LET'S TALK ABOUT "YOUR" JOBS

Nealz Nuze ^ | Wednesday, February 18, 2004 | Neal Boortz

[beaureguard]

Jobs .. and the economy. Those seem to be the issues that are driving many, if not most, of those who are supporting the Kerry candidacy.

First of all ... I'm going to repeat this simply because it makes the whiners so unbelievably angry. Listen up. They're not your jobs! The jobs belong to the employers .. not to you! You have job skills and, presumably, a willingness to work. Your task in a free economy is to get out there and find some employer with a job who needs your skills ... and strike a deal.

If you do not have the particular set of job skills that an employer needs, of if you have priced your labor out of the marketplace, guess what? It's not the employer's fault. The fault lies with you. Either develop a new set of job skills that are actually in demand, or adjust your pricing. The employer knows what he's looking for you. If you're not it .. it's your problem, not his.

Now ... you say you're going to vote for a Democrat this year because of jobs? You mean to tell me that you're going to vote against George Bush this year because you don't have a set of job skills that are in demand in our free marketplace? Yeah .. that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Tell me. Just what do you want the president to do? You information technology people out there .. just what are you demanding? Do you want companies to stop outsourcing IT jobs to India? OK ... tell me how to do that. These companies aren't shipping parts overseas and completed products back. All they do is ship information overseas by phone lines or the Internet. Then that information is modified and shipped back the same way. What do you want the government .. the president to do? Do you want some federal law that prohibits companies from transmitting information overseas by the Internet, having that information transformed or modified, and then shipped back? And tell me just how do you enforce that law? Does that law then apply to you also if you seek information from a company that is located overseas, thus depriving a domestic company of your business?

Ditto for manufacturing. I've already told you the story about the California company that makes computer mouses. (computer mice?) This company ships the components to China. The mouse is assembled in China and shipped back, then sold for around $40. Why? Because the assembly is cheaper in China than it would be in the US. So, you say you want the president to force this company to have that mouse assembled in the US? Fine .. then the price for the mouse goes up to about $70 a pop and sales drop. As the sales drop the jobs of the people in this country who manufacture the components for that mouse go away. Then the 100 marketing jobs this company supports in California also go away. You see, perhaps you can succeed in forcing this company to assemble these mouses in the US, but there just isn't any way you can force the American consumer to pay 80% more for the "made in America" version.

As Bruce Bartlett says in an article listed in my reading assignments, "No nation has ever gotten rich by forcing its citizens to pay more for domestic goods and services that could have been procured more cheaply abroad."

What we are seeing here is a demonstration of the "government owes me" mentality of far too many Americans. Every time you arrive at a speed bump in your life's journey you start screaming to the government for help. Sure, the speed bump is going to slow you down a bit ... but just keep moving forward and things inevitably pick up speed again. Americans are becoming helpless whiners. The more helpless you are, and the more you whine, the more likely it is you're going to vote for a Democrat. Democrats specialize in stroking the malcontent.

Congratulations, whiners. At a time when America if fighting World War IV, the war against Islamic terrorism ... you're going to vote for a candidate who wants to treat terrorism as a freaking law enforcement problem because you've made some pitiful jobs choices. Pitiful.

[hedgetrimmer]

Let the rest of the world get their hands dirty now. We’re above that

Better not tell that to the boys at Orange County Choppers, West Coast Choppers and Boyd Coddington Hot Rods.

Don't say that to the myriads of people who build cars, build homes, build furniture, build roads, highways and bridges. You'll make 'em mad.

[hedgetrimmer]

a privilege to which many companies are now saying ‘Thanks, but no thanks

Then they should cancel their corporate charters with the American people, pay back all the loans and monies rececived from the govnerment for relocating to foreign countries, and don't come crying to US courts when their products are pirated away and their industries are nationalized in their new host country.

[valkyrieanne]

Placing the fate of our nation in the hands of outsiders is not a prescription for national security. There will be a price to pay if we do that, and it is a price so high that it can never be reflected in any price paid, or commodity bought and sold in the marketplace.

Yes. I look at the photos Hedgetrimmer posted, of the Chinese prisoners, and think, that could be us or our children.

[hedgetrimmer]

I know a person who emigrated here from South Africa about 20 years ago. It is disconcerting to see her reaction to some of the things happening in this country, because she saw it all and worse in South Africa.

[FITZ]

It's true that many people help cause their own problems ---- but far too easy credit is a problem today that we didn't see before. In the 50's and 60's one reason there were fewer foreclosures is that only the credit worthy got loans.

[FITZ]

5% sounds about right --- but I think that should be combined with the numbers receiving welfare and SSI checks who are able-bodied.

[Ciexyz]

'I ended up starting my own business from my garage.'....
I salute you for your entrepreneurship.

[FITZ]

Actually I wasn't having a democrat moment --- I was imagining all those unemployed or fearful of being unemployed types who would be. Kerry isn't going to be any better --- that's obvious but will his lies convince the uneasy-about-this-economy to pick his? I'm working --- a little more than I really care to --- but I'm not the issue --- it's the voters as a whole.

[FITZ]

And thus arises the fallacy of your position. The people with jobs must pay for those without jobs. That is just plain incorrect. We don't have to, and we shouldn't.

I agree we shouldn't --- but really we must --- for one the government confiscates a portion of our paychecks before we even receive them, if I don't choose to pay the high taxes here for the county hospital and free schools then they put a lien on my property --- basically just take it. If I buy something, I'm charged quite a bit extra for sales tax, they've added taxes to my phone and electric bills to pay for those who won't pay their own way --- if I don't pay then I'd be cut off.

[FITZ]

Also as the welfare (SSI,TANF,food stamp, Medicaid, WIC etc, etc, etc) class grows larger, they gain more power at election time --- the vote of someone who has never worked a day counts the same as yours or mine. They will elect politicians who get them more handouts.

[FITZ]

This is not free trade.

You're right --- there isn't such a thing as "free trade". Anyone who believes there is should load up a semi trailer full of things they might like to try to sell in Canada or Mexico and see how far they get. These are very strictly controlled government agreements --- how many pages does the NAFTA treaty consist of?

[MacDorcha]

another interesting factoid about our "deficit"... 80% of those who are getting welfare... have both a car and cable tv.... which brings another thought to mind. if the goverment would stop giving corporate welfare, and cut domestic welfare by any number, we would be able to afford this deficit. we would also be allowed to keep more money in the future, making our dollar worth more and our paychecks go further.

[FITZ]

So here's a thought! Since the government cannot stop any American corporation from outsourcing, maybe they ought to at least tell them that if they get taken over by some third world bandito, they are on their own and the American military absolutely will not come down to bail their sorry butts out! In other words, do it at your own risk and we're not sacrificing any American lives for your corporate treasury.

Bump to that thought --- and we should end all corporate welfare.

[hedgetrimmer]

GATT is about 30,000. NAFTA may be about 900.

[Ciexyz]

'They will elect politicians who will get them more handouts.'----
The welfare class provides a fair share of government, state, and county jobs. The more poor that people become, the more non-profits appear on the scene.

[FITZ]

Pure capitalists will be responsible for the Chinese destroying the United States.

Whatever they are -- this modern type of Capitalist can only be satisfied by Communist labor. Something is pretty amiss in that.

[FITZ]

Good God!! That is NOT free market, that is NOT capitalism, that is NOT free Trade, it is SOCIALISM!! It is a form of Fascism!!

You're right -- this is Communism, in this new global economy the most successful country must be a Communist one --- even Mexico is too Capitalist with it's $25 a week wages --- corporations' now need slave Communist workers. This kind of Capitalism is Communism.

[EverOnward]

You have it right, Fitz. Too many people are making their living shipping jobs overseas. All that matters is $$$$. But the American workers are cast as the "problem" and the insults that are hurled by those who attempt to justify the outsourcing of American jobs are intended to change our minds? Why pay a living wage to anyone when with the help of the greedy in power, jobs can be outsourced for a fraction. It's the global way NOT the American way.

[Moonman62]

How does being innovative create new jobs when the innovation and its resultant new industry is immediately shipped overseas?

How many jobs are actually shipped overseas? I think it's about 10%. If 1 million new jobs are created and 900,000 stay here, I'll take that. That's 900,000 that didn't exist before. For 200 years our economy has dealt with jobs being lost to productivity gains. Now we have to deal with outsourcing on top of that. Provided that our laws reamin friendly to investment and capitalism, we can handle it.

[A. Pole]

80% of those who are getting welfare... have both a car and cable tv

In most of America there is no good public transportation to do shopping, go to a doctor or look for work. Old car might be a necessity and not a luxury. About the TV, what an average person will do in a free time? Read books?