After talking tools, hardware and trucks, and "Made in America" wouldn't it be great if more business could locate in the small towns across our land. If they could pay more than minimum wage, have health benefits and some retirement, our nation's economy, farms and small towns would be so dynamic. What's stopping us from doing that. Hell, I'd even by a Toyota if that was the case. Is it really just our people versus slave labor?

 

Sadly, yes.
We have so many onerous regulations regarding business and employment that goods produce by cheap overseas labor are, in general, less expensive than those produced here.
I still try to buy American when I can, but even a majority of American companies have gone to overseas production.
Sad, isn't it?

 

Read my reply in Chimart

 

....Gotta love that NAFTA....

 

What's worse is all the huge tax break incentives large companies that do stay in the USA get to locate in large urban innercity areas. This really stinks because it just makes people who don't want to live in the city have to live in the city. I would like those companies to locate in rural area, far from the big city. Many would follow the company for their jobs, but others would not, and that would open up some jobs for the folks in the nearby small towns. This would answer the "urban sprawl problem." Instead of sprawl, let's really spread out. But rather, the PC politicians would rather promote more big companies in the inner city and urban railroads to transport the sprawlers in, and also to try forcing the sprawlers to move into the city. But the city sucks (OK here goes the rant). It is a huge pit of corruption, filth, and crime. Look at Detroit. They're going to build a "nice" park where the old J.L. Hudson building was torn down several years ago. The mayor said this would be a place for people to gather and relax--yeah right! My co-worker was on a bus out of town a recent saturday and saw a kid beat up by 13 other kids right outside the bus, until a gun-wielding man ran up and the 13 scattered. This city is a rat hole!

 

Not being an economist, moralist or politician, I don't know the answer. However, my city of 70 years ago was a good place to grow up and work even in the industrial poorer neighborhoods. It stinks like Detroit for the most part. There are a lot of Americans living in rural areas that don't seem to have any political clout. I believe that there is a great untapped resource there for business and national strength.

 

A lot of it we can blame on good ole Uncle Sam. With all the regulations a businessman has to deal with, OSHA, high taxes, unions, and mountains of paperwork. I can't say I blame businesses for moving out. We have done our level best to do everything to make them go.

Its hard enough to stay competitive in this market without having to make sure you have every I dotted and T crossed so you won't be fined. Now we have trial lawyers who want to sue everytime an employee gets his panties in a wad. And then he is blamed for that.

America needs to take a long look at itself before it blames someone who is trying to make a profit for leaving.

 

I understand what you're saying, Indiana. Maybe Pogo was right when he said, "I have met the enemy, and the enemy is us".....i.e. Us and Us is Uncle Sam.
However, with all the MBA graduates and Consulting Firms here, somebody ought to find a way....Hee..Hee. They are up there with lawyers and politicans in my book.

 

I know what you are saying tiger. I don't think the MBA's are innocent. They are in my book about the same place

I just get so tired of hearing on the media how evil capitalists are. The deal with Bill Gates a few years ago, Wal-mart..etc. The reason they got where they are is they had a product people wanted. I mean, if it was all about publicity and all every movie these days with all the hype surrounding them would be big profitmakers for months, not just the first week until word of mouth gets out that it blows. If it was this way in 1903 henry Ford wouldn't have surived in business long enough to even build the Model T, And if he did think how "evil" he would be portrayed.

Yes sometimes I think Pogo was right. Sad part is most are too blind to see it.