The Big Business bean counters are trying to eliminate the US Worker from
the work force. They have got the government to set a loophole in
immigrations laws so they can import cheap labor.

American workers are now training the immigrant workers who are doing them
out of their jobs. after the training is complete the trainer is laid off or
their job is eliminated. I always thought there were caps on immigration but
where there is a need in the workforce there is no cap.

The other jobs small - large manufacturing jobs are sent off to NAFTA
countries. We are just being phased out and we're so complacent about it
that no-one is lifting a finger to stop it.

tHAT



"David L Peterson" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 02:17:54 -0000, (Ron Bean)
wrote:


"Ed Huntress" writes:

No, I didn't say we don't benefit from innovation. I said that relying
on
innovation to compete with 80-cent/hr. wage rates is an artifact of the
past. It doesn't work as a general method for competing with low-wage
countries, now that our free-trade policies are having success in
breaking
down the barriers for capital flow.

Is the effect of a capital-flow deficit different from a
balance-of-trade-deficit?

Less capital would seem to mean fewer jobs, *unless* we can
create jobs that are less capital-intensive than the ones we're
losing (including the capital spent on education & training).
This seems to be what you're implying when you mention jobs in
the financial sector.

Back in 1987 Tom Peters wrote a book that argued (among other
things) that moving manufacturing overseas meant giving up an
important source of innovation, because a lot of it comes from
interactions between the design guys and the production guys,
which is difficult if they're on different continents.

Of course you can always move the design people overseas as well.
Then all that's left for us to do is consume the result-- unless
too many of us are unemployed (oops).

The service sector is said to be doing well, but it's hard to
increase productivity when services have to be rendered in person.
And all wealth comes from productivity.

manufacturing has gone overseas. Computer programming is mostly off
shore. Design work is headed there. Thing is pretty quick you will
have the overseas companies enjoying that interaction between
production and design..... So much for our being the innovative ones.
Also, in addition to the interaction thing, I think there is something
to be said about being able to learn as you move from one job (or
position) to another. There are people who are saying the US will
still lead in the innovative and high tech areas. Bull. the people
who work in the high tech areas had to start somewhere and not just
college, the best design guys have some good solid hands on (perhaps
unofficial) experience. They often work for a while while in school
or after gaduation in the less high tech stuff and get some practical
experience. How these guys gonna do this when everything mundane goes
overseas? You can't just jump to the pinnicle of design and
manufacturing. That's like expecting someone to instantly be able to
hand make fine high quality swords without first learning how to do
simple metalwork. Some people have it in their heads that since we
are americans in the good ol USA that we will always be the innovators
of the world. That we will never be anyplace but on top, no matter
how stupid, fat, lazy, taxed, wrapped in red tape, and passive we
become. We've been coasting for some time now and I think things are
going to go downhill a lot worse before this all washes out. France
used to be the mecca for the enlightened, now they are a joke. Our
countries have some common histories. Look at the power of the
brittish empire...... They used to be like the only world power too.
I don't think we are near as special or infllable as we as a country
believe.
The general public is getting dumber and dumber. Most the
population lives in a world of magic and black boxes. Tehy don't care
how or why thigns work, they just want things to make life easier and
more entertaining. They apply this same reasoning to politics, they
don't care how or why our government works (or even if it does), they
just want results, for them, now. And will follow anyone who promises
just that, something for nothing.
I made a friend of mine laugh a while back when we were leaving the
local Menards store ( I know, they suck, but they don't have any good
competition here so I have to go there for some things). we bought
our stuff and headed for the doors. as we approached there was a
croud of people, maybe 25 just standing in front of the automatic
door, it wasn't automatic-ing and everyone just stood there like
cattle. I just walked in front of all of them, grabbed the door and
pulled it open, and walked through. The croud followed us out. I
overheard someone say, "Oh, I guess you could just do that...". I
have this mental image of these people sometime in the future when
things top working. They are the kind of people who would starve to
death by an empty vending machine under a tree full of apples.

I thik our education system is doing too much touchy feely make you
feel good about yourself crap and not enough of actual content. Ive
seen copies of tests from old prarie schools, mostly practical stuff
and pretty comprehensive. to tell the truth I think I'd have done
poorly on a lot of it, most people today wouldn't even begin to know
how to approach some of the stuff. Tehy don't bother teachign what
they think you won't need to know because someone else (or a machine)
will take care of it for you. I think a lot of forign countries are
teaching a lot like we did in the thirties and fourties. Hmmm, and
they seem to be ramping up and we seem to be declining. Geez, we
better plunge headfirst furhter down the path we are on so we can
catch up again..........

Ok, rant over.

Dave