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Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the solution? - 1/29/2009 7:46:39 PM

MzMia

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I am sure most of us have heard the latest news.
Unemployment is up in all 50 states, with no real end in sight.
I live in an area which tends to have a very low unemplyment rate {DC/VA/MD} area.

This evening in line at the store, the woman behind me started a conversation about
the rising unemployment rates.
She had a sad look in her eyes, and she said she was a bit worried.
We both agreed that this is probably one of the best area's in the world, as far as employment.

As we slide closer to the coming Depression, we all wait to see what the new Administration, Congress
and the House pass as far as a "stimulus package".
One thing is for certain, when these new jobs are created, many will be making a lot less than they were
before, but at least they will be employed.
Any thoughts on how America can at least make a dent in the daily rising numbers of the unemployed?

< Message edited by MzMia -- 1/29/2009 7:47:09 PM >

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 7:52:18 PM

popeye1250

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From: New Hampshire
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Easy, get rid of all that "free trade" crap.
It only benefits about 20,000 people in this country who get insanely rich from it.
The rest of us get lower paying "service economy" jobs and the "opportunity" to buy cheap plastic junk at Walmart that's made in foreign countries.

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 7:53:50 PM

BbwCanaDomme

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No idea, but I saw this and sort of laughed in a schadenfreude-ey way earlier http://consumerist.com/5141856/this-is-how-bad-it-is-part+time-receptionist-help-wanted-gets-3520-resumes-in-under-24-hours

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 7:58:03 PM

MzMia

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Joined: 7/30/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: popeye1250

Easy, get rid of all that "free trade" crap.
It only benefits about 20,000 people in this country who get insanely rich from it.
The rest of us get lower paying "service economy" jobs and the "opportunity" to buy cheap plastic junk at Walmart that's made in foreign countries.

Great answer Popeye!
I am not sure if I would agree with eliminating all the free trade agreements, BUT I think
the whole "free trade" situation should be examined, overhauled and certainly reduced.

I think we need to eliminate a lot of the tax breaks for US companies that have run to 3rd
world countries where they can pay the workers $2 a day and then ship the products back to
America.
I think many of us,would not mind paying a bit more for products made in the USA.

Popeye? Growing up, I remember seeing lables that said "Made in the USA" on a lot
of products and clothing.
When was the last time you saw the "Made in the USA" label on anything?

< Message edited by MzMia -- 1/29/2009 7:59:16 PM >

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 7:59:52 PM

MichiganHeadmast

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There are no solutions, only impediments. Remove the impediments and let folks be as productive as they can.

(in reply to MzMia)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:07:14 PM

MzMia

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quote:

ORIGINAL: MichiganHeadmast

There are no solutions, only impediments. Remove the impediments and let folks be as productive as they can.

Yes, do nothing and let this entire country collapse.
Let all the millions that recently lost their jobs, eat cake!
Great answer!

< Message edited by MzMia -- 1/29/2009 8:16:05 PM >

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:14:36 PM

chiaThePet

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Kick five out.

Then it'll be up in only 45.

chia* (the pet)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:18:41 PM

aravain

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quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

When was the last time you saw the "Made in the USA" label on anything?

All the time, here... but I go out of my way to buy stuff that comes out of the USA when I can... as I would do in whatever country I'm a citizen in (I hope to be a Kiwi someday). The only times I don't is when the price is so high as to make it implausible, or when the quality is much lower.

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:26:34 PM

MzMia

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quote:

ORIGINAL: aravain

quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

When was the last time you saw the "Made in the USA" label on anything?

All the time, here... but I go out of my way to buy stuff that comes out of the USA when I can... as I would do in whatever country I'm a citizen in (I hope to be a Kiwi someday). The only times I don't is when the price is so high as to make it implausible, or when the quality is much lower.

It is very hard to find products MADE in the USA these days.

Seriously, growing up I used to see the "Made in the USA label", on so many products.
Even as a child, it made me smile.

What the hell IS made in the USA these days?

That is surely one of the reasons, we will soon be spending millions and billions to "create" jobs.
Then after the jobs are created, we can use most of the money to buy products not produced in the USA, right?

< Message edited by MzMia -- 1/29/2009 8:29:22 PM >

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Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:29:25 PM

Hippiekinkster

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quote:

ORIGINAL: MichiganHeadmast

There are no solutions, only impediments. Remove the impediments and let folks be as productive as they can.

Profound. >nods sagely<

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:32:54 PM

aravain

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clothing... though, that may be special to me because of my 'patriotic size' as my mother said once

Various computer parts are still made and sold in the USA... I usually try to go for USA stuff if quality is similar (usually it's better).

And that brings me to food companies... though that's arguable, I s'pose, for anything but 'home-grown' stuff from the USA

In all the US really makes mostly consumable goods, judging purely from my own experience. 'course, I haven't been in the market for any big-type spending things, I wouldn't know on that end.

EDIT: I don't understand the meaning (or implications) of your edit, though (and I noticed it after I submitted).

I don't really have a great big idea(tm) to fix the economy.

< Message edited by aravain -- 1/29/2009 8:35:10 PM >

(in reply to MzMia)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:40:29 PM

MzMia

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My point is this, Americans tend to be enormous consumers, period.
Isn't it odd, to live in such a consumer driven country, that produces probably less
than 25% of what it consumes?

I am not an Economist, but I have always found that odd.
If I set out to find a shirt made in America {just going store to store}, it would probably take me at least a few days,to find one.
Maybe it takes everything to crumble and fall down, for many to see the light.
This is an interesting website.

How Americans Can Buy American

< Message edited by MzMia -- 1/29/2009 8:49:03 PM >

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to aravain)

Post #: 12

RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 8:56:31 PM

MichiganHeadmast

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Joined: 8/13/2006
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quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

quote:

ORIGINAL: MichiganHeadmast

There are no solutions, only impediments. Remove the impediments and let folks be as productive as they can.

Yes, do nothing and let this entire country collapse.
Let all the millions that recently lost their jobs, eat cake!
Great answer!

Your obfuscation doesn't change anything. The question is, what is the solution. Okay, I'll play. The solution is human ingenuity. If you meant what can the government do, the answer is nothing but make it worse.

(in reply to MzMia)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 9:06:34 PM

MzMia

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name calling always means I have hit a nerve.

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to MichiganHeadmast)

Post #: 14

RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 9:13:56 PM

BbwCanaDomme

Posts: 330
Joined: 5/22/2008
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quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

My point is this, Americans tend to be enormous consumers, period.
Isn't it odd, to live in such a consumer driven country, that produces probably less
than 25% of what it consumes?

I am not an Economist, but I have always found that odd.
If I set out to find a shirt made in America {just going store to store}, it would probably take me at least a few days,to find one.
Maybe it takes everything to crumble and fall down, for many to see the light.
This is an interesting website.

How Americans Can Buy American

You could always shop at American Apparel, if you don't mind giving money to a misogynist who's been sued for sexual harrassment over and over haha.

Anyways, I generally don't buy things made in North America, because the clothes tend to be tacky, the electronics are crap, and the cosmetics are chemical filled. If those things are fixed, I'll consider it. I'm sure other people would too :)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 9:16:50 PM

TheHeretic

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From: California, USA
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I like that we have a safety net called unemployment. If our current administration wants to address the problem directly, extend those time limits. Loosen up the tightening restrictions that are resulting in many people being denied for those benefits. Bail out the troubled state systems, with some of the money the banks and car companies want.

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 9:36:57 PM

Mercnbeth

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I know, how about giving any failing business lots of extra money and tell everyone making a profit that we're going to have to tax you more to pay for those businesses who are failing? That'll spun expansion and growth right?

Oh yeah - that IS the plan already huh?

But that's not fair and doesn't address your question nor the problem.

I agree that there is no 'quick fix'; however I'd say that the 'fix' in place now pretty much guarantees future failure because that's where the incentive is placed.

First the momentum has to be stopped. That's relatively easy. Stop enabling failures to continue at the cost of draining the resources that are still coming in. Instead of propping up failures use the exact same money to replace them with business plans independent from the 'status quo'. In other words, come in with a 'plan' to buy GM and convert it to a profitable operation with new employee costs and management and the government money goes to 'best plan' to fund the purchase. Simultaneously eliminate all 'special interest' government funding. Even in these times, the recent stimulus package included plenty of pork for such things as 'planned parenthood'. It would take extreme convoluted rationalization to excuse the attempt, let alone it's success. There are public works projects that can and should be where the money is better spent. However again, there must be sacrifice and a cutting through of the red tape.

Do you think the Hoover Dam could be built today? Sure, it involved a large amount of government money, but the town of Boulder was also created as were the associated private sector support businesses from shoe stores to ice cream shops. Of course attempted today, the environmental impact studies wouldn't be completed until today's unemployed workers became great grandparents. Are we as a country willing to make the trade off to just put in the infrastructure accounting for the pragmatic results at the expense of a displaced spotted owl or two? The answer to that may determine if any solution is possible.

The goal should be for less government employment and more public sector work. Every government employee should be looked at as a liability and/or expense on the balance sheet. I know as a business owner, I look at each and every one of those line items in tough times. You think anyone has done that on a governmental level? Here's a CA example. Millions of private sector jobs have been eliminated. The State budget is in crisis. The solution, required by the legislature without any hope of compromise, is that the current work force, and pay structure be maintained 100%. Why is it that the private sector must cut back when income is down, but the government's solution is always just to raise income (tax)? Government employment should not be the only secure job in a growing national employment sector.

The economy is a 'con' game using the root form of the word. There is no 'confidence' in the private business sector right now - NONE, in ANY industry. My banker offered a '100% Guaranteed' two year investment available in increments of $100,000. The deal was, you invest in the current market. At any time over the next two years, you can take your money out if the stock market goes up. The 'hook' was, in the event it went down, the bank guaranteed at the end of two years, they'd give you back the $100k. Easy bet right? At least if you had any confidence in the bank, which, on last check was #2 in the US. They couldn't sell out the package, in fact they only sold 35% of the program - No confidence. Hearing that was scary.

Here's the problem with the current plan. Any bailed out business will be cutting employees, and successful business with income is too scared to expand, and if they do, it will be minimal. The momentum is not slowing down, it's building. I don't see the logic of expecting it to turn around when the only people being helped are the very ones who caused the problem in the first place. Does that make sense to anyone?

(in reply to MichiganHeadmast)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 9:48:43 PM

MzMia

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Merc, it makes perfect sense.
I can certainly see several ways to view our current economic "situation".
But at the end of the day, do you really think all this "free trade" and all
the American companies that ran oversea's so they could pay people in 3rd
world countries $3 a day, and then ship the goods back to America, are NOT
part of the problem?

I would love to see more actual businesses created here in America, that {GASP},
employ Americans to make good quality products, on American soil.

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to Mercnbeth)

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 9:57:49 PM

aravain

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Ooo, they got a raise! (Just joshin' you)

I agree. We need more local-made goods, the problem is that redoing free-trade agreements and such *will* cause diplomatic fallout.

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RE: Unemployment is Up in all 50 States! What is the so... - 1/29/2009 10:06:48 PM

Mercnbeth

Posts: 11766
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quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

Merc, it makes perfect sense.
I can certainly see several ways to view our current economic "situation".
But at the end of the day, do you really think all this "free trade" and all
the American companies that ran oversea's so they could pay people in 3rd
world countries $3 a day, and then ship the goods back to America, are NOT
part of the problem?

I would love to see more actual businesses created here in America, that {GASP},
employ Americans to make good quality products, on American soil.

It's difficult to cover every point, MzMia. However, regarding the one you address - reciprocal trade tariff with the country in question as well as a tariff equal to the compensation for the goods manufactured in the US would serve to cover the issue you raise. If it cost $10 to make a shirt in Alabama, there's a $7 tariff on it, if its imported at a cost of $3. Of course, this will require the company pay the workers enough to buy the shirts. See how that works? If there's nobody working and able to afford the product, it doesn't pay to make it. To make it, and make the company a profit, you have to pay the workers. It is a symbiotic relationship. It doesn't have to be a 'closed system', people will still pay more for a suit made in Milan, but I'd agree with you, it needs to be more closed than it is now.

Eliminate the reason, you eliminate the problem.

However you did touch upon the 'real' issue, or goal, depending on your agenda. By lowering the standard of living in the US the 'world' becomes 'more equal' as perceived by the masses. Of course, the rich, globalists already, won't be affected, however each and every US citizen will be. Average the wage between the US and Mexico and the Mexicans would be thrilled in an amount equal to US worker disappointment.

It's hard to not see that as a goal on some level. Isn't that one of the campaign promises, or projections. Something about the citizens of the US much consider how it looks for us to have our heat on at 72 and drive SUV's? Well, I'd say we're on a path that would make that 'image' moot, wouldn't you?

Conspiracy theory? Perhaps, but one, that a good case can be made.

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 20

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