Obama Tells Companies to 'Step Up' and Hire Workers

[The Rabbi]

Your only looking at one side. It would also provide an incentive for US based and foreign based companies to build more manufacturing plants in the united states as they would avoid the import tax by doing so.

I have bigger plans for this......i should have given you more details but i was just being quick.

The import tax would be named the "Debt tax" and be tied directly to our national debt. It would be legislated to expire the day we pay off the debt and the funds would be exclusively for paying the debt (no raiding it like social security)

Import tax. Yeah.
Worked really well for Smoot-Hawley.

Next idea.

How about: we make it easier to create manufacturing jobs by decreasing the amount of OSHA and other regulations, which don't keep people safe anyway, reduce liability for workman's comp, and change product liability laws. Adding in a "training wage" that is below minimum would also be a great idea.

your ideas are about as likely to get implimented as mine.

What do you specifically find wrong with my idea besides teh "smoot-hawley" talkingpoint?

Tje most spectacular example of economic failed policy is not a talking point.

 

[Mad Scientist]

I see Obama is still having trouble understanding that he simply can't speak things into being.

This is precisely my point! Well said Daveman!

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

More international companies will leave the US laying off Americans working for them. All Americans will pay higher taxes on oil and food and clothing.

We need to rethink this.

Your only looking at one side. It would also provide an incentive for US based and foreign based companies to build more manufacturing plants in the united states as they would avoid the import tax by doing so...

--and then get slammed with hikes on domestic taxes. International companies leaving the US avoid domestic and import taxes. Our current administration is protectionist (aka 'fair trade') and pro-taxhike. Right now International companies are leaving and new startups are opting for listing on the London exchange over the NYSE. The fact that the 'trade balance' has improved means imports fall foreign companies kiss off US consumers. There are five million fewer people employed now than before the last presidential election.

Depending on how its implemented that could be avoided. However, with the current batch of politicians in both parties, I dont have faith that they would implement it in a smart way.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Import tax. Yeah.
Worked really well for Smoot-Hawley.

Next idea.

How about: we make it easier to create manufacturing jobs by decreasing the amount of OSHA and other regulations, which don't keep people safe anyway, reduce liability for workman's comp, and change product liability laws. Adding in a "training wage" that is below minimum would also be a great idea.

your ideas are about as likely to get implimented as mine.

What do you specifically find wrong with my idea besides teh "smoot-hawley" talkingpoint?

Tje most spectacular example of economic failed policy is not a talking point.

So you can't elaborate your personal opinion or think for yourself? Im just asking for you to talk to me instead of tossing names at me, im open for discussion and changing my opinion but not with the way your presenting your counterpoint.

 

[Stephanie]

That Obama is a real funny guy. Telling companies to step up hiring.

I do believe he does think himself a frikken KING or DICTATOR, if I were a company I'd tell him where he could stick it..

 

[daveman]

I see Obama is still having trouble understanding that he simply can't speak things into being.

This is precisely my point! Well said Daveman!

*tips hat* Thanks!

 

[asterism]

All the tax cuts and all the de-regulating in the world is not going to change the fact that foreign workers will work for a fraction of what their American countertparts make.

If that's the case then perhaps people should figure out how to make due with less. There's a huge opportunity for innovation in efficiency. The problem is that there are increased risks in doing so and the government is picking favorites. Boeing has a comparatively efficient plan to build a new product line in South Carolina. The federal government is blocking that in a move to force Boeing to expand in Washington.

 

[expat_panama]

All the tax cuts and all the de-regulating in the world is not going to change the fact that foreign workers will work for a fraction of what their American countertparts make.

If that's the case then...

--but it's not the case.

Markets set prices on supply and demand, higher prices reflect higher demand, and American workers get paid more because they're worth more. A quick google of keywords compare worker productivity "united states" countries' yields thousands of studies 'discovering' that American workers are far more productive than foreigners.

...the fact that foreign workers will work for a fraction of what their American countertparts make.

--means that's what they're worth.

 

[The Rabbi]

your ideas are about as likely to get implimented as mine.

What do you specifically find wrong with my idea besides teh "smoot-hawley" talkingpoint?

Tje most spectacular example of economic failed policy is not a talking point.

So you can't elaborate your personal opinion or think for yourself? Im just asking for you to talk to me instead of tossing names at me, im open for discussion and changing my opinion but not with the way your presenting your counterpoint.

I'm not here to give you an economics or history lesson.
Just to say that the last time we tried protectionist tariffs other countries retaliated and we had a world wide depression. Thinking this time it'll be different is simply idiotic.

 

[The Rabbi]

All the tax cuts and all the de-regulating in the world is not going to change the fact that foreign workers will work for a fraction of what their American countertparts make.

If that's the case then...

--but it's not the case.

Markets set prices on supply and demand, higher prices reflect higher demand, and American workers get paid more because they're worth more. A quick google of keywords compare worker productivity "united states" countries' yields thousands of studies 'discovering' that American workers are far more productive than foreigners.

...the fact that foreign workers will work for a fraction of what their American countertparts make.

--means that's what they're worth.

Someone explain the idea of "unit labor costs" to these idiots before they post again.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Tje most spectacular example of economic failed policy is not a talking point.

So you can't elaborate your personal opinion or think for yourself? Im just asking for you to talk to me instead of tossing names at me, im open for discussion and changing my opinion but not with the way your presenting your counterpoint.

I'm not here to give you an economics or history lesson.
Just to say that the last time we tried protectionist tariffs other countries retaliated and we had a world wide depression. Thinking this time it'll be different is simply idiotic.

If its executed and handled in a different way could we not expect a different outcome?

Is that your position?

 

[The Rabbi]

So you can't elaborate your personal opinion or think for yourself? Im just asking for you to talk to me instead of tossing names at me, im open for discussion and changing my opinion but not with the way your presenting your counterpoint.

I'm not here to give you an economics or history lesson.
Just to say that the last time we tried protectionist tariffs other countries retaliated and we had a world wide depression. Thinking this time it'll be different is simply idiotic.

If its executed and handled in a different way could we not expect a different outcome?

Is that your position?

How do you execute a tariff designed to keep out foreign goods in a way that the countries effected won't retaliate? Bomb them?

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

I'm not here to give you an economics or history lesson.
Just to say that the last time we tried protectionist tariffs other countries retaliated and we had a world wide depression. Thinking this time it'll be different is simply idiotic.

If its executed and handled in a different way could we not expect a different outcome?

Is that your position?

How do you execute a tariff designed to keep out foreign goods in a way that the countries effected won't retaliate? Bomb them?

Maybe make it so its not a HUGE tax, 5% 10%, maybe make it only on specific types of goods.

Lost of different ways to handle it then the way it was handled in your example. Unfortunately you just want to have a bee under your bonnet and not discuss it.

 

[expat_panama]

...Someone explain the idea of "unit labor costs" to these idiots before they post again.

lol! You first.

For decades here in Panama we just used US unit cost data because time and time again, a dollar produced the same amount of work regardless of whether it was done by US worker costing $50 per hour or a local hire at $1 per hour.

I was about to site examples but just thinking about it runs up my blood pressure...

 

[signelect]

Obama knows absolutely nothing about business. He has never worked for a business, owned a business. He just knows about getting money from someone else and spending it. The fact that the money needs to be earned is lost. We conservatives really screwed up in 2008 by not running a candidate that could win. Obama didn't win we lost.

 

[The Rabbi]

If its executed and handled in a different way could we not expect a different outcome?

Is that your position?

How do you execute a tariff designed to keep out foreign goods in a way that the countries effected won't retaliate? Bomb them?

Maybe make it so its not a HUGE tax, 5% 10%, maybe make it only on specific types of goods.

Lost of different ways to handle it then the way it was handled in your example. Unfortunately you just want to have a bee under your bonnet and not discuss it.

Well, the intent of the tax is to keep out foreign made goods. The targets of that tax will retaliate in kind, keeping out our goods. If you make it a low tax, then it will be ineffective. If you make it effective in keeping out foreign goods, you will keep US goods from being exported.
This really isn't that difficult a concept.
If you prevent people from making business transactions then you prevent people from making money.

 

[The Rabbi]

...Someone explain the idea of "unit labor costs" to these idiots before they post again.

lol! You first.

For decades here in Panama we just used US unit cost data because time and time again, a dollar produced the same amount of work regardless of whether it was done by US worker costing $50 per hour or a local hire at $1 per hour.

I was about to site examples but just thinking about it runs up my blood pressure...

That doesn't make sense to me.
The US worker ought to be 50 times more productive. Otherwise unit labor cost in the US will be prohibitive and all manufacturing will go overseas. But that hasn't happened.

 

[Samson]

One of the most successful industries today is oil and gas.
One of the most governmentally threatened industries today is oil and gas.

Just don't hire too many people, you may be painting a target on yourself.

Indeed the OBAMA DILEMMA:

How to convince The Enviro-Wacko Constituants (Pelosi et al) that NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE IN MUD HUTS?



I thought by now we'd all be employed making wind-mills: WTF!!??

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

How do you execute a tariff designed to keep out foreign goods in a way that the countries effected won't retaliate? Bomb them?

Maybe make it so its not a HUGE tax, 5% 10%, maybe make it only on specific types of goods.

Lost of different ways to handle it then the way it was handled in your example. Unfortunately you just want to have a bee under your bonnet and not discuss it.

Well, the intent of the tax is to keep out foreign made goods. The targets of that tax will retaliate in kind, keeping out our goods. If you make it a low tax, then it will be ineffective. If you make it effective in keeping out foreign goods, you will keep US goods from being exported.
This really isn't that difficult a concept.
If you prevent people from making business transactions then you prevent people from making money.

You might have missed it or It might have been on this same exact topic in a different thread but when you hear me talking "import tax" the tax is for a specific purpose.

That purpose was to go toward paying our foreign held national debt. It was also meant to be legislated in a way that the tax expires when the debt is gone (no exceptions) and that it is to ONLY be used for the debt (no exceptions).

These are caveats I hold in regards to my desire for an import tax on goods.

I get the concerns but I also get our dire situation.

 

[expat_panama]

...That doesn't make sense to me. The US worker ought to be 50 times more productive...

He is, I just didn't explain it right.

For an example in building construction cement wall plaster can cost $20 per square yard as per stateside cost data using workers that cost $50/hr (total with sub's overhead & profit). Doing the same work in Panama still costs $20 per SY even though I'm paying $1 per hr. It's not because local people are lazy, they're hard workers. The thing is that if they're not intensively supervised they'll say, do the wrong wall, they'll do it double thick, they'll FORGET TO HAUL IN THE DAMN CEMENT WHEN IT RAINS AND THEY'LL--

[taking a minute to breath into a paper bag...]