[Red Jones]

Your longing for the good old days is useless as they are not coming back.

You've been indoctrinated well in our public schools.

hey, I'm not longing for the good old days. The statistics show that a lot of bad things have happened to our economy since 1970. We used to have much lower unemployment. The paychecks that people used to get would go much further in the economy than they go today for most people, when you measure the paycheck's ability to purchase a basket of goods. Our people are harmed tremendously by these trends. You seem to think that international trade causes a downward move in incomes. This is not true. It is bad policy from washington that does it. And the americans are sheeples like you not to be concerned about it like me.

We americans had a reputation in the year 1700 for having an astonishingly high standard of living compared to europe for the average person who lived here. When people came here as indentured servants in 1645 they immediately experienced a higher standard of living than they had before. Our nation has always been a shining city on a hill and able to provide for the ordinary people much better than other nations. Only in the last 30 years have we for the first time in our history experienced large downward movements in our ability to provide for our people.

Congtratulations, you're a good sheeple to think this is good. Don't supp with me!!!!! I am an american, I prefer to hold my government responsible for its failures. I say 'no excuses' to our leaders, you say 'chain me I like it'.

back when we had this higher standard of living we had very few imports or exports. Why should trade with foreigners impoverish us? Our trade policies can be arranged to avoid this, so that we only profit as a nation, from trade. But the trade isnot the biggest problem. Policies from washington and stupid sheeples are the problem.

[Afronaut]

Why use Insults to drive your point home?

"You seem to think that international trade causes a downward move in incomes. This is not true. "

This is a dead horse on the FR, it has been discussed to death.

To sum it up some people dismiss the facts and continue to think that cheap products and labor is good for Americans. NAFTA creates Jobs. Huge trade surpluses are good for Americans. How Illegals help the economy. That some could think that there is an upward trend in incomes...

Then after about 200 posts people start posting how you should get a job at Burger King and forget your dreams and then tell you to shut-up. Happens every time.

[americanbychoice]

You must be retired, living on Social Security and complaining that you did not help yourself supplementing your retirement. (At least, that is what you sound like) Our ability to supplement our retirement has never been better (IRA, Roth IRA etc.)Today more companies offer various forms of retirement plans (401K, defined benefit etc.) than ever before. Tosay, low wage earners are able to get subsities like food stamps, housing assistance, Kids care and more. Those things were not even dreamed of in the 60's and 70's. Taxes are lower than at that time in history. When you consider that every year 8 million people are added to our work base and most people find jobs, it is an improvement of the unemployment picture.
Just in case you didn't notice, we have been for 40 years a country that is in large part Service oriented with manufacturing focused on high tech and Agriculture.
You would probably be the first one to scream bloody murder if you had to pay the prices that "Made in America" goods would cost. Bringing in goods from foreign countries that are affordable is a luxury you apparently take for granted. International business and balancing domestic government is very complex, therefore, using simpleton rhetoric to try to solve a very complex situation is just silly and won't adress reality.