proper to continue the free importation of certain foreign goods; and in the other, how far, or in what manner, it may be proper to restore that free importation after it has been for some time interrupted....

The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation how far it is proper to continue the free importation of certain foreign goods is, when some foreign nation restrains by high duties or prohibitions the importation of some of our manufactures into their country. Revenge in this case naturally dictates retaliation, and that we should impose the like duties and prohibitions upon the importation of some or all of their manufactures into ours....

The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation, how far, or in what manner, it is proper to restore the free importation of foreign goods, after it has been for some time interrupted, is, when particular manufactures, by means of high duties or prohibitions upon all foreign goods which can come into competition with them, have been so far extended as to employ a great multitude of hands. Humanity may in this case require that the freedom of trade should be restored only by slow gradations, and with a good deal of reserve and circumspection. Were those high duties and prohibitions taken away all at once, cheaper foreign goods of the same kind might be poured so fast into the home market as to deprive all at once many thousands of our people of their ordinary employment and means of subsistence. The disorder which this would occasion might no doubt be very considerable....

[RaceBannon]

Excerpted and condensed from:


Adam Smith: The Wealth of Nations, Book 4, Chapter 2
Of Restraints upon the Importation from Foreign Countries
of such Goods as can be produced at Home


"There seem, however, to be two cases in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry...

The first is, when some particular sort of industry is necessary for the defence of the country....

The second case, in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry is, when some tax is imposed at home upon the produce of the latter. In this case, it seems reasonable that an equal tax should be imposed upon the like produce of the former....

As there are two cases in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry, so there are two others in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation; in the one, how far it is proper to continue the free importation of certain foreign goods; and in the other, how far, or in what manner, it may be proper to restore that free importation after it has been for some time interrupted....

The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation how far it is proper to continue the free importation of certain foreign goods is, when some foreign nation restrains by high duties or prohibitions the importation of some of our manufactures into their country. Revenge in this case naturally dictates retaliation, and that we should impose the like duties and prohibitions upon the importation of some or all of their manufactures into ours....

The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation, how far, or in what manner, it is proper to restore the free importation of foreign goods, after it has been for some time interrupted, is, when particular manufactures, by means of high duties or prohibitions upon all foreign goods which can come into competition with them, have been so far extended as to employ a great multitude of hands. Humanity may in this case require that the freedom of trade should be restored only by slow gradations, and with a good deal of reserve and circumspection. Were those high duties and prohibitions taken away all at once, cheaper foreign goods of the same kind might be poured so fast into the home market as to deprive all at once many thousands of our people of their ordinary employment and means of subsistence. The disorder which this would occasion might no doubt be very considerable....


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/954156/posts?page=1

[RaceBannon]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/954156/posts?page=1

[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

"President Blames Unemployment On Lack Of Tech Skills"

Guys, I wonder if these are the same "skills" that the globalists used to guarantee US that jobs would not create the "giant sucking sound" to foreign countries when they gave US their now infamous "Free" Trade rules, regulations and laws. "'They' aren't smart enough to take the tech jobs away! " Assholes ALL!! Peace and love, George.

[BnBlFlag]

I hate to say it, but he's F.O.S. on this.

[dirtboy]

In fact, average salaries have gone **UP** in the last five years.

Averages can hide quite a few shifts. First of all, if there are a couple of million unemployed people who are no longer getting a salary, that doesn't show up on your averages radar. And salaries at the high end can increase significantly and still mask reductions in the middle and lower ranges. So, once again, you choose the fig leaf as your debating method of choice.

Just don't let such facts get in your way, right?!

Considering that you were claiming that this was just Bush restating a reporter's question, when a further review showed he answered it at length, means you don't care a whit about facts, nor about what millions of Americans are going through. Just as long as no one criticizes Bush, you don't care.

[dirtboy]

You have been kicking and screaming all this thread that Bush's remarks were not misconstrued, even when presented with the evidence.

And I asked you to make your case. Which you didn't - because for all the claims that Bush was only restating what the reporter asked, this is the full transcript of Bush's response:

THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Listen, I fully understand what you're saying. In other words, as technology races through the economy, a lot of times worker skills don't keep up with technological change. And that's a significant issue that we've got to address in the country.

I think my idea of reemployment accounts makes a lot of sense. In essence, it says that you get $3,000 from the federal government to help you with training, day care, transportation, perhaps moving to another city. And if, within a period of time, you're able to find a job, you keep the balance as a reemployment bonus.

I know the community colleges provide a very important role in worker training, worker retraining. I look forward to working with our community colleges through the Department of Education, coordinate closely with states, particularly in those states in which technology is changing the nature of the job force.

I've always found the community college -- and this is from my days as the governor of Texas -- found the community college to be a very appropriate place for job training programs because they're more adaptable, their curriculums are easier to change, they're accessible. Community colleges are all over the place.

And -- but you're right. I mean, I think we need to make sure that people get the training necessary to keep up with the nature of the jobs, as jobs change.

So Bush wasn't just restating the question, but went into signficant detail about how training was the answer. So you're full of it, Dane. But that's not unusual.

[dirtboy]

Oops, the thread got deleted along with all of the rest of this loser's posts when I nuked him.

Thanks for clearing that up, JimRob.

[Centurion2000]

bump

[samuel_adams_us]

At election time he will be questioned, trust me.

[Snerfling]

when some foreign nation restrains by high duties or prohibitions the importation of some of our manufactures into their country

Do India/China have import restrictions? I recall this was the claim regarding Japanese markets during the auto/steel tariff debates of the 1980s.

OR, to restore the free importation of foreign goods, after it has been for some time interrupted... Were those high duties and prohibitions taken away all at once, cheaper foreign goods of the same kind might be poured so fast into the home market as to deprive all at once many thousands of our people of their ordinary employment

Here, Smith is discussing phasing in the restoration of free trade, not the enactment of tariffs to protect local labor markets in the first place. Does he discuss the use of tariffs for anything other than retaliation or restoration?

That's the crux of the issue: do we as a country impose tariffs just because technology has moved so fast to enable offshoring and the service skills are so transportable?

This would be a first. I think that would be a very big step, which is why neither the Dems or Pubs are even entertaining the issue.

[SAMWolf]

The irony of my company's situation is that the H1-B's who were fired were replaced by people who stayed in Manilia.

The company found it's even cheaper to just have the work done in Manila than to bring the workers here.

[RaceBannon]

China and India DONT have import restrictions??

And how in the world can we restore Free Trade when the very reason we needed to impose restrictions on this trade has not gone away? The reason we need to impose tariffs is growing!!

And yes, both parties need to adress this, and stop abandoning their own country while they do. We have a much larger problem than H1B visas here, we are handing over the machines to do the work, not just the jobs!

[RockyMtnMan]

As there are two cases in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry, so there are two others in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation; in the one, how far it is proper to continue the free importation of certain foreign goods; and in the other, how far, or in what manner, it may be proper to restore that free importation after it has been for some time interrupted....

You took his words out of context or did not comprehend his words. He's saying there are times that tariffs are appropriate, one of which is to protect industry from foreign competition.

[RockyMtnMan]

The founders orignally intended tariffs to be the SOLE method of funding the federal government. Maybe this trend will push us back to that method taxation along with the NRST.