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The Death of U.S. Jobs ( The sky is falling alert )
Newsmax.com ^ | 06/07/2006 | Paul Craig Roberts

Posted on 06/07/2006 9:51:31 AM PDT by SirLinksalot

The Death of U.S. Jobs Paul Craig Roberts Wednesday, June 7, 2006 The May payroll jobs report released June 2 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms the jobs pattern for the 21st century U.S. economy: Employment growth is limited to domestic services.

In May, the economy created only 67,000 private sector jobs. Job estimates for the previous two months were reduced by 37,000.

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

Manufacturing lost 14,000 jobs.

Total hours worked in the private sector declined in May. Manufacturing hours worked are 6.6 percent less than when the recovery began four-and-one-half years ago.

American economists and policymakers are in denial about the effect of jobs offshoring on U.S. employment. Corporate lobbyists have purchased fraudulent studies from economists that claim offshoring results in more U.S. employment, rather than less.

The same lobbyists have spread disinformation that the United States does not graduate enough engineers and that they must import foreigners on work visas. Lobbyists are currently pushing, as part of the immigration bill, an expansion in annual H-1B work visas from 65,000 to 115,000.

The H-1B is a nonimmigrant classification used by an alien who will be employed temporarily in a specialty occupation.

A specialty occupation requires specialized knowledge, along with at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. Such occupations include architecture or engineering.

The alleged "shortage" of U.S. engineering graduates is inconsistent with reports from Duke University that 30 percent to 40 percent of students in its masters of engineering management program accept jobs outside the profession.

About one-third of engineering graduates from MIT go into careers outside their field.

Job outsourcing and work visas for foreign engineers are reducing career opportunities for American engineering graduates.

They also are reducing salary scales.

When employers allege a shortage of engineers, they mean that there is a shortage of American graduates who will work for the low salaries that foreigners will accept.

Americans are simply being forced out of the engineering professions by jobs outsourcing and the importation of foreigners on work visas. Corporate lobbyists and their hired economists are destroying the American engineering professions.

American engineering is also under pressure because corporations have moved manufacturing offshore. Design, research and development are now following manufacturing offshore. A country that doesn't make things doesn't need engineers and designers.

Corporations that have moved manufacturing offshore fund R&D in the countries where their plants have been relocated.

Engineering curriculums are demanding. The rewards for the effort are being squeezed out by jobs offshoring and work visas. If the current policy continues of substituting foreign engineers for American engineers, the profession will die in the United States.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: commies; jobs; paulcraigroberts; skyisfalling; us; workersoftheworld
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To: Always Right
What's a Degree Worth?"

Locomotive Engineer Trainee or Truck Driver:
   Starting Salary: $40-45k /yr
   College Loans: $0
   Job Requirements: Drug Free + Driver's License
   Chance of Outsourcing/Insourcing: Very Low due to citizenship reqrments.
21 posted on 06/07/2006 10:39:08 AM PDT by indthkr
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To: 1FreeAmerican
That is average salary after completing a four-year program. The upside is far greater than that of an electrician, especially if one gets an advanced degree.

That being said, I myself am sorry I didn't become an electrician decades ago. I'd have my own firm by now.

22 posted on 06/07/2006 10:41:35 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: REP200
In order to keep up with population growth, the economy needs to add 150,000 jobs per month. Keep that in mind next time you see the jobs-created report.
23 posted on 06/07/2006 10:53:27 AM PDT by Diavolos
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To: Diavolos

I wonder what figure you'd get by netting out death/retirement against population growth? I'd guess a lot less than a hundred fifty thou a month.


24 posted on 06/07/2006 11:02:31 AM PDT by gcruse (http://gcruse.typepad.com)
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To: 1rudeboy
You are right. People like you no longer buy manufactured products; just services. I told my 24 non union hard working manufacturing employees (who lost their jobs to China) they should go to work in the elitist food and service industries. After all, on one makes anything anymore: At least not in the US. HOW do I know? I read comments in FR.

Don't tell me about modernization and competing either.

25 posted on 06/07/2006 11:16:28 AM PDT by captnorb
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To: SirLinksalot
Manufacturing lost 14,000 jobs

Farmuing jobs are on a decline too. Pretty soon we won't have anything to eat. /sarcasm

26 posted on 06/07/2006 11:17:56 AM PDT by Armando Guerra
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To: captnorb

How ironic. I left my manufacturing (sales) job because I got tired of the Teamsters on the floor taking money out of my pocket (in lost commissions and bonuses). So there are two sides to every coin.


27 posted on 06/07/2006 11:22:08 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: 1FreeAmerican
What's a degree worth? Not much in my book- I earn twice that with no college degree and an electrical contractors license.

Note those are starting salaries. I started with an engineering degree, but am earning many times that now owning a company that has little to do with engineering. Most apprentice electricians are lucky to make $15 an hour.

28 posted on 06/07/2006 11:27:29 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: 1rudeboy

Your graphic is fine, for college graduates.

80%. Countem' 80% of the work force DOES NOT have a college degree. I suppose the 'little people' don't count in your feudal view of our society.

I have an MBA myself, but I know that if the 'little people' are angry and starving, people like you and
I will find ourselves on the way to the guillotine.

Look beyond your own sweet a** for a change, or you may possibly lose it.


29 posted on 06/07/2006 11:30:43 AM PDT by coladirienzi
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To: coladirienzi
Must be one of those Rerum Novarum un-American Catholic Reactionaries.

If you don't like the law of the jungle, move to France.

30 posted on 06/07/2006 11:31:42 AM PDT by Clemenza (The CFR ate my bilderburgers! Time to call for a trilateral commission to investigate!)
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To: gcruse
I wonder what figure you'd get by netting out death/retirement against population growth? I'd guess a lot less than a hundred fifty thou a month.

You aren't supposed to notice that.

31 posted on 06/07/2006 11:33:17 AM PDT by BeHoldAPaleHorse ( ~()):~)>)
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To: coladirienzi

Real wages are rising (long-term) for all but those who do not have a high-school diploma, and they can be helped more effectively/efficiently in a fashion other than being bought-off. As for your 80% figure, color me a sceptic.


32 posted on 06/07/2006 11:33:47 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: muleskinner

"Hey PCR - 4.6% unemployment. Bite me."

If you believe this, the govenment is playing the part of W.C. Fields, and you are playing the part of the rube/sucker at the county fair.

Run THIS formula: unemployment=1-( (total number of citizens between 20-65 employed + total number of noncitizens/illegals between 20-65 employed + housewives + prisoners + those physically unable to work + those who will not work under any circumstances)/ ( citizens between 20-65 + noncitzens/illegals between 20-65)).

Using every source and number I've been able to find, the lowest I have been able to get the unemplyment rate is a little over 11%. Do better if you can.

This would go a LONG way in explaining why the dollar is not surging against the Euro.

REAL figures talk, Govt. BS walks.


33 posted on 06/07/2006 11:41:54 AM PDT by coladirienzi
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To: coladirienzi

Why would you include those not willing to work under any circumstances in your calculation of the unemployment rate? Your result would be meaningless.


34 posted on 06/07/2006 11:51:58 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Clemenza

"Must be one of those Rerum Novarum un-American Catholic Reactionaries.
If you don't like the law of the jungle, move to France."


Scandinavian Lutheran here, pretty far from doctrinaire Catholic.

I personally know a number of middle-class, and working class French people. They no more resemble your MSM-driven view of France, than Teddy Kennedy resembles the average American. The Muslims in France are close to getting a 2x4 up the side of their heads.

The 'Law of the Jungle' is for animals, not for the citizens of a free republic.

I have wealthy relatives in Brazil, where a very small percentage of the population is very, very rich, and most are so poor they make Jamaicans look prosperous. Believe me, YOU DO NOT WANT TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY LIKE THAT. No matter how much money you have, YOU DON'T WANY TO LIVE LIKE THAT.


35 posted on 06/07/2006 12:01:04 PM PDT by coladirienzi
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To: 1rudeboy

"Why would you include those not willing to work under any circumstances in your calculation of the unemployment rate? Your result would be meaningless"

If you had a really lazy society, say 90% of those unwilling to work counted as 'unemployed', even if the 10% of your society that was willing to work was completely employed, your 'unemployment rate' would still be 90%.

The unemployment rate SHOULD only count those who raelly do want a job. Our govt. doesn't count you as 'unemployed' after six month, even if you are desperate for a job.


36 posted on 06/07/2006 12:11:25 PM PDT by coladirienzi
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To: coladirienzi
Get a clue.

The era of "high paying, unskilled jobs" only lasted from the late 1940s until the early 1970s. This was a period when Europe and Asia had to reindustrialize, giving American workers (and companies) near monopolies on key industries. The folks in management had to buy off labor peace.

Besides, industrial employment has declined EVERYWHERE thanks to improvements in technology, even in CHINA.

Fourty years ago, my family lived in row houses, had one car and could barely afford to eat out once a month. They had "good paying factory jobs." Today, everyone in my family, even the minority without a college degree, has a nice home, at least two cars, and a higher standard of living than their parents/grandparents.

Brazil is a poor example, as it does NOT have a laissez faire capitalist system. It is more socialistic than the U.S. and even Canada. Actually, "corporatavist" would be a better word.

BTW: I have worked in France, and the blue collar French workers are some of the fattest, laziest people I have ever met.

37 posted on 06/07/2006 12:16:30 PM PDT by Clemenza (The CFR ate my bilderburgers! Time to call for a trilateral commission to investigate!)
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To: 1rudeboy

Its true. In the USA working population, about 20% are degreed. Most of the rest have high school diplomas, and a very, very small percentage are high school dropouts.

In the work place, about 20% of the working population is supervisory. (See a correlation here?). These people have done quite well in the last ten years.

The problem is with the 80% who are not supervisory. Their wages acutally went down by about 4% in real terms from 1999-2003, (thanks Bill Clinton). While real wages for non-supervisory personnel rose in 2004 and 2005, they did not keep pace with inflation.

20% of the population is doing great,(me included) However, things essentially s*ck for 80% of the population. Do you see a problem with this? This is the type of thing that, unresolved, brings down governments and societies.


38 posted on 06/07/2006 12:24:17 PM PDT by coladirienzi
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To: indthkr

Locomotive Engineer Trainee or Truck Driver:
Starting Salary: $40-45k /yr
College Loans: $0
Job Requirements: Drug Free + Driver's License
Chance of Outsourcing/Insourcing: Very Low due to citizenship reqrments.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Amen, I think anyone who is exulting over that pay chart for college graduates is being very unrealistic. Anyone who can pass a drug test and a "work keys" test can start today in the warehouse at the factory where I am currently employed less than three miles from my door and start at $24,000.00 working only scheduled hours and that is a four day on four day off schedule (12 hour shifts). Most people work overtime and easily make $30,000.00 or better the first year and this job pays far less than it did five years ago! The pay has actually been cut back! The same person can go into another area of the plant and after two years of OJT can earn $40,000. working the same schedule and can earn $50,000.00 or more with overtime. We just lost a maintenance man who was earning over $45,000.00 without overtime. He found another job with higher pay!! This is in a factory where wages have been slashed far below the level of five years ago and in a relatively low-wage area. I see nothing at all impressive about the starting pay quoted for graduate engineers!





39 posted on 06/07/2006 12:35:25 PM PDT by RipSawyer (Does anybody still believe this is a free country?)
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To: Clemenza

So, you WANT to live in a third-world country with third-world wages?

You WANT to live behind the walls of a gated community with 24/7 armed guards as my relatives in Brazil, or as my parents did for a few years in Manila?

You WANT to worry about you or your family being kidnapped for ransom as the rich are south of the Rio Grande?

Take every middle-class suburb in your area, and imagine it as the ghetto. Entire metro areas as Compton. You want to live in that kind of a country?

Screw that, YOU get a clue.


40 posted on 06/07/2006 12:36:28 PM PDT by coladirienzi
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