The Jobbing of Americans

Insight Magazine ^ | July 3, 2003 | Paul Craig Roberts

[kezekiel]

I was working then at Forbes magazine in New York and I recall how struck I was by the large number of sophisticated people I met who exclaimed that "the future is in services! Manufacturing is a commodity business! We need to get out of it!"

Man, for me, I want to make stuff. Conceive, design, build, market and sell a real frigging thing... something well-built in America, using American ingenuity and labor, and the envy of the world. Kind of like our weapons, only useful for something more than killing and intimidating (not that there aren't plenty of losers around the world who badly need to be killed or intimidated).

[UnBlinkingEye]

I think tariffs should be the main source of revenue for the federal government.

[Myrddin]

American workers can get free medical care, free education, public transportation, food stamps and subsidized housing.

Free? None of those things comes for free. There is some source of money. That source is confiscation by the government from those who have earned the money. Socialism. Communism. No thanks. That concept has failed every time it has been tried.

[cp124]

Time for a revolution to take the country back? What other way is there? The politicians do not do what the people want. The legal system is shreding the constitution.

[Euro-American Scum]

A word of advice that you didnt solicit but for what it is worth most new companies succeed because the founders maintain positive attitudes in spite of adversity and setbacks. You noted you were in a startup but I get the impression that you are accepting defeat before you are defeated.

I'll answer that this way: We have an innovative product, competitively priced, sufficiently impressive to get considerable seed capital from one of the firms in the area whose business it is to fund such enterprises.

Since that time, we've been told over and over and over again by potential customers, all of whom we have done business with in the past as employees or consultants, that they cannot do business with us because the federal government gives them so much in the way of cash incentives to go offshore with their investment dollars, both for labor and capital equipment. And these are companies and people with whom we have a good business and personal relationship. They're not strangers. And these aren't cold calls.

Individual sales to the public also look soft, simply because people are spending scared money now. And part of our marketing strategy is to try and get a sense for this area of sales in 2-5 year range. Addmittedly, it's crystal ball stuff, and nobody does it well. But it's essential that we take a good hard look at it. And if the middle class continues to erode from the pressure of illegal immigration, H-1Bs, L-1s and offshoring, there will be no market for what we do selling direct to the public.

I appreciate your comments. I really do. But this is the real world, and we're on the hook for a lot of money. I know the simplistic answer to those whose careers in industry are obliterated is "Well, just start your own business." Fine. All well and good. I just know that anyone contemplating such a move better have their eyes wide open to the business climate in this country in the early 21st century. You just don't hang out your shingle, open your doors and expect the money to start rolling in.

I just wish we'd have given this more thought a year ago.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

India as well. For many American workers, there has been a recession for the past 13 years. We will never recover unless we get rid of the new elitest Robber Barons. Since they own our politicians, I won't be holding my breath.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

What world market? We are the world's market right here in the good ole US of A. The Robber Barons are killing off their own market.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

No matter how well President Bush does in the war on terrorism, come 2004 the job situation is going to do him in. I honestly believe he will be a one-term president because of this issue.

He had better pray that the majority of American's won't vote their pocketbook like the Elites do.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

The Fed's low interest rates and Bush's tax cuts cannot bridge the difference between wages and salaries in the United States versus those in China and India.

A good start would be to lower the dollar so we can compete with China and India. Fiat money, anyone? The manufacturers like it nice and high..it gives them every advantage and the American worker every disadvantage.

[hedgetrimmer]

Me too.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Fact is, there are billions of people in the third world who are willing to work for dirt-low wages.

They can afford to work for low wages. The cost of living, even frugally, in the USA is high. People have to eat and have shelter.

[hedgetrimmer]

Our government and politicians are too expensive for us to live frugally. We've got to downsize 'em!

[Lael]

Our government and politicians are too expensive for us to live frugally. We've got to downsize ' em!

DITTO...

[ETERNAL WARMING]

You are fortunate you could get that job cleaning restaurants. Where I live only illegals benefit, not Americans.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

And just where do we get the capital to buy "STUFF?" Are the Robber Barons going to give it to us out of the goodness of their hearts? LOL This is absurd. From whom can we expect this "stuff?"

[ETERNAL WARMING]

On the other hand, the costs of goods will plummet dramatically allowing most people to get by on much less.

Much less? If you don't have a job, you'll get by on nothing. Nothing. Without money, you can't buy anything, no matter how cheap it is.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Excellent post, EAS. I've been on FR since the beginning of 99. When I first started pointing out the obvious, I was flamed royally by the Extreme Capitalists. They considered me a "whiner." Now half of them are whining. LOL This nation has had it. And we can thank our Robber Baron owned politicians for selling us out. Welcome to the newest Third World country.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

This new world is a challenge and adjustments ,painful and sometimes in error must be made.

I'll remind you of that when you lose your job. Think of the challenge of needing food and having no job to provide the money you need for the food.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

3) Brave New World - the lower classes are essentially given some form of "soma" to pacify them - it may take the form of literal drugs or virtual distractions or some form of state-sponsored hedonism. The wealthly happily pay a small sum for domestic tranquility.

We're already being given the approved opiate...it's called sex and deviation. Thankyou Hollywood for destroying society.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

For the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it.

I've tried to "manage" myself. I'm zoned out. I can't open a business. Foreigners can get zoning waived, but not an American citizen. Our jobs are gone, on the one hand. On the other, we are not free to make our way and ply our talents. So what is the solution besides starve?