[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by TANaples

My nephew-in-law only has a HS diploma, but he is also a master (20+ years) plumber. He makes $55/hour with his job with a RR and also does freelance on the side. He is not hurting financially, even in NY.

He is an undesirable? A skilled tradesperson (including women), at least up North, can in fact be making more money than somebody with a college degree.

That's exactly what I said. I do not consider them undesirables. It was the other poster that inferred (probably not on purpose) they were undesirables quote:

who's to say that the people leaving now aren't hordes of uneducated tradesmen and construction workers?

I'm an ex union worker and I'm all for the trades and I think it's ridiculous that now in America banker types are revered and considered anything other than thieves and union workers and trades people are "invisible" or condescended to. And worst of all, hated because they dared work somewhere for 30 years to get the pension and healthcare they were PROMISED. Jealousy by the yuppie gen and post yuppy gen IMO.

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

My husband struggled to speak English to me and his family and friends foreign and otherwise....24/7 after immigrating here and that is forever etched in my mind and a show stopper for me. I remember several of his foreign friends from Armenia, Russia, even So America doing the same. The only time you heard them in their native tongue was during a guy's night out playing cards or whatever....

That's totally admirable...the way it should be! Sometimes I go crazy thinking about how in South Florida, all the foreigners refer to me as an "American", as if I am the one with the green card or travel visa!!!

[crystalblue]

Florida Chamber of Commerce

still predicting huge gains

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

Florida Chamber of Commerce

still predicting huge gains

that link is filled with the optimistic babble.

First their talent statement. Universities, city officials and private sector businesses had a summit last year to discuss the fact there isn't enough talent in Florida to fill needed high tech jobs. the article spoke about one company in downtown fort Lauderdale that had to pack up and move to DC because it couldn't find enough qualified workers to fill programmer jobs they needed. On a personal note I went to school with a guy who worked at a very large tech firm in Fort Lauderdale. He was a lead programmer there. Said they had to off shore a lot of work, not because it was cheap but because they couldn't find enough people in Florida to do the work. So this pool of talent the article spoke about is a fallacy. Also NPR did a piece last year that stated Florida was thinking about paying part of students school loans if they would remain in Florida and work for x amount of years because people were graduating and then promptly leaving Florida.

As for the biotech field, Florida universities and firms are third tier and below in this field. They are trying to compete on the national stage against cities and universities that are first and second tier and are just plain better at the field than Florida is. There was a article recently that said biotech firms in Florida were having a hard time getting funding from venture capitalist. The VCs were taking their money elsewehre. Which makes sense, why should they invest in third rate companies in a third rate state?! Not only that, as far as these businesses helping the economy here, how many people can these small to medium sized firms actually hire? Also, how many in Florida are qualified to do such jobs?

I honestly don't see them pulling off this population growth they are expecting. Especially considering how long this economic downturn is going to last. Unless they can offset America population growth with foreigners moving in. But that then brings in another host of problems. As far as whether or not these people are skilled workers or unskilled laborers. I also find it hard to believe that Florida wont have to eventually start raising taxes, again another set of problems.

Florida can transform itself but I think they need to stop playing follow the leader and forge their own way. Tampa was supposed to build a bio diesel plant. Maybe if they could forge ahead with alternative energy initiatives, that may give Florida a edge if they start now and put enough money behind the effort.

Originally Posted by TANaples

right after Thanksgiving to live with us because of financial reasons. She got a job within 3 days of moving here. However, she didn't really want to move here and doesn't want to stay. If an opportunity arises in NY, I know she will move back. She may be counted in these statistics as a young person moving here, but those stats cannot provide the real reasons for her move or her intentions to stay; or for that matter, mine. I know we are only 3 people, but I am sure we cannot possibly be alone in our mindset.

this proved my point from another thread. People are going to move to areas where they have family and/or can find jobs.

[Rachael84]

Originally Posted by Big House

I know that she posts here too, although I don't remember her handle.

That's actually my older sister. She doesn't post on here.

[south-bound]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder
I'd gladly move to China for awhile, but only if I had a job offer first.

My stepmother was born and raised in China. She's a very nice woman, but she says she will never live in China. She was amazed to see that our snow was white, because where she is from, it's gray due to pollution. She had to deal with a lot of racism, because her father is Mongolian. Like blatant racism. She was not allowed on China's Olympic team because she wasn't "Chinese enough" to represent the country.

Last Christmas, she and my father came to visit. We were watching a parody of GW and laughing. She freaked out and said, "Turn it off! Turn it off! They'll come and get you!" We asked her what she was talking about. She said that GW wouldn't like what we were watching, and would send the police to get her. We had to explain to her that it doesn't matter whether he likes it or not, we can say what we want and will not be harmed, as it is protected by the Constitution.

This year, her younger sister and mother were here to visit us. They were amazed that everyone had cars, and that there was no trash in the streets. They were also amazed that the water that came out of our facets was clean and drinkable.

Yup, China's a real paradise. **sarcasm off**

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

Does immigrant overpopulation have anything to do with this? People have left SE Florida in drones for this very reason. Might it be affecting other parts of Florida now?

I had the same question pop up while reading this thread. With the huge decline of building and service related jobs, I'm sure many immigrants (legal and otherwise) have had to move elsewhere in search of some sort of jobs in order to support their families. I'm not sure this is millions of people...but I'm still sure it will noticed by communities who once provided lots of jobs.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by south-bound

My stepmother was born and raised in China.

Maybe your stepmom could get me a job offer there. I promise I won't make you go there with me.

[Gottasay]

Originally Posted by Thxcv

George W Bush has really wrecked the entire nation by sending the cost of everything through the roof and selling all of our jobs overseas to nations like China and Japan, and because of this, many people have lost hope for the future of the United States.

For crying out loud, will folks please stop blaming one man for this country's problems??? If I recall correctly, Bill Clinton supported the North America Free Trade Agreement bigtime. I loved his state of the union addresses in which he would brag about air quality improving in the USA -- duh, that's b/c you sent the factory jobs to Mexico!!! President Clinton Signing NAFTA

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by HavetoSay

For crying out loud, will folks please stop blaming one man for this country's problems??? If I recall correctly, Bill Clinton supported the North America Free Trade Agreement bigtime. I loved his state of the union addresses in which he would brag about air quality improving in the USA -- duh, that's b/c you sent the factory jobs to Mexico!!! President Clinton Signing NAFTA

You forgot, Clinton also did away with the glass steagall act which in turn helped pave the way for deregulation in the financial sector. Clinton was a problem. His charismatic nature pulled the wool over a lot of people's eyes.