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Economically speaking, this is the primary reason places like Dallas and Houston weathered the storm better than other places.
Land, plentiful natural resources, and a diverse economy helped us overall, but one can't deny that capping home equity cash-outs helped the housing market in TX by keeping more homeowners "above water"'when values DID fall. Because they have fallen here, too. Not as bad as elsewhere in the US, but it would have been a lot worse without the cap in place.
Land, plentiful natural resources, and a diverse economy helped us overall, but one can't deny that capping home equity cash-outs helped the housing market in TX by keeping more homeowners "above water"'when values DID fall. Because they have fallen here, too. Not as bad as elsewhere in the US, but it would have been a lot worse without the cap in place.
Might have kept Speculators away from your market as well..They were rampant in places like California, Vegas (where 90% of the land is Govt owned), Arizona etc..
Sadly, the only candidate who can turn America around is not even one that is on the ballot...a candidate that espouses protectionism. No more NAFTA, slam the door shut on China, India and everyone else. Otherwise, we are going to be headed down this same path till the bitter end.
Simply put, China will continue to undercut us on price, and eventually quality. This means that our industries will continue to get slaughtered on price, and will have no choice but eventually relocate to China, which means more outsourcing, more bleeding out of our industrial/manufacturing capacity and know how; and the continued devolving into a low wage service economy. I have not seen any candidate address this issue on EITHER side...the democratic formula of raising taxes to spend irresponsibly won't resolve this, neither will the republican formula of tax cuts.
To many of you the China issue might be remote or abstract, but for me it has hit much closer to home, an uncle of mine at IBM lost his job recently due to outsourcing of his job to India, and a couple of guys at my church lost their engineering jobs due to relocation to China...I suspect as the years go by, this story will become much more familiar to all of you unless something is done.
Sadly, the only candidate who can turn America around is not even one that is on the ballot...a candidate that espouses protectionism. No more NAFTA, slam the door shut on China, India and everyone else. Otherwise, we are going to be headed down this same path till the bitter end.
Simply put, China will continue to undercut us on price, and eventually quality. This means that our industries will continue to get slaughtered on price, and will have no choice but eventually relocate to China, which means more outsourcing, more bleeding out of our industrial/manufacturing capacity and know how; and the continued devolving into a low wage service economy. I have not seen any candidate address this issue on EITHER side...the democratic formula of raising taxes to spend irresponsibly won't resolve this, neither will the republican formula of tax cuts.
To many of you the China issue might be remote or abstract, but for me it has hit much closer to home, an uncle of mine at IBM lost his job recently due to outsourcing of his job to India, and a couple of guys at my church lost their engineering jobs due to relocation to China...I suspect as the years go by, this story will become much more familiar to all of you unless something is done.
I agree, but that train has already left the station. I think we need to find something to make that they can't and continue to protect our environment while they continue to ruin and strip theirs. Same with India. China has a better ability to mobilize than us because they're centrally planned. We need to find weaknesses in that, like we did with Russia. Comes down to the people, and our entrepreneurial spirit, something they lack, it will triumph over centrally planned in my opinion.
But I hear you, right now it doesn't feel very good at all. Industrial Arts programs have literally disappeared from High Schools which is just more proof we don't make anything anymore, which is sad because this is what American Labor is all about
Land, plentiful natural resources, and a diverse economy helped us overall, but one can't deny that capping home equity cash-outs helped the housing market in TX by keeping more homeowners "above water"'when values DID fall.
The wonders of government regulation! Aren't you a conservative Republican? How can you endorse this ?!?
The wonders of government regulation! Aren't you a conservative Republican? How can you endorse this ?!?
**Some*** regulations are helpful, like speed limits and limited regulations on money (ie, the old gold standard was a helpful regulation- kept the government from watering down the value of our dollar by pumping more money into the economy) and the environment.
People need boundaries- moral, ethical, etc. That's just a basic "need" in human nature.
**Some*** regulations are helpful, like speed limits and limited regulations on money (ie, the old gold standard was a helpful regulation- kept the government from watering down the value of our dollar by pumping more money into the economy) and the environment.
People need boundaries- moral, ethical, etc. That's just a basic "need" in human nature.
As the person who has been espousing how bad regulation throughout this thread I have to agree with this--I do in fact believe there is a place for it in our Society. Public Safety is a great example, and the way TC laid it out is generally how I see it as well. Where it gets dicey for me personally is the way the left views regulation, it comes across as they know better than the people in America, the reason I think they should rename the party The Beautiful People party.
What else is new though, I agree with TC again. It's getting old really.
I agree, but that train has already left the station. I think we need to find something to make that they can't and continue to protect our environment while they continue to ruin and strip theirs. Same with India. China has a better ability to mobilize than us because they're centrally planned. We need to find weaknesses in that, like we did with Russia. Comes down to the people, and our entrepreneurial spirit, something they lack, it will triumph over centrally planned in my opinion.
But I hear you, right now it doesn't feel very good at all. Industrial Arts programs have literally disappeared from High Schools which is just more proof we don't make anything anymore, which is sad because this is what American Labor is all about
With all due respect skids, but it's precisely this attitude that too many americans have..."oh well, it's too late" followed by a shrug of the shoulders...I dont think it's too late, we can still save what's left of America's manufacturing and industry, but it requires a strong and resolute politician ready to stand up to the special interests out there. It requires someone to tell the American people "look you have two choices, continue to allow China to sell here, so you can get dirt cheap prices, and while that happens, watch all those high paying jobs continue to walk right out the door, or two, keep them out, take the hit on prices but keep jobs here"
The remedy you propose, finding something that we are good at and they arent, is really just the equivalent of running faster to stay in place. Yeah we might have the edge momentarily, but sooner or later China and others will copy and eventually take over that product and market. I highly recommend everyone here find a copy of 'China Inc' and read it...it's really eye opening the strides the Chinese are making in ALL facets of industry, science and technology, by any means necessary (including illegal).
Quite frankly, all the other issues that we keep hearing about in today's political environment really dont matter in the end if this one issue is not addressed, and addressed NOW.
Ditto. Romney is going to hang in there as long as he can obviously. Newt should be the next one to step down, I'm surprised that he is still standing.
Naima
Newt had the best response of the night directed right at the moderators.
With all due respect skids, but it's precisely this attitude that too many americans have..."oh well, it's too late" followed by a shrug of the shoulders...I dont think it's too late, we can still save what's left of America's manufacturing and industry, but it requires a strong and resolute politician ready to stand up to the special interests out there. It requires someone to tell the American people "look you have two choices, continue to allow China to sell here, so you can get dirt cheap prices, and while that happens, watch all those high paying jobs continue to walk right out the door, or two, keep them out, take the hit on prices but keep jobs here"
The remedy you propose, finding something that we are good at and they arent, is really just the equivalent of running faster to stay in place. Yeah we might have the edge momentarily, but sooner or later China and others will copy and eventually take over that product and market. I highly recommend everyone here find a copy of 'China Inc' and read it...it's really eye opening the strides the Chinese are making in ALL facets of industry, science and technology, by any means necessary (including illegal).
Quite frankly, all the other issues that we keep hearing about in today's political environment really dont matter in the end if this one issue is not addressed, and addressed NOW.
If only. I know I bought a Rosetta Stone Mandarin course not too long ago for a reason.
We're in a class war here and most people don't even realize it. The poor have already lost, and the middle class are backed up in a corner and are losing badly. If people don't think the types of riots that have been going on in Europe won't happen here in the States, think again.
There are no jobs, there is little manufacturing and if no one has any money, the service economy that America has turned itself into has no purpose.
The electoral process is bought and paid for by corporations, surveillance/police state in full swing, less rights, more abuses, endless wars, and unions being demonized (The corrupt leaders who took the reins can be partially blamed for that though, not to mention increasingly unrealistic and unattainable demands). We're doomed.
1984 is here and some people just don't want to see it. Half the people are buying into it with screeches of "austerity" while the rich bloat themselves on our money.
Without a significant revolution, we'll all be serfs working Chinese wages within a decade or two.
Remember, the mighty and all powerful Roman Empire eventually collapsed under the weight of its own corruption. When they ran out of resources to plunder to fuel the military, their borders started to contract. They didn't make anything, they just raped every other place.
Sound familiar?
Corporations have now learned to do the same amount of work with fewer people and they have been just fine, so there will never be the influx of jobs that we had in the boom times. Personally, I don't think it will ever get completely back to what it was in the glory days - unemployment will stay at 7-9% for many years, and it doesn't matter who becomes president. I felt Obama was put in as a puppet and a fall guy and McCain wouldn't have been any better. Whether or not Romney, Perry, Paul, or Pookie and Ray-Ray down the street become president, this is the new status quo.
I learned my lesson the hard way. I've learned to use the skills I've accumulated and acquired over the years in order to incorporate multiple streams of income because it's going to get ugly really fast. The days of depending on an employer have been over.
Last edited by Overcooked_Oatmeal; 09-09-2011 at 12:49 PM..
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