Angry cries of America's 'outsourced' middle class

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

[FITZ]

Government social spending is well over half the federal budget --- and it's quite a lot higher than it was in the 60's. I guess I shouldn't say "welfare" because that can mean just one specific program --- I usually mean all the welfare programs when I use that word --- TANF, WIC, food stamps, Medicaid, CHIP, SSDI, government housing, NAFTA-TAA, TAA and all the rest.

[FITZ]

I already told you I have a job --- I have two jobs in fact --- but it's really not about me --- or you --- it's that many people out there do want to work and the jobs are going. There are tool and die makers who have always worked and are cleaning carpets to try to make ends meet --- that isn't good for this country.

[Texasforever]

Government social spending is well over half the federal budget

Are you calling social security welfare? Now a case could be made but it has never been accepted as a welfare program in the literal sense. I think you are reaching a bit to make your point.

[Cronos]

A lot of the gripes are because people expect things to be as god as it was in the bubble-economy 90s -- well that won't happen. It was a combination of a new technology, low supply of software engineers and the hype about the millenium bug that led to sky high salaries. Post bubble economy, the supply has exceeded demand, so the salaries are going down. A tech cannot expect the same salary at entry level as they got in the 90s. however, the cream are still earning and will continue to earn.

[Texasforever]

about the millenium bug

Outstanding point.

[FITZ]

Yes I would call it that --- it is a giant welfare program.

[FITZ]

But half the budget isn't for Social Security programs. It includes all social spending programs --- obviously what people can't get themselves by working for it.

[IrishRainy]

And what have I learned? This is the American dream."

No, it's called life. Deal with it.

IMO, if Bush DIDN'T veto this bill, the market would show its displeasure and the economy would suffer, affecting a lot more people than outsourcing.

I've been a medical transcriptionist for almost 20 years and we've been hit especially hard by outsourcing. I still love the profession, but if it disappears, I'll adapt. I certainly won't starve, since I'm bright enough to figure out a way to survive. My lifestyle may suffer a setback but it won't be the first time -- and I'll be okay.

Oh, just for the record, E.J. Montini is a bleeding heart liberal, and this is typical of the tripe he writes.

[Beck_isright]

Fitz, give it up. Texasforever and nopardons are just your typical:

[lentulusgracchus]

If you disagree, maybe you could do so a little more succinctly, and we could have a converstation about it.

Succinctly put, large companies welsh on the promises they made to new hires by running them off 10-12 years short of early-retirement age, which also lightens their health-insurance premiums. They hire young-and-stupid and fire middle-aged.

Small companies, OTOH, have no benefits, no retirement, people work just as hard and long hours for less money, or longer hours for the same money, and there's no upside or participation. The proprietor owns the company, and that's it.

[lentulusgracchus]

What's a "bendstupid"?

What'a a "CGEF"?

[Beck_isright]

You don't see the cartoon?

[lentulusgracchus]

My daughter is a head hunter. She places IT people. There are,as of today, four hundred IT jobs to be filled, by here office.

Does she have anything for a tech writer in Atlanta? I know a woman over there who needs a spot. FReepmail me.

"LG"

[_Jim]

Yet, they were the FIRST to go, over a decade ago.

WHAT were the numbers Glenn Beck used today - seven tenths of one percent - as the number of jobs that have been transferred?

AND Glenn used *double* the actual number for that 7/10 of 1 percent figure ...

"MORE people are without telephone service than are out of work" ... another little factoid that Glenn came up with ...

[_Jim]

RFID ... create a tiny number of jobs ... The RFID chips (which are already being manufactured in Asian countries), RFID scanners (also manufactured offshore), and the database software to tie it all together (currently US dominated, but ripe for outsourcing).

Bzzzzzt!

Overly broad, inaccurate portrayl, non-reflective of the reality of the players, the activity in this field ...

1) RFID Company Sites on the Web

2) VCs Are Writing Checks Again

VCs Are Writing Checks Again

Venture capital spending increased in the second quarter, and that's good news for the RFID industry and end users.

Aug. 11, 2003 - Hidden among all the bad news about the continued bloodshed in Iraq, the terrorist bombing in Jakarta and the supposed end of privacy at the hands of RFID, there was some bright news for the RFID industry and end users last week.

In the second quarter, venture capital funding in the United States grew quarter-on-quarter for the first time in more than three years.

And 62 percent of the 442 deals involved IT startups.

MORE - see link above

[familyofman]

If an out-sourced, unemployed man cries in the forrest - does anyone hear the sound?

[k2blader]

There is NO excuse for any able bodied American to be sitting on their butts crying about "outsourcing".

Agreed.

A "good job" is not a right.

[Arthalion]

You obviously missed my point. Will RFID create jobs for some engineers? Yes, a few thousand hardware engineers with relevant experience will get jobs designing RFID hardware until the industry matures (5-10 years). Will some people make a lot of money on RFID? Absolutely. I have a large pile of cash standing by to invest in these RFID startups as they go public, and you'd be dumb not to do the same. RFID technology will become ubiquitous over the next decade, with transponders built into everything from cereal boxes, to cars, to underwear. With that kind of market potential, the profits will be enormous. That's why the VC's are investing.

But we're not talking about VC's, investors, or hardware engineers with decades of experience in miniaturization or nano here (the only ones who will get the new jobs). We're talking about AVERAGE people...the kind that make up 99% of our population. They will see some people get rich, and some others make a lot of money, but RFID won't directly impact their lives in many ways. There will be no new manufacturing jobs in the US for RFID technologies, very few service jobs (RFID is a disposable technology...there's nothing to fix), and will result in a net reduction in jobs as checkers are obsoleted by this technology. RFID is a great technology, but it's no panacea for our current job woes. Realistically, it won't even make a dent.

[_Jim]

I think your view is shortsighted and myopic.

We didn't experience 'waves' of change, massive loss of jobs with the introduction of bars codes (DO you remember individual 'price stickers' on each grocery store item, stickers whose price to be keyed into the register by 'checkers', and the clerks who 'stamped' each loaf, each can, with the price?) -

- I think we have here another case of Luddite-ism and a paranoia of all things technological; once upon a time there was school of thought that mankind would be liberated for higher persuuits - higher goals - through the use of 'machinery' (literally: "labor saving machinery") -

- and we know have the Luddite crowd quite literaly coming out and supporting, nay, protecting and advocating menial, mimimum-wage 'stay-busy' and 'make-work' positions in the economy ... almost a socialist, European view; "life-time, guaranteed employment".

Perhaps we are overdue for embracing the UN and its socialistic agenda ...