Seeing as how the so called Job Creators have busy moving American jobs overseas, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Maybe if we give them a couple more rounds of tax cuts they might take pity and throw us a bone job.
When I graduated from high school in 1962, my husband and I owned a three bedroom two bath house and two cars within two years. Most of the men who graduated with my class had similar paying jobs right out of high school. I didn’t work, didn’t need to. Most women didn’t, and those that did actually chose to work. Today, it’s not a choice for most families, and when those families break up, everyone lives in poverty. When I did decide to go back to college, I paid $79 tuition for 15-18 hours of credit at SIU Edwardsville and we paid a $20 fee to rent whichever books we needed. Everyone could go to college, paying for it with a part time job. Since then American productivity and GNP have skyrocketed. But, Middle Class people don’t have anywhere near the advantages we did. All the money is going to the top 1-5% of earners. And, with the cost of college, it’s darn near impossible to get a start, you already owe the cost of a house before you graduate college. If the American worker is the most productive in the world, and all the stats say they are, the prospects for the young people of today should be better than they were for us. Instead, we produce the highest quality goods in the world—and can’t afford to buy them.
If you like the current economy, keep your guy in Washington and I am sure we will continue to make progress. I am sure they can manage to vote against the ACA for at least a hundred times more and continue to ignore any real progress like fixing the tax code or doing anything on anything that is meaningful.
The price of college has, indeed gone way up; but that’s the price we eagerly pay for the lowest possible taxes on the rich. (And, DaSharkie, my brother-in-law does landscaping. It’s not as easy to break into the business as you pretend. What we need is a government that believes in creating jobs. It’s amazing what the government can do when the people running it think it can and should work for the people.)
Perhaps a new perspective? It is not so much government policies and their unintended consequences that have brought us to this pass, but the changes to the way productivity (jobs) has been fundamentally changed by the emergence of brilliant technologies.
From Amazon’s summary description of the book:
In recent years, Google’s autonomous cars have logged thousands of miles on American highways and IBM’s Watson trounced the best human Jeopardy! players. Digital technologies—with hardware, software, and networks at their core—will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human.
In The Second Machine Age MIT’s Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee—two thinkers at the forefront of their field—reveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy. As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realize immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives.
Amid this bounty will also be wrenching change. Professions of all kinds—from lawyers to truck drivers—will be forever upended. Companies will be forced to transform or die. Recent economic indicators reflect this shift: fewer people are working, and wages are falling even as productivity and profits soar."
Political leaders know this, but they use “inequality” as a wedge issue and “promise to do something” meaning pass laws, levy new taxes, etc. And The People are distracted by meaningless issues.
Joadtom: Yeah, he (Rmoney, I assume) has a proven record all right. A record of making himself richer while shutting down companies, shipping jobs overseas, and paying a far smaller percentage of his income in taxes than some janitor. If you’re thrilled with being repeatedly screwed over, he’s your man.
Get a grip. The problem is the House of Representatives who refuses to vote on anything or try to work with anyone. Even the lame Senate has managed to come together for some legislation, but the House just refuses to do anything. Well they do vote on repealing “Obamacare”, but it would be nice if they actually took a stance and voted for some job creation, like “Infrastructure”.
Good thing the economy is below average otherwise the Trolls would feel depressed that they couldn’t bash Obama about it. But, never fear, the Trolls will find some excuse to bash Barack.
“What a shock… we elected a man with such vast business experience.”Meh. Business experience means nothing. Bush managed to bankrupt a Texas oil company.
Early this morning, when there were only 3 comments under Tole’s ‘toon, I read DaSharkie’s admonition. I was not in any mood to respond then. And, I’m STILL NOT in the mood. I’ve seen too many of these self-righteous, insulting comments in GC before, from people who got “Theirs”!
Making a long story brief: BEFORE layoffs began at my company in 2000, I did start my own retail store, part time at first, then, as the 3rd round caught me in mid-2002, I simply went full time. For several years, each year was a little better than the previous. Until the Autumn of 2008. After that, many customers stopped coming, because of job loss, hours cut back, or just scared to spend on items which were not necessary. My customer base was devastated. Over the next two years, 13 other hobby/model train stores closed in the New England states. (I was told this in 2014 by one of my distributors!) I subsidized my store with my own savings, until June 2011. Earlier that year, I realized that the economy simply was not coming back (for small business, anyway), and would NEVER be the same. The middle class was raped.
“….Capital buy their company, raid their pension plans, load up the companies with debt and then dump them.” Before my store, I worked in Industrial Distribution for 20 years, supplying machine tooling and other needs to manufacturers and machine shops. From 1993 till 2002, I had a front-row seat, witnessing many manufacturing operations dis-appear, through buyouts, and shipping operations abroad. The two owners, in the business for the previous 25 years, told me the same story countless times, about how they visited such-and-such company for 20 years, and that company got bought out by a raider, or larger company, who then squeezed the life out of it, then closed it up to take a good tax-write-off. For those employees who had their livelyhood erased, well, it was their fault! Many had been our customers for DECADES before I was hired. I said good-bye and good luck to many a customer (buyer, machinist, engineer) who was about to lose his job because of NAFTA (globalization), increased computerization and automation.
Well, it’s THEIR FAULT!! MY FAULT! We should have all just gone out and got another job! I mean, there are PLENTY of jobs out there, right! There must be, with hundreds of applicants applying for one position.
ME? I mooched off the govt for a year, collected unemployment and later, food assistance. After Unemployment ran out, I simply dipped into my savings. When that ran out, I put a straw into my retirement CD, and after 28 months, the drain is showing. But, I LOVE living like this! It’s a riot, the sting I pulled on the wealthy and the government!I LOVE being on this damned computer every day, applying for ALL types of jobs. And, most of all, I LOVE hearing nothing, from about 90% of the places to which I apply, and getting rejected from every company for going-on-three-years, despite the fact I have, an am still taking courses (AT MY OWN EXPENSE) in computer languages, and a few short-term contract jobs. I mean, it’s GREAT to live with no net, at my age. DaSharkie is ABSOLUTELY correct! I must give up this care-free, Bohemian life-style, quit fighting off depression, and GO TO WORK!
Thanks, DaSharkie! You really know what you are talking about, and are right to give such sound advice!
Jason Allen almost 10 years ago
Seeing as how the so called Job Creators have busy moving American jobs overseas, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Maybe if we give them a couple more rounds of tax cuts they might take pity and throw us a bone job.
Diane Lee Premium Member almost 10 years ago
When I graduated from high school in 1962, my husband and I owned a three bedroom two bath house and two cars within two years. Most of the men who graduated with my class had similar paying jobs right out of high school. I didn’t work, didn’t need to. Most women didn’t, and those that did actually chose to work. Today, it’s not a choice for most families, and when those families break up, everyone lives in poverty. When I did decide to go back to college, I paid $79 tuition for 15-18 hours of credit at SIU Edwardsville and we paid a $20 fee to rent whichever books we needed. Everyone could go to college, paying for it with a part time job. Since then American productivity and GNP have skyrocketed. But, Middle Class people don’t have anywhere near the advantages we did. All the money is going to the top 1-5% of earners. And, with the cost of college, it’s darn near impossible to get a start, you already owe the cost of a house before you graduate college. If the American worker is the most productive in the world, and all the stats say they are, the prospects for the young people of today should be better than they were for us. Instead, we produce the highest quality goods in the world—and can’t afford to buy them.
Theodore E. Lind Premium Member almost 10 years ago
If you like the current economy, keep your guy in Washington and I am sure we will continue to make progress. I am sure they can manage to vote against the ACA for at least a hundred times more and continue to ignore any real progress like fixing the tax code or doing anything on anything that is meaningful.
ARodney almost 10 years ago
The price of college has, indeed gone way up; but that’s the price we eagerly pay for the lowest possible taxes on the rich. (And, DaSharkie, my brother-in-law does landscaping. It’s not as easy to break into the business as you pretend. What we need is a government that believes in creating jobs. It’s amazing what the government can do when the people running it think it can and should work for the people.)
SlesseDiz almost 10 years ago
Perhaps a new perspective? It is not so much government policies and their unintended consequences that have brought us to this pass, but the changes to the way productivity (jobs) has been fundamentally changed by the emergence of brilliant technologies.
From Amazon’s summary description of the book:
In recent years, Google’s autonomous cars have logged thousands of miles on American highways and IBM’s Watson trounced the best human Jeopardy! players. Digital technologies—with hardware, software, and networks at their core—will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human.
In The Second Machine Age MIT’s Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee—two thinkers at the forefront of their field—reveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy. As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realize immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives.
Amid this bounty will also be wrenching change. Professions of all kinds—from lawyers to truck drivers—will be forever upended. Companies will be forced to transform or die. Recent economic indicators reflect this shift: fewer people are working, and wages are falling even as productivity and profits soar."
Political leaders know this, but they use “inequality” as a wedge issue and “promise to do something” meaning pass laws, levy new taxes, etc. And The People are distracted by meaningless issues.
Cerabooge almost 10 years ago
Joadtom: Yeah, he (Rmoney, I assume) has a proven record all right. A record of making himself richer while shutting down companies, shipping jobs overseas, and paying a far smaller percentage of his income in taxes than some janitor. If you’re thrilled with being repeatedly screwed over, he’s your man.
magicwalnut Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Sharpie, I think a few people might have missed the sarcasm in your comment….too bad we don’t have an emoticon to signal it.
magicwalnut Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Um, that was Sharkie.
Mugens Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Get a grip. The problem is the House of Representatives who refuses to vote on anything or try to work with anyone. Even the lame Senate has managed to come together for some legislation, but the House just refuses to do anything. Well they do vote on repealing “Obamacare”, but it would be nice if they actually took a stance and voted for some job creation, like “Infrastructure”.
William Bednar Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Good thing the economy is below average otherwise the Trolls would feel depressed that they couldn’t bash Obama about it. But, never fear, the Trolls will find some excuse to bash Barack.
oneoldhat almost 10 years ago
ask senator reid why he will not let any job bills come to a vote
gammaguy almost 10 years ago
“The job creators do what is best for their bottom line.”.An obesity epidemic?
Jason Allen almost 10 years ago
“What a shock… we elected a man with such vast business experience.”Meh. Business experience means nothing. Bush managed to bankrupt a Texas oil company.
moosemin almost 10 years ago
Early this morning, when there were only 3 comments under Tole’s ‘toon, I read DaSharkie’s admonition. I was not in any mood to respond then. And, I’m STILL NOT in the mood. I’ve seen too many of these self-righteous, insulting comments in GC before, from people who got “Theirs”!
Making a long story brief: BEFORE layoffs began at my company in 2000, I did start my own retail store, part time at first, then, as the 3rd round caught me in mid-2002, I simply went full time. For several years, each year was a little better than the previous. Until the Autumn of 2008. After that, many customers stopped coming, because of job loss, hours cut back, or just scared to spend on items which were not necessary. My customer base was devastated. Over the next two years, 13 other hobby/model train stores closed in the New England states. (I was told this in 2014 by one of my distributors!) I subsidized my store with my own savings, until June 2011. Earlier that year, I realized that the economy simply was not coming back (for small business, anyway), and would NEVER be the same. The middle class was raped.
“….Capital buy their company, raid their pension plans, load up the companies with debt and then dump them.” Before my store, I worked in Industrial Distribution for 20 years, supplying machine tooling and other needs to manufacturers and machine shops. From 1993 till 2002, I had a front-row seat, witnessing many manufacturing operations dis-appear, through buyouts, and shipping operations abroad. The two owners, in the business for the previous 25 years, told me the same story countless times, about how they visited such-and-such company for 20 years, and that company got bought out by a raider, or larger company, who then squeezed the life out of it, then closed it up to take a good tax-write-off. For those employees who had their livelyhood erased, well, it was their fault! Many had been our customers for DECADES before I was hired. I said good-bye and good luck to many a customer (buyer, machinist, engineer) who was about to lose his job because of NAFTA (globalization), increased computerization and automation.
Well, it’s THEIR FAULT!! MY FAULT! We should have all just gone out and got another job! I mean, there are PLENTY of jobs out there, right! There must be, with hundreds of applicants applying for one position.
ME? I mooched off the govt for a year, collected unemployment and later, food assistance. After Unemployment ran out, I simply dipped into my savings. When that ran out, I put a straw into my retirement CD, and after 28 months, the drain is showing. But, I LOVE living like this! It’s a riot, the sting I pulled on the wealthy and the government!I LOVE being on this damned computer every day, applying for ALL types of jobs. And, most of all, I LOVE hearing nothing, from about 90% of the places to which I apply, and getting rejected from every company for going-on-three-years, despite the fact I have, an am still taking courses (AT MY OWN EXPENSE) in computer languages, and a few short-term contract jobs. I mean, it’s GREAT to live with no net, at my age. DaSharkie is ABSOLUTELY correct! I must give up this care-free, Bohemian life-style, quit fighting off depression, and GO TO WORK!
Thanks, DaSharkie! You really know what you are talking about, and are right to give such sound advice!