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We were caught between the devil and the sea. Automation is supposed to take one third of our jobs in the next ten to twenty years. Rotten trade agreements, outsourcing, and open borders would do nothing for American workers or the legal immigrants in the Country. Just look at how more Blacks and Hispanics are now working than under President Obama.
I agree we cannot hold back automation - we must be competitive in world markets. Hillary got so much political support (money) because the larger corporations wanted her leadership; as long as they could keep her on a leash. It was just foolish for our workers to say anything goes. We have taken enough hits over the years.
We cannot be competitive with slave labor countries where workers have no rights as they are entitled to under capitalism. In capitalism, there is not just the business owner, there is also the workers and customers that are allowed negotiations and rights.
Big Business by the boat load flooded China because under communism, workers have no rights.
300 Million Chinese had their farm lands bull dozed and were sent to the cities to make widgets.
There was no choice in that.
Is that what you want in our country?
Slaves serving the wealthy elite?
Americans are the biggest fools/clowns in the first world. No middle class citizens of any other first world nation would sit on their asses and let their Middle Class take it in the shorts like Americans do.
And worse..Americans ENJOY getting screwed and defend the screwers with their lives. If you tried to assassinate the most evil, greedy CEO on Earth, you’d fail. Why? Because a lower middle class Republican would jump in the way of the bullet.
IMO the reason most of the middle class sits their asses is racism; the GOP has the unofficial motto of being the white people's party.
Since the Civil Rights Act was signed into law by a Democrat (LBJ) in the 1960s the GOP began incorporating the old racist Dixiecrats into the GOP tent. Look at the 1988 election where the GOP trotted out their fear-based Willie Horton ads to discredit Michael Dukakis for paroling the guy. It gets worse every election and is what elected Donald Trump.
The minute Trump lambasted Mexicans he got enough of the GOP vote to win almost every primary. All the facts in the world can't overcome the power of racism in American politics.
As long as much of the middle class allows itself to be divided and conquered via the race issue the GOP will do well enough and continue to gut the safety nets if they can get away with it.
Divide and conquer politics is one of our enduring family values: black vs white; rich vs poor; young vs old; east vs west; north vs south; evangelicals vs everyone else; pro-choice vs pro-life; unlimited guns vs sensible gun control. Those are the main ones. It's been going on for generations.
Now that they are in office, the GOP is going about destroying as much as it can: EPA regulations to protect the water and air; the CFPB to protect us from Wall Street crooks; Dodd-Frank to protect us from banks running amok so we don't have another great recession; health care provided by the ACA; and next year Ryan wants to "reform" Social Security and Medicare.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
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Life expectancy calculations need a reference age.
The life expectancy of a retiree with a pension plan at age 72, is actually around 87. For those less fortunate (the ones who died before 72 and those who didn't, without pensions, is lower.
Actuarial tables take into account both a reference age and many demographic, economic and social characteritics of people.
Like it or not, we here in the USA are mostly in a YOYO situation, where You're On Your Own. Even though people are paying into Social Security and Medicare, they'd be way smart to pump all they can into a 401-K or IRA they can take with them anywhere the work or live. Unless the people here unite and raise taxes to European levels for an excellent safety net then it's a YOYO world going forward.
Life expectancy in the USA has gone down now for two years as a result of the opioid epidemic; it could get worse as millions with little prospects for good paying jobs go the route of self-medication and end up over-dosing to fatal ends. I remember the Vietnam War very clearly; the USA practically came apart at the seams over losing 6,000 lives a year there, our total loss of life was about 60,000 troops over a ten year war but last year in the USA we lost 64,000 people to drug overdoses, but no one is marching in the streets like they did fifty years ago in 1967... where is the outrage...
The state propaganda convinced people that protesting is evil and accomplishes nothing.
They were right though.
"Democrats" held both the house and senate during the OWS protests after the big banks were bailed out.
Nothing changed.
Since nothing is changing and the plutocracy has not mended their ways, our only hope is an outside source.
Now before people consider that thinking traitorous, I will remind you, will were sold out years ago by globalists looking for slave labor abroad while using our "defense" military to protect their globalist ambitions.
They lost the right to call themselves nationalists and patriotic the moment they sold out this country to enrich themselves at the expense to the many of the citizens of this country.
We cannot be competitive with slave labor countries where workers have no rights as they are entitled to under capitalism. In capitalism, there is not just the business owner, there is also the workers and customers that are allowed negotiations and rights.
Big Business by the boat load flooded China because under communism, workers have no rights.
300 Million Chinese had their farm lands bull dozed and were sent to the cities to make widgets.
There was no choice in that.
Is that what you want in our country?
Slaves serving the wealthy elite?
I want jobs. I want us to compete with China or any other nation. If business comes home to America; workers have a choice. They do not have to work for one company as a Manpower temp, which I have for the last eight years; they can go elsewhere. By the way, talking about Manpower, they started off trading in 1991 at $12.50/share. They are now up to $127.04/share. I do not mean to just single out Manpower; 'temp' agencies are doing great. Although 'great' isn't great for average workers - no benefits and no paid time off (other than holidays). If your sick; it's on your dime. Many times workers are not told in advance when they will be laid off or called back. I am not really complaining for myself; because I do pretty good and I could walk away any time I wanted.
What I am complaining about is a system that made us replaceable. Many young workers need security and that is what is lacking in American jobs. Complain and you could be replaced; your job could disappear. This was not Trump's doing; this was his predecessors cowtailing up to special interest. Greater choices in employers cannot hurt; it could even drive up wages - at least until automation takes over.
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I'd like to see that someone who gets elected actually works for 'the common good', not merely their common good and those of their cronies and families.
And have not the 'people' been marching to the ballot box? They do that every 4 years and from my many years of contributing and voting...it still doesn't appear to be working to the good of the 'average' citizen. It appears that regardless of which party succeeds it still boils down to the same-o-same-o. They ALL make promises, make the grandest of statements and gestures, smile nicely, speak well, all goodness and grace...but there you have it; SSDD!
One cannot roll around in the gutter without getting dirty regardless of the affiliation one subscribes to.
The ability for workers to unite under any system should be a requirement because you can sure bet the business side does.
Big Business have teams of accountants to pay as little as they can using all loopholes, they have teams of lawyers to fight back against consumers and workers going after them, they have teams of lobbyists purchasing politicians to pass bills they write, and they also join forces together when it comes to get trade pacts passed that benefit them. Net Neutrality is the latest example where Big Corporations thumbed their noses at the consumer.
It is idiocy to suggest individual workers should stand alone against this.
How about every citizen in this country have the same power corporations do since corporations are people, economically and politically?
What drove big business overseas was not unions but the appeal of cheap labor where workers have no rights.
It could be 1930, and an American worker then, would still be more expensive than a worker under Communism.
The bottom line is you are responsible for yourself and you ain't all that smart if you really think some political bottom dwelling parasite is going to look out for your best interests. To be clear the bottom dwelling parasite applies to both democrats and republicans.
Today's husband and wife team can retire wealthy if they start early and stick with a plan.
6 1/2% isn't all that hard to obtain through a good mutual fund.
They live on his salary only and this just might mean no cable television, fancy phones or even cable television. Their house is small and functional... it isn't a grand house but it is comfortable.
Wife earns a minimum wage salary of $300/week and they put that $300/week into a mid performing mutual fund.
If they start at age 30 when they are 56 they are millionaires. At age 65 they are millionaires twice over.
I have a nephew that did exactly this to purchase their first home. Both teachers they lived in a mobile home for five years saving her entire paycheck. Every time they saved and didn't do much else.
In 5 years, before they were 30, they paid cash for a nice $250k home in a nice area. Wife no longer had to work because they didn't have rent or a house payment. He's a teacher and she was a stay at home mom and live comfortably they do.
When the kids started school she went back to work and I know he is banking her entire payroll check and will be millionaires several times over before they hit 60.
Anyone can do this. Anyone can be rich if that is what they really want and are willing to sacrifice and work for it so stop blaming CEO's and rich people for your failures.
If government is not the solution then why do Corporations and Banks shower politicians with billions of dollars. Why do corporations like Goldman Sachs encourage their higher level employees to go into politics to serve their industry.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think you are saying, government is the solution for the wealthy but the majority should just ignore it?
Wouldn't that also apply to people that struck it rich in the stock market?
They retire at 30 in the Bahamas having everyone else work for them while they live an entitled lifestyle?
And?
You think 400 years ago when some people how more than enough resources wheee they had more leisure time that it prevented someone l490 miles away from eating?
Bingo!
Back in the day, savings was promoted as the responsible thing to do, but the bankers and politicians that prop it up convinced everyone to pile their money in the stock market where the super rich can get a cut of your money.
My 401k has grown like crazy. How is that money under your mattress doing?
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