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Thoughts On Why We Are Getting Our Ass Kicked
In article ,
otforme says...
Tom Watson responds:
GRL notes:
The light at the end of the tunnel is that really low labor rates cannot
last as a country develops economically. Remember when stuff from Japan was
cheap?
True, but we're not going to enjoy the trip downhill.
And their trip uphill ain't gonna happen fast enough for our trip
downslope to be avoided to a degree that doesn't cause serious social
problems in this country.
When I was a small bean going to Grammar School we studied
Citizenship, wherein we learned about the interdependence of the
electorate and the elected and studied things like the "Good of the
Commonweal".
They've dropped Citizenship in favor of the study of Consumer Issues.
Makes a man want to throw up.
Or "shop till he drops." What a social slogan that was. Unfortunately, it's
also true. I know middle class people who use shopping for recreation. Many of
them, in fact. I used to think they were laughable, yard saling items that were
bought and never used, but find that both pathetic and frightening now. These
are hard working people, fairly bright, both with good jobs, one kid out of the
house and the other ready to go, with both having decent, if not high, incomes.
Both are in jobs that will provide secure (as secure as anything is) retirement
at a good rate, their house is almost paid for, their vehicles are in good
shape, so they shop, or at least the wife does, and the junk builds up until
yard sale time.
Weird way to buy. I shop, too, of course. But I shop for what I need or think I
need. I do not shop for recreation. In fact, I'd rather drop large rocks on my
toes than shop, so that helps keep it in line.
If it's shopping on a Saturday, I say "Bring on the rocks!"
Other days, maybe only if they're less than 10 pound rocks.
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