Job Cuts Top 100,000 in January - Report

Reuters ^ | Tuesday February 3, 2004

[Alberta's Child]

Outstanding post.

Where I live, things have gotten so "bad" that skilled tradesmen like carpenters and electricians don't even call you back unless you've got a $25,000+ contracting job for them. Finishing a basement? Putting up sheetrock in the kitchen? Forget it -- you either do it yourself, or it isn't going to get done for a long time.

[oceanview]

no, I'm not buying that (at least not at this point in time), don't confuse class envy towards the wealthy with real socio-economic status. Most americans are content being middle class, as long as I can afford a decent car, I could frankly care less that someone else can afford ten cars. if I can own a decent home, I could car less that someone else lives in a 50,000 square foot mansion. its only when people are hurting that the class warfare argument has legs.

[RaceBannon]

Where do you live? I am going to relocate as soon as I get my insurance settlement!

[Proud2BAmerican]

Then they sit there with a strait face and expect you to vote for them. And you know what's the worst part? You will.

Of course you will, because what's the alternative? Instead of being unemployed, you'll be unemployed AND there'll be a Democrat in office! Now wouldn't THAT be so awful?? I'll bet if that happens you'll be wishing you had been smart and voted like a good Republican, and then you could sit there, being all unemployed and stuff, and know that a Republican was in office. Yep, that big 'R' after the politician's name makes being unemployed so much more palatable.

[Alberta's Child]

How many of those "solid private sector middle class" jobs you described are actually in various "subsidiaries of government" that you mentioned in an earlier post? You probably wouldn't believe how many of them are exactly that. And I'll start off by naming an entire industry that you never would have thought of as a "government subsidiary" -- auto manufacturing.

[oceanview]

IBM is offshoring as fast as they can, read my earlier post about my accounting/finance friend whose division was just told they are toast - jobs going to Brazil.

that study that shows offshoring is "failing" perhaps ought to examine why so many companies are eager to climb aboard a sinking ship.

[Alberta's Child]

New York City / Northern New Jersey

What kind of insurance settlement are you waiting for -- did you sue a previous employer? Maybe that's why you have such a hard time. ;-)

[optik_b]

"And I'll start off by naming an entire industry that you never would have thought of as a "government subsidiary" -- auto manufacturing."

Add the defense industry, and Boeing to that list.

[oceanview]

much of the dollars used to support the health care and education industries come from the government, that's why I said that those jobs are essentially government employment. I fail to see how autos fall into that category.

[optik_b]

"Yep, that big 'R' after the politician's name makes being unemployed so much more palatable."

It is amusing when people become so emotional about politics that they feel better about their own personal situation - no matter how pathetic it might be - just because some lying politician is from the party they swore allegiance to.

[Alberta's Child]

1. The auto industry is so heavily regulated that it has effectively become the equivalent of a public utility.

2. In addition, U.S. auto manufacturers have been propped up for years by selling large quantities of their products to various government agencies. A friend of my family used to tell stories of working for GM in the post-War period, and visiting storage lots in different parts of the U.S. where surplus military vehicles (that had never been used) were parked for years on end.

3. There would no such thing as an "auto industry" were it not for massive government spending on public roads over the last 80 years -- as well as the unfettered use of eminent domain proceedings to acquire the land used to build those roads.

[RaceBannon]

Im in Connecticut, and we have no where's near the outlook you do.

Maybe there are fewer people doing that kind of work?

I fell last year, tore up my shoulder on some stairs at my apartment.

[optik_b]

The funny thing about the auto industry is that the Domestic subsidized companies are having trouble competing because of their high health care costs which are not subsidized but for foreign competitors are. In some ways the foreign competitors are beating US auto companies because they are doing a better job of subsidizing their industries.

[oceanview]

regulations for emissions and safety make autos a public utility? the plumbing supply industry has regulations on toilets, appliance makers have energy efficiency and safety regulations, and on and on. are they all the same?

[Rokke]

Well I'm not rich, and but I sure am enjoying the benefits of his taxcuts and the current low interest rates. Since he came into office I've started two new jobs and I'm debt free (ok, I've got a mortgage payment). When you get done moaning the democrat talking points, come out and join the party. The water is fine.

[MARTIAL MONK]

A friend of my family used to tell stories of working for GM in the post-War period, and visiting storage lots in different parts of the U.S. where surplus military vehicles (that had never been used) were parked for years on end.

During the war Truman made an agreement with the labor unions that none of the vehicles sent overseas would be brought back to the states. They are all at the bottom of the oceans. MacArthur stashed a bunch on two islands, Quemoy and Matsu I think. They saved our backside when Korea broke out.

[A. Pole]

I agree with you only if the sorldwide economy were a zer sum game. But I don't buy into that one.

Hey, it might be a NEGATIVE sum game.

[A. Pole]

What we are transferring in the aggregate are the low level manufacturing jobs the are more cheaply done overseas.

So tell me what jobs is not done "more cheaply overseas"? CEOs?

[oceanview]

no one is saying that some sectors aren't doing well. if people came on here and said "real estate is tanking", we'd would rightly be labeled as liars. but there are significant sectors, those affected by offshoring, tech and manufacturing, staff jobs at large US multinationals, where jobs are melting away.

[jpsb]

Well the value of the dollar has fallen 40% against the Euro and continues to fall. So soon the dollar will be a junk currency. Will that convince you that things ain't that the GOP tells you they are?