Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
whats the point of high speed rail when small business have been shutting down since 2008? in other words,,,high speed rails to nowhere. and we don't have enough money to pay for them. someone needs to do the math of the costs,,,,PER MILE !!! and Obama thought 9 billion was enough to get the project started here in Florida !!! Derrr,,,doesn't O'Bozo know that Florida sits on Sink Holes/Soft Ground??...... I live here and have heard about plenty of homes and roads sinking into the sandy hells of Florida. I can just see a news story in 2020,,,,this just in,,,a 3 mile stretch of the Obama High Speed Rail is slowly sinking into the earth at a rate of two inches a year.......Geologists say there is nothing we can do about it,,,just watch 20 billion dollars go down the drain.
If the Republicans caused millions of jobs to vanish in the rust belt, then I guess it was soley the republicans who allowed Fanny and Freddie to collapse being they are the ones who gave away homes to the poor, and it will be the republicans who will be responsible for the upcoming record cold winter as well.
Sheesh.Clinton's version of the bill came with provisions to help people displaced by it.
True enough but would you say that NAFTA has been a good thing for American Industry? Again, my post does not lay the blame just at Clinton's feet, a lot can said for those companies who's motivation is nothing but profit and yet dane to call themselves American. I submit that at some point a company has to recognize that the nation in which they do business and seek to take advantage of, i.e. it's transportation system, it's tax law's, it's banking system, etc. and yes even the blood of the citizens that keep it safe. does and should have some sense of obligation to that country in which it does business in. Laws that promote outsourcing no matter who the party is just gives thos companies in my mind who have no pride in this nation incentive to take advantage which they more often than not do, and these days are encouraged to do, by the people they pay which are those that are supposed to represent us.
Do I think it helped? Sure. Proof is in the pudding. Many jobs were created. The problem here is that there are many that think the economy is some stagnant construct. It's not. It's extremely fluid. What worked at one point, may need to be altered because it is simply not good any more. It looks as if to much work has been outsourced and that needs to be addressed. That may not be the case a year from now..
also, you also need to do the math of how much the rail system would take in. how long would it take before they show a profit?
True enough but would you say that NAFTA has been a good thing for American Industry? Again, my post does not lay the blame just at Clinton's feet, a lot can said for those companies who's motivation is nothing but profit and yet dane to call themselves American. I submit that at some point a company has to recognize that the nation in which they do business and seek to take advantage of, i.e. it's transportation system, it's tax law's, it's banking system, etc. and yes even the blood of the citizens that keep it safe. does and should have some sense of obligation to that country in which it does business in. Laws that promote outsourcing no matter who the party is just gives thos companies in my mind who have no pride in this nation incentive to take advantage which they more often than not do, and these days are encouraged to do, by the people they pay which are those that are supposed to represent us.
Do I think it helped? Sure. Proof is in the pudding. Many jobs were created. The problem here is that there are many that think the economy is some stagnant construct. It's not. It's extremely fluid. What worked at one point, may need to be altered because it is simply not good any more. It looks as if to much work has been outsourced and that needs to be addressed. That may not be the case a year from now..
This studys new model indicates that the reduction in net exports to Mexico has eliminated 227,663 U.S. job opportunities since 1993, and the reduction in net exports to Canada has eliminated 167,172 job opportunities in the same period. In total, NAFTA resulted in a net loss of 394,835 jobs in its first three years.
This studys model also makes possible an analysis of the demographic composition of NAFTAs impact on employment. The analysis finds that NAFTA has eliminated significant numbers of jobs for women and members of minority groups, as well as white males. Between 1993 and 1996, women lost 141,454 jobs to NAFTA, blacks lost 36,890 jobs, and Hispanics lost 22,520 jobs, numbers closely reflecting these groups shares in manufacturing industries. Moreover, a disproportionate number of the jobs eliminated by NAFTA were manufacturing jobs, which pay relatively high wages, further contributing to NAFTAs detrimental effect on the distribution of income and wages of working Americans.
Impact on U.S. Jobs
U.S. net exports to Mexico and Canada have declined dramatically under NAFTA (Table 1). According to the most recent measurements, real exports to Mexico grew by 31% and to Canada by 24% between 1993 and 1996. Import growth was far more dramatic, however, at 87% from Mexico and 33% from Canada over the same period. In 1993, the year before the agreement took effect, the U.S. had a trade surplus of $635 million with Mexico (all figures in constant 1987 dollars). By 1996, this had fallen to a deficit of $18.8 billion. The already existing deficit with Canada grew even larger, from $16.7 billion to $29.5 billion during those three years.
NAFTAs CasualtiesEmployment effects on men, women, and minorities (EPI Issue Brief #120) | Economic Policy Institute
While I am not a advocating here the total rethinking of NAFTA, what I am saying is that perhaps that even the best of intentions are often taken advantage of and that in the case of NAFTA, this was perhaps not what they intended.
it would be worth it if we had a strong economy. thats the other factor. whats the point of high speed rail with such high unemployment. and also keep in mind the % of drivers who prefer the comfort of driving themselves to work. Does anyone really enjoy taking the new york subway surrounded by 100 strangers? that issue was also brought up during the speed-rail argument in Florida. they brought up the fact that most car owners would still rather drive to work over taking high-speed trains.
And it was Bush that gave companies a "tax holiday" for "repatriating" profits made overseas. That caused something like 50,000 factories to close up shop here and open in India and China.
Do I think it helped? Sure. Proof is in the pudding. Many jobs were created. The problem here is that there are many that think the economy is some stagnant construct. It's not. It's extremely fluid. What worked at one point, may need to be altered because it is simply not good any more. It looks as if to much work has been outsourced and that needs to be addressed. That may not be the case a year from now..
This studys new model indicates that the reduction in net exports to Mexico has eliminated 227,663 U.S. job opportunities since 1993, and the reduction in net exports to Canada has eliminated 167,172 job opportunities in the same period. In total, NAFTA resulted in a net loss of 394,835 jobs in its first three years.
This studys model also makes possible an analysis of the demographic composition of NAFTAs impact on employment. The analysis finds that NAFTA has eliminated significant numbers of jobs for women and members of minority groups, as well as white males. Between 1993 and 1996, women lost 141,454 jobs to NAFTA, blacks lost 36,890 jobs, and Hispanics lost 22,520 jobs, numbers closely reflecting these groups shares in manufacturing industries. Moreover, a disproportionate number of the jobs eliminated by NAFTA were manufacturing jobs, which pay relatively high wages, further contributing to NAFTAs detrimental effect on the distribution of income and wages of working Americans.
Impact on U.S. Jobs
U.S. net exports to Mexico and Canada have declined dramatically under NAFTA (Table 1). According to the most recent measurements, real exports to Mexico grew by 31% and to Canada by 24% between 1993 and 1996. Import growth was far more dramatic, however, at 87% from Mexico and 33% from Canada over the same period. In 1993, the year before the agreement took effect, the U.S. had a trade surplus of $635 million with Mexico (all figures in constant 1987 dollars). By 1996, this had fallen to a deficit of $18.8 billion. The already existing deficit with Canada grew even larger, from $16.7 billion to $29.5 billion during those three years.
NAFTAs CasualtiesEmployment effects on men, women, and minorities (EPI Issue Brief #120) | Economic Policy Institute
While I am not a advocating here the total rethinking of NAFTA, what I am saying is that perhaps that even the best of intentions are often taken advantage of and that in the case of NAFTA, this was perhaps not what they intended.
Net overall was job growth and not the other way around.
At some point we need to get serious and realize that the economy is interconnected world wide. That means we can't keep doing these things that keep our tech and infrastructure stilted. Everyone else seems to be realizing this. I don't really understand the whole battle against green tech and building or re-building our bridges and roads. We need a high speed rail..and I mean really need it. The rest of the world is miles ahead of us in this capacity.
We need a high speed rail..and I mean really need it. The rest of the world is miles ahead of us in this capacity.
In no way would I ever consider to isolate ourselves from the world, rather, I am a STRONG supporter of "American Made" and think we should do everything we can to get our house in order in that regard. In fact, what I do think is when the American public start demanding American made then we might just see a change. I just recently read Steve Jobs book and he had an interesting conversation on the matter with the President. I took away from it that many like him want to come back here, and we as a nation should do what we can to make that happen.
In no way would I ever consider to isolate ourselves from the world, rather, I am a STRONG supporter of "American Made" and think we should do everything we can to get our house in order in that regard. In fact, what I do think is when the American public start demanding American made then we might just see a change. I just recently read Steve Jobs book and he had an interesting conversation on the matter with the President. I took away from it that many like him want to come back here, and we as a nation should do what we can to make that happen.
In one of my issues of the Economist, it talked about how the UAW agreed to a two tier wage system for new workers. The article indicated that new workers would be making HALF of what existing workers would make for the same job. HALF ??? Are you kidding me. That means someone is getting paid double what they should and guess who is paying for it....??? Anyone who buys their products. I resolved right there not to buy Ford, GM, or Chrysler again for a long long time. The article also talked about how half is just about what the workers in southern states (non-union plants) make. But the cost of living is lower and it is still a good job.
Seems the "market" has a way of correcting things.
The article indicated that one of the outfalls of this agreement is that GM would be bringing back some jobs that are currently done in Mexico. The wage cut is a bummer...but it is what the market can bare. The returning jobs are good news.
I wonder what Ed thinks about that ? He is always touting the unions and the working persons of the world. Workers are getting less (but they have jobs and apparently there will be more jobs). He probably feels like two-face from Batman.
http://www.usmayors.org/highspeedrail/documents/committee-presentation.pdf
On the High Speed Rail thing, here is a study on the economic impact done for the US Conference of Mayors.
http://www.usmayors.org/highspeedrail/documents/report.pdf
Its a good read, the one thing here Teals, when you add in my previous posting, is all this economic impact also is taxable. To me at least, its not a matter of how much it costs but rather how to structure it so that the revenue that generated on ALL aspects of it so that it pays down that debt you mentioned. The same can be said for just about every program in the Federal system, I will add however, this is NOT the primary reason you build these things though , as a pure profit motive.
The point is, I am all for making the environment such that American jobs be they Union or non-Union are available and more important that our manufacturing base is built back up in this nation.
