Angry cries of America's 'outsourced' middle class

The Arizona Republic ^ | 03.09.04 | E.J. Montini

[Beck_isright]

Among those who apparently didn't listen to the 43-year-old unemployed woman whose recorded message was posted online last week by The Republic were Arizona's Jon Kyl and John McCain, along with 24 of their Senate colleagues, all of them collecting fat government paychecks.

[Luis Gonzalez]

I am tearing the Internet for a bit of interesting data I found a cople of weeks ago.

An immigrant to the U.S. stands a 9 to 1 better chance of becoming a millionaire than a native born American.

Immigrants see the endless possibilities, while everyone else concentrates on the negatives.

[Mike Darancette]

The buggywhip makers and blacksmiths were put out of work because of superior technology, the automobile

Excellent point unless you believe that there will be no more technological advancements.

Whether it is from outsourcing or changing technologies the job market changes. Not to worry in just a few years there will not be enough Americans to fill the existing jobs and pay Social Security.

[Texasforever]

You would think that these guys would be screaming in support of the new space initiatives. That is where the "next big thing" will come from not from Microsoft.

[Mike Darancette]

The article is talking about jobs being taken away from Americans and being shipped overseas so foreigners can do them for less pay, leaving Americans unemployed.

What percent of the 5.6% unemployed are workers outsourced? and I don't want to hear the discouraged worker stuff.

[FITZ]

What's the government spending on social programs? Such as welfare, WIC, food stamps, housing, Medicaid, NAFTA-TAA, TAA and all the many others? That's the most true statistic of how well our economy is doing, how many people are working or not working to support themselves and their families.

[FITZ]

No --- you can't do free trade on your own apparently. They used to have these guys come over with trucks and buy up things like used tires but it seems that somehow isn't approved under NAFTA so many have been put out of business. Chuch groups trying to take donated clothing over run into that same kind of thing, many resort to sneaking donations over --- there really isn't "free-trade", there are many government regulations in spite of it being called free trade.

[Greenpees]

You know, Sir

It's just that you can't quit, and blaming others has never brought anyone into success.

5.6%, to me, means that 94.4 percent have jobs, and that means I can have one. The private sector is like a candy store to me, and I've had to turn down jobs that others would have killed for (Figuratively speaking). It's not the economy, it's opportunity meeting squarely with determination, that counts.

I'm not heartless at all. I wish there were some way to make the world perfect for everyone, but I know there's not. I also know that Kerry is not going to bring us any closer than Bush, but probably further away. It really pains me to see others dump on the president at such a critical time. I was a bit fearful during my transition from the Navy, but I never blamed Bush. There were times that I thought I should have studied other subjects, or gotten different certifications during my job search. But never did I blame the president for our nation's present policies. That's just counterproductive.

Thanks for your support on my thread. At least I know we two won't be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, and electing a fraud former war protester because of some false anger at ourselves over some self-defeating percieved injustice. We just move forward.

God speed Warrant Officer. You deserve all the respect you've ever gotten, and more!

[CWOJackson]

Thank you sailor, I'm appreciate it.

I was Coast Guard (not wise cracks) over thirty years. You and I both know what a ship (again, no wise cracks) is like. A good crew will gripe and complain, but when the alarm sounds they do their job. I've seen volunteers called for, for particularly risking search and rescue operations and the entire station crew volunteer...and sailors cry when they weren't picked. Just before I retired the first time we lost three of four volunteers one night; at a station of less the 30 people. A few days later another crew from the same was on it's way out into bad water.

Leaving the military and looking for a job is scarying. I did it once, and I'm about to do it again...by choice. But I've got faith. It took me three months to find a job I liked when I first retired...and the employment situation was worse.

I'm not too worried this time. As you said, we move forward.

Thanks for your service and you will do well...you have what it takes to do well.

[Greenpees]

Suddenly FITZ,

All those issues you mentioned are the "true measure" of how we're doing as a nation. But, somehow, when Clinton was being re-elected in 1996, only the unemployment rate mattered, and it was 5.6%.

Your question would leave me researching for hours, and it's 12:14 am. The question I have for you is; Why the double standard?

Why suddenly is the ambiguous issue of WIC, etc. the measure of an economy's health, when clearly 5.6% unemployment was a laural to be rested upon just a few short years ago.

Guess what, I'm not rich. But I can tell you that I felt GWB's tax cuts, and I felt Swartzenager's reversal of the the registration tax implemented by Gray Davis. To me, there are two camps, those who are never satisfied, and those who see how lucky they are. I'd prefer the second camp and I'd prefer to keep it going by voting for a guy (Bush) who truly understands macroeconomics 101.

This President is the best hope we have, in so many ways. It cannot be stressed enough.

[AuntB]

Ah, Clamper, I'd hoped the next time I ran into you, you'd be at the job of your dreams. I'm so sorry about this. My nephew is going through the same thing. Have you been watching Lou Dobbs? He's the most vocal newsperson on this outsourcing mess. I hope all is better the next time I "see" ya. Take care!

[Beck_isright]

"Yes but this bill all of you are demanding Bush sign or else is for GOVERNMENT WORK. Do you not see the irony in your rant? LOL"

Site a posting where I ever "demanded" Bush sign this stupid bill. I simply stated it was window dressing and does not address the actual problem. Once again blowing smoke and not addressing what I actually say.

[Beck_isright]

"Link to ONE *poor* little mexican town that had 34,000 invaders come thru, LAST MONTH on their way north, to INVADE....but, Fox has found the money to get them well enough to make the trip."

You do realize using the phrase "invade" and Mexico entitles you to the bbot assignment of the term "racist" ...

[Beck_isright]

""IT" ... what's that - a support department, an "expense"?"

And a production department. With the wave in the 90's of telling America's youth to go to college and get your degree in programming, and the new wave of outsourcing all of these software related jobs, you will see a backlash against the pubbies unless they get their act together. W is in trouble on this issue not just with the older workers who's factories are being shuttered so his buddy Vincente will get more jobs, but with the younger generation which doesn't qualify for all of the new government jobs and when they do find work have seen their salaries pummeled 30-50%.

[Beck_isright]

"I kinda hope life catches up with Texasforever, and he can sample some of the pain that he so freely mocks in others."

It will. He's just in some sort of clerical position at a Wall Street firm. And they are starting to outsource those jobs now to India, Taiwan and the Phillippines. Of course Texasforever would never post here should his job get outsourced. He would do what most RINOs do; cower and hope they don't cancel his membership at the club when they find out he's unemployed.

[dennisw]

I like Larry Kudlow, but I heard him argue that the economy is doing better because the CIO of Hewlett-Patel got a bigger check last year. Thats not very convincing, especially to the thousands of workers that lost their jobs overseas

[dennisw]

I like Larry Kudlow, but I heard him argue that the economy is doing better because the CIO of Hewlett-Patel got a bigger check last year. Thats not very convincing, especially to the thousands of workers that lost their jobs overseas

He's telling  a lie or just spouting the conventional wisdom of the people he runs with. Don't believe the garbage these "free market" "free trade economists" are feeding you. They go against one's intuition.

Of course the US jobs shucked by Hewlett Packard help them only and help Carly Fiorentinas options and bonuses. The USA doesn't benefit. At the very least the consumer purchasing power of these fired US workers has taken huge hit. Can they even afford to buy HP products now?

[Beck_isright]

"Did ya get that GW? Here is one of those "isolationists" you were talking about in your recent speech.

Who do you think hes voting for in the fall???"

None of the above. Like many other Americans will do.

[Beck_isright]

"Hello I'm an mechanic/welder/ fabricator.. I skiped college and choose to follow my dreams of fixing cars... I got more work than I can handle! If you can hold a wrench, shut your mouth and do your job...talk to me!!! You and I can make tons of money!! Fat ass know it all College students need not apply, I don't have the time to teach you convert the metric system to ASE... Let alone teach you lefty loosey righty tighty."

First of all, I have no clue who you are talking to.
Secondly, I'm retired and don't need the work.
Thirdly, you can not outsource your job, but you can import enough Mexicans to put wage and earnings pressure on it. I see it every day here in Florida where an illegal will do your job for 30-40% less. Let us know when that competition gets to your part of the country, wherever that may be.

[Beck_isright]

"The free trade claque can prattle endlessly about the benefits of shipping American jobs to China - but they forget that those out of work Americans vote. It is time to end the free trade nonsense and put Americans back to work, lest the many gains we've made all get lost."

The question is, when will these idiots wake up? The pubbies got bitch slapped in 1996 because they ignored the middle class. And almost lost again in 2000. I guess you just can't teach the morons in charge that economic nationalism and not globalist socialism is going to be the key issue of this decade.

[Beck_isright]

#318-Great post!