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Better, or worse.....It's all so subjective, like the economy in general, we aren't a monolithic construct nor are we a collective of equals, some are doing great and a lot aren't. Whenever this question comes up, and it seems to come up a lot, we resort to the stats handed out by those who may have less than an impartial view of "the economy". One constant in all the chatter surrounding the question of U.S. prosperity is the overwhelming feeling that something isn't right. What a lot of us can't grasp is the fact that a huge portion of our workforce is now possibly permanently marginalized, never to be hired to do full time work, or worse, figuring out how to live with no income at all. This doesn't mean that America will thrown into a long depression, it simply means that we no longer have jobs for every one who wants one.
I There must be jobs for people with low skills, but that are willing to work hard. Manual labor can have skilled and non-skilled jobs, and until the economy accounts for those who cannot (or aren't willing to) go to college or trade schools, we will continue to see a decline in the middle class. This is partly what's driving the university bubble...you have people going into debt getting degrees that wouldn't otherwise be there if there were a mix of skill/no skill jobs available.
This is partly how the USA became so prosperous in the first place. Some go in the skilled direction and some don't.
There are jobs for low education/skills in construction, landscaping, food service. But look around in your community. The people we give those jobs to are legal and illegal immigrants, not Americans. When I asked my house painter why he hires Mexicans instead of Americans, he said because all his competition does, and he can't compete price wise unless he does. Same answer from our landscapers. We have gotten ourselves into a vicious cycle with our dysfunctional immigration policies.
Also, even high priced 'quality' items are now being made in China/Taiwan. Pretty much all road bikes are made overseas now, even $5000 ones.
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Originally Posted by Gatornation
Tell your friends and neighbors to buy American. Instead of going to some chain that treats employees poorly go to a local restaurant that sources from local growers. Americans vote daily with their purchases to keep jobs out of the US.
The poster above has a valid point. We don't always have the option anymore. Marshall used to make all their amps in England I believe. Now many are made in Thailand. My new $900 tube amp cost about the same as what the English made tube amps cost a couple years ago. The only difference is in where they are made. I would have preferred it was made in England, where the quality was always known to be consistent. With this change, I cannot be so sure.
Companies aren't doing this for our benefit. They are doing it to boost their bottom lines. Many American made items can be made for an affordable price. CEO's just prefer to have things made in the cheapest labor markets possible. They will sell the items for the same price in many cases, but the consumer has no idea if the quality will be the same. In many cases, the quality is apologetically lacking.
There are jobs for low education/skills in construction, landscaping, food service. But look around in your community. The people we give those jobs to are legal and illegal immigrants, not Americans. When I asked my house painter why he hires Mexicans instead of Americans, he said because all his competition does, and he can't compete price wise unless he does. Same answer from our landscapers. We have gotten ourselves into a vicious cycle with our dysfunctional immigration policies.
So no blame on the consumer who drives the need for these low prices?
There are jobs for low education/skills in construction, landscaping, food service. But look around in your community. The people we give those jobs to are legal and illegal immigrants, not Americans. When I asked my house painter why he hires Mexicans instead of Americans, he said because all his competition does, and he can't compete price wise unless he does. Same answer from our landscapers. We have gotten ourselves into a vicious cycle with our dysfunctional immigration policies.
All true. Yet, fixing our policies may well result in a whole new set of problems.
Farmers paying much more for US labor will pass that cost to consumers.
Landscapers, roofers, painters will have to pass the cost on to consumers.
I wonder why no one ever complains about all the small businesses that operate under the table with US workers and rarely pay taxes. I know a whole bunch of people whose wives work and husbands claim a "loss" every year cancelling their tax burden and making them eligible for financial aid. And people writing off home repairs and dinner out as business expense due to a small home business. Why is there no outcry against that?
Why not impose taxes on foreign imports that drive up the cost of 90% of the products on store shelves? Would that help US workers too?
The problem is much deeper and more complex than immigration policies.
So no blame on the consumer who drives the need for these low prices?
That is indeed a part of the problem. The solution is much more difficult.
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