California failing its middle-class? (2014, wages, standard of living)

[Tulemutt]

Perhaps the very most common theme on this forum is how the state is failing to preserve and develop its middle-class. Here's a report using a California worker, his industry, and its town as an example of how this is not a California specific problem: it is endemic to the American economy as a whole. It further demonstrates how this devolution is not a recent function at root. It has been unraveling for well over 25 years.

Why America’s middle class is lost | The Washington Post

[bigdumbgod]

This whole 1%/99% thing didn't come from nowhere.

[Tulemutt]

Ya think?

[DriveNotCommute]

Personally, I'm not convinced it is California that's failing the middle class. Sure, it could do better but first off, national policies probably have a greater effect and secondly, contemporary corporate culture probably makes up the greatest share of why the middle class is declining.

For example, the whole offshore manufacturing trend wasn't limited to California and can't be blamed entirely on federal policies, unless you want to argue against free markets at the international level. Wage suppression and job cuts tend to hit the rank and file much harder than upper management and executives too.

The one weakness in that article, in my opinion, is that it focused on the aerospace industry which had a strong dependence on Federal money. Nonetheless, the private side of that industry was probably also stronger in the past anyway, seeing how the golden age of passenger aviation was just developing back then too. New industry, new technology, new avenues of research, and a new market demand to fill thus more high level, high paying jobs.

California still has engineering work, it's just that it has shifted to a different area. Software engineering has been breaking ground for over a decade now and it is going pretty strong. Biomedical engineering is somewhat more niche but those who make it into this sector are doing well, despite the sector having much less access to federal cash than other sectors would.

The rest of the middle class though, I think remains true. Biomed engineers aside, the rank-and-file R&D and manufacturing staff see pretty harsh cuts and crappy wages all of the time in the biotech side. For some reason the workers didn't see much of a golden age despite filling in what you would think is an inelastic market (pharma, biologics, diagnostics, medical devices, other modern life saving equipment).

We would also have to explore the extent that labor supply has increased even for jobs requiring skilled labor. Maybe even shifting definitions for what constitutes "skilled" labor these days.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Perhaps the very most common theme on this forum is how the state is failing to preserve and develop its middle-class. Here's a report using a California worker, his industry, and its town as an example of how this is not a California specific problem: it is endemic to the American economy as a whole. It further demonstrates how this devolution is not a recent function at root. It has been unraveling for well over 25 years.

Why America’s middle class is lost | The Washington Post

For sure the trends of offshoring, deindustrialization, illegal immigration and all other forms of wage arbitrage are national issues. However, California adds insult to injury by maintaining a policy environment that is exceedingly hostile to manufacturing activities. Value Added by Manufacturing = Middle Class Prosperity.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by DriveNotCommute

We would also have to explore the extent that labor supply has increased even for jobs requiring skilled labor. Maybe even shifting definitions for what constitutes "skilled" labor these days.

Anymore, "skilled" labor may be the ability to read and follow simple instructions.

[chuckmann]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Anymore, "skilled" labor may be the ability to read and follow simple instructions.

1) The exporting of California jobs to foreign shores had been going on since the 80's. Seagate, Apple, to name two.

2) skilled labor? I have heard it said that to make an i-phone, you just put te parts into the machine, and the operator pushes the green button and there ya go. I realize it is not really all that simple, but circuit board manufacturing automation has been going on since the late 80's.

3) guess what? we can produce more than enough to give the world a pretty good standard of living. Where do we go from here?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by chuckmann

3) guess what? we can produce more than enough to give the world a pretty good standard of living. Where do we go from here?

Here's a radical idea. We could start right here at home.

[chuckmann]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Here's a radical idea. We could start right here at home.

Ah, but then there are The Powers That Be ...

There comes a time when the wealthy and the privileged become SO rich, SO powerful, that they see themselves as gods, and the rest of us as slaves.

See y'all in that line in the station.

[bigboibob]

california sure as heck not failing the welfare class