Yeah, it's pretty sad. I have a power-point on the economy. It's amazing, the lowest 20% of households went up 116% from 1947 until 1973. Then, from 1973 to 2004, only went up 3%!!!! However, the top 20% went up 85% from '47 - '73, and 64% from '73-'04. But, the top .1% went up 181%. And worse, the top .01% went up 497%.

You can find the power-point here:

It's The Economy, Stupid!

Someone mentioned that it's because wages are so high here. The complete opposite is the truth - the wages are so low over there! If they made the money we do, then they would be competitive, and EVERYone would gain! It wouldn't be so cheap to buy foreign goods, and our manufacturing would come back. But, we can't force another country to help it's citizens make more money. However, we can make them pay that equivalent, in tariffs, so that it would be just as wise to pay their people. And everyone would gain! However, the fat cats, would have to give up a couple million a year...

Plus, we are so into debt to China, that it would cause a lot of ruffled feathers, should we put tariffs, and try to protect our economy. I guess when you have 100 million in the bank, you are a little buffered from the reality of the failing economy.

Again, off the soapbox...

R

 

Weve been competing manufacturer aganst manufacturer for so long that It no longer bothers most people that they are using slave labor to make their products. Those that it does bother have their hands tied because they just cant compete against slave labor and they cant beat'em so they have to join'em to survive ... so-sad

buy american the job you save may be your own.... free the slaves

 

I've been at this a long time..... I have my own passion regarding what is right or wrong but expereience has shown me this......I was working for the assembly lines in the '80s. Pontiac, Ford, GM and Mopar.

Americans will not be denied the best quality for the best price. Even if it means not buying American....... If you can't hang, see ya. That's the American Way.

Why is my 2000 Ford Lariat an awesome Truck ? Because global competition forced them to step up........

If we didn't let them compete, we'd still be building crap. That's what we built in the late '70s crap....... We build great stuff today because we are good at meeting the challenge.

 

I just saw the "Slave Labor" thing..... China is a big place and I don't pretend to know it all. Maybe it's true in some regions - I don't know.

I can tell you from my experience that the employees I have come to know are well cared for. Maybe because they are with the larger companies but they have Housing and 24/7 medical care at the employers expense. They have cell phones, I-Pods and Beer on Sunday........ Of course everything is counterfeit...

I wish this forum had a spell-check to hide my ignorance.......

 

I have to disagree. We used to own a TV when I was a kid - cost a bunch. We made it last 20 years, but when it broke down, a guy came in a van, and fixed it. Now, we think nothing of buying a TV that lasts 3 or 4 years, and the guy in the van is long-gone. Same with radios, toasters, kitchen utensils, washing machines, alarm clocks, tools, shirts, pants, shoes, you get the idea.

Americans right now are only worried about the initial cost. Not the quality, nor the longevity. Not to mention, the technology evolves so fast, that not only is it plumb wore out, or broke, but it's also out of style or fashion. That's what we have evolved to.

There's a LOT of junk out there, and it's all being bought. Mainly, because there AREN'T too many good ol' American goods on ANY shelves. We've given it all away.

R

 

Hey, we have the same thing here! It's called "prison", of course, everything is contraband, and the medical care is at the taxpayers expense...

You really should read up on some of the sweatshops overseas. Perhaps you saw only what they wanted you to see, or you were fortunate to visit places that really did care for their people. But when you hear of the high production quotas, and non-pay if the quotas aren't made, and forced labor after a person joins a company, it can taint your ideas of how some people can treat other people...

R

 

I don't wanna argue about it... I'm just a stupid gearhead.

The reason Honda, Toyota and everyone else kicked our *** is because Americans despite their allegiance could not ignore the obvious value. We will not be denied the best value for the buck - period. Deal with it. It's called Capitalism. Either step up or get oughta the way - easy as that.

We met that challenge and build great vehicles today -

Good thing we have old Ford Trucks to grind on.......

 

I'll leave it at this. I'm no expert as I have said, nor do I profess to understand China. I only know what I have experienced first-hand in my travels, on their streets, in their homes and at their workplace.

You on the other hand seem to know a lot more than I about what the truth is.

So you win.......

 

Well JimG has opened a touchy topic here in this forum. As my quote says. Life wasn't meant to be easy. I guess most of us are at a age were in twenty years time we won't give a damn about where a product is made as long as you have a few bucks in our wallets, a cold beer and a Ford Truck to drive down the street in.

 

I do believe that there are probably some sweat shops in China and other foriegn countries. But , I am of the thinking that these shops are there for the pirate businessman in China,. The guy who takes something and copies it (except for quality). I don't believe that the big business of China ,and other countires are using slaves to produce things like computer chips, TV's, and other items consumed by the US. One cannot help but think that they are underpaid. But that has been their way of life for centuries. I was watching a western on TV (Korean made) the other night. It showed some cowboys watching a bunch of chinese folks building a RAIL ROAD by hand for these guys. These cowboys were just strolling by all these little chinese guys with picks and shovels. I bet if you could read that little Chinaman's mind right then, it would been something like this. Capitolist American pig.... building stupid railroad....one day my son come here to this country and sell your son cheap China crap !!

 

Don't confuse the picture of "Slave Labor"

The picture that 99% of Americans form in their minds is that of our past.
The picture of todays Slave Labor takes many forms, read back thu this post, People living 16 to a room, not seeing family for months at a time, working for less than market wages. Were they drug off the farm or out of the schools to do this - No. Is this the only way to make a living - Yes.
When I can go to a foriegn country and buy a pair of Brand Name Top-of-the-Line Sneakers from the Factory for $10.00 U.S. then go to the Local Mall and see them on display for $135.00 there was a Slave involved somewhere.

Henry Ford Licenced Russia to build the Model T. They did so until 1957. Why? It would have been unfair to the Government to pay for the line changes. It would have been unfair to the Workers to have to be retrained. It would have been unfair the the Consumer to have to wait. All true reasons and completely factual.
Having traveled the World for 25 years one other thing that is True and Completely Factual - There is only one United States of America and there is only one Breed of Americans. (Read what ever you need to into that.)

 

I guess when I hear the term "slave wages", I think of kidnapping folks from their homes and forcing them to work for NOTHING. The word slave and wages should not be in the same sentence when talking about this subject. Maybe more like lower standard of living.