Middle class faces extinction

The News-Press ^ | June 15, 2003 | JANE R. JOHNSON, N. Fort Myers

[Pukin Dog]

I can spell "kiss my ass".

[FITZ]

And just who is it that employs the middle class?

Often other middle class. For example a small businessmen that employees 40 people, pays good benefits. Or a corporation that usually grew out of a small business.

[sarcasm]

What part of NO profanity don't you understand?

[FITZ]

Not many wealthy people actually employ many people, a few personal servants and some gardeners maybe ---most businesses are corporations owned by the stockholders. There isn't one owner anymore.

[tortoise]

How many hospitals and libraries has Bill Gates built?

What a grossly superficial and specious way of looking at it. Quite frankly, I have a hard time thinking of a STUPIDER way for a rich person to actually benefit the community. Philanthropists of this type do little more than offer "feel good" superficial fodder that, in the end, does precious little to improve the lives of people. What do you think is more important, jobs or a library? I think most people would prefer to maximize the number of jobs by investment in enterprise, not piss money away on expensive social trinkets. And of course, the more jobs that are created, the higher wages are.

Let me see: philanthropy or jobs and high wages for everyone. I think I know what most people would prefer. To hell with philanthropy, bring on the "greedy" capitalists.

[Pukin Dog]

What part of "do not post to me, you provacative pie hole" do YOU understand? Go away.

[Sonny M]

Another flaw is that there's nothing to stop them from sending the R&D, marketing, and other functions overseas.

Its funny (well not funny, sad actually) that you should mention that. R & D and marketing, along with tech support, and engineering jobs are being outsourced overseas. Escept for the marketing, most of it is going to India, while the manufacturing is going all over the place.

Due to the "diverse" nature of our society, don't be surprised when (not if) companies start using say spanish marketing firms.

[Dec31,1999]

Maglev will never take off in this country until contractors can build and do research without having to work around environmentalists, unions and government restrictions raising the costs beyond affordability.

Maglev is a lot of nonsense. There are existing technologies that are far more possible. Pushing for unknown technologies is not wise when other proven technologies already exist, such as the bullet train in Japan.

For another example, the proven technology of solar hot water heating for use as hot water and heating systems has been nearly completely ignored, even though it has been demonstrated to work very efficiently since the seventies.

[Pukin Dog]

To hell with philanthropy, bring on the "greedy" capitalists.

Cant say it any better than that....

[sarcasm]

You misspelled provocative - if that is the word you wanted to use.

[FITZ]

Somebody else brought up rich philanthropists ---not I ---I realize they are no real solution although they did do some good things in the past with schools and hospitals they built. They no longer exist ---I realize that. Now the rich want overseas labor, they don't want American labor ---they're for maximizing profits even if it destroys the US.

[Dec31,1999]

I'm sorry I wasted my breath on this catty thread.

[FITZ]

Let me see: philanthropy or jobs and high wages for everyone.

What we're discussing is "none-of-the-above" obviously. Loss of jobs and high wages is killing the middle class of America. Yes ---let's have jobs and high wages ---that would save the middle class.

[slohand]

The real tradjedy is the lib contoled "education" system has not done the job.

[Sonny M]

The day the middle class ceases to exist is the day this country is finished. Our country has always had upward mobility. If a person worked hard, he/she could succeed: the American Dream.

Right or wrong, one of the arguements used by the extreme free traders is that manufacturing jobs, do not offer or give upward mobility. Many even go so far as to argue that manufacturing is not the middle class, and is below the middle class. (i.e. working class, but not the poor). The arguement is that people "flow" upwards (in terms of wealth, not nesecarily income, though it very easily can be, inflation adjusted also) over the course of there lifetimes,these same people claim that the lone exception to this rule are people who work long term in manufacturing.

The big hitch and circular logic in all this however is that, eliminating the job, does not suddenly make somone middle class, instead you now having somone who had a job, but is not unemployed, assuming this person will automatically now "flow" is simplistic in its thinking.

[Admin Moderator]

Both of you knock it off. Just ignore each other.

[Dec31,1999]

The middle class was born of the non-competitive business environment which arose after the 2nd world war. Germany, France and England were virtually destroyed.

Zoom to 2000, many countries are competing to manufacture goods. The prospects for the uneducated don't look good.

[Euro-American Scum]

The biggest knock however, is that, in reality, even service jobs, can be transported, even research and development can be outsourced.

Already underway. Merrill Lynch has announced that it will send the lion's share of its financial analysis jobs overseas. Their comment was "If it can be done in front of a computer terminal, it can be done overseas."

Charming.

[KCmark]

When the people complain they have no bread ---don't tell them just to eat cake McDonalds.

[Sonny M]

Merrill Lynch has announced that it will send the lion's share of its financial analysis jobs overseas.

Out of curiosity, where overseas did they send them? It makes no sense to send them to europe.