At what point will Americans stop buying stuff?

[Orangecat]

Notice the shortages?

Not really, but I've heard stories. I haven't had any problems buying stuff here in southern Oregon.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Not really, but I've heard stories. I haven't had any problems buying stuff here in southern Oregon.

Lots of shit been periodically missing in both my midwestern and eastern locales.

 

[fncceo]

At what point will Americans stop buying stuff?​

I'm guessing never.

 

[Richard-H]

I never said you supported able bodied people not working. I only brought them up to your comment about being forced to work or live in the streets.

Not everybody should have to better themselves to make a living? Why not? I don't follow that logic. You want employers to overpay labor and that's just fantasy world.

You and I own widget factories. You pay your union widget workers supreme money and benefits. I pay my non-union widget workers the lowest I can but still have a labor force. Now Amazon needs 2 million widgets. Who do you think they'll buy them from, your company or mine? Your widgets are twice as expensive as mine because your labor costs are twice as high as mine. I'm going to easily put your widget factory out of business. That's how competition works.

Even if all American companies colluded to pay their workers better money, what about foreign competition where the Chinese are paying their workers a dollar an hour? I could never compete against them and neither can you. We both close down.

One very possible solution to insure that my widget prices are competitive is to accept lower profits. Unions are very well aware of the need for their employees to be profitable - the question is 'how profitable?. The other solution is that when your workers see how much better off my workers are, they'll unionize.

It was a major mistake for the U.S. to economically merge with China. Two economies that were so dissimilar could not merge without some people in one of the economies suffering. The growth of China & the trade dependency that we have with them was due to mindless greed of the American investors. It's incredible and short sited that they were willing invest in an communist country, and that the American government didn't implement tariffs.

I strongly recommend that you watch a movie (on NetFlix) named 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'. It's 6 unrelated stories of the old west. In particular the third story named 'Meal Ticket' shows the true relationship between employers and employees. The employer being advantaged, and the employee while having all the skills, being disadvantaged. Watch it you'll learn something.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

One very possible solution to insure that my widget prices are competitive is to accept lower profits. Unions are very well aware of the need for their employees to be profitable - the question is 'how profitable?. The other solution is that when your workers see how much better off my workers are, they'll unionize.

It was a major mistake for the U.S. to economically merge with China. Two economies that were so dissimilar could not merge without some people in one of the economies suffering. The growth of China & the trade dependency that we have with them was due to mindless greed of the American investors. It's incredible and short sited that they were willing invest in an communist country, and that the American government didn't implement tariffs.

I strongly recommend that you watch a movie (on NetFlix) named 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'. It's 6 unrelated stories of the old west. In particular the third story named 'Meal Ticket' shows the true relationship between employers and employees. The employer being advantaged, and the employee while having all the skills, being disadvantaged. Watch it you'll learn something.

I like the Tom Waits segment best. Especially when all of the wildlife abandon the area as he arrives singing and they all return when he leaves. Ha!

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

One very possible solution to insure that my widget prices are competitive is to accept lower profits. Unions are very well aware of the need for their employees to be profitable - the question is 'how profitable?. The other solution is that when your workers see how much better off my workers are, they'll unionize.

It was a major mistake for the U.S. to economically merge with China. Two economies that were so dissimilar could not merge without some people in one of the economies suffering. The growth of China & the trade dependency that we have with them was due to mindless greed of the American investors. It's incredible and short sited that they were willing invest in an communist country, and that the American government didn't implement tariffs.

I strongly recommend that you watch a movie (on NetFlix) named 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'. It's 6 unrelated stories of the old west. In particular the third story named 'Meal Ticket' shows the true relationship between employers and employees. The employer being advantaged, and the employee while having all the skills, being disadvantaged. Watch it you'll learn something.

We (or at least I did) lived in the union era. When unions got too strong, the industry left the state or country altogether. That's why our manufacturing is now done in China. The reason workers no longer form unions is for that reason. They'd sooner work for a little less money and have a job than temporarily work for more money until the business leaves town.

In small business the owner is not getting rich, so expecting him to make less money to overpay workers isn't going to happen. In larger businesses, they depend on investors to keep their operations going. Paying their workers more money than they have to takes from the profits of the company and investors pull their money out for better returns somewhere else.

Bottom line is the solution that makes everybody happy (worker, employer, investors) is to come to the realization that non-skilled labor is not going to pay much, and that labor needs to learn a skill or trade to have a decent income.

 

[Richard-H]

We (or at least I did) lived in the union era. When unions got too strong, the industry left the state or country altogether. That's why our manufacturing is now done in China. The reason workers no longer form unions is for that reason. They'd sooner work for a little less money and have a job than temporarily work for more money until the business leaves town.

In small business the owner is not getting rich, so expecting him to make less money to overpay workers isn't going to happen. In larger businesses, they depend on investors to keep their operations going. Paying their workers more money than they have to takes from the profits of the company and investors pull their money out for better returns somewhere else.

Bottom line is the solution that makes everybody happy (worker, employer, investors) is to come to the realization that non-skilled labor is not going to pay much, and that labor needs to learn a skill or trade to have a decent income.

Admittedly, the massive investment in China was a huge mistake - and one of history's greatest betrayals. It clearly showed a lack of any loyalty by investors to the American workers - the same people that had saved capitalism during the cold war.

While it may be true that some manufacturers move out of state rather than pay decent wages, those that are willing to pay Union wages and stay in their home state do very, very well. Here in Connecticut we have a robust manufacturing base. Our workers are paid well and do a very good job. My company is unionized and we have great relationships with the unionized workers. We are a very successful and profitable company.

The fact is that if workers don't have the brains to Unionize, they don't have the brains do do good work. Non-Union shops are populated by morons, and the quality of the work shows it. The unionized north bypassed the non-unionized south a long time ago and remains superior in every way.

Sure you still have some companies running down south for non-unionized labor - but that usually ends up being a big mistake. I worked for a non-unionized company in Florida for a year. Working for that company SUCKED!!! It had originated in Illinois but relocated to Florida. Within a few years after I left it shutdown.

2021 Connecticut Manufacturing Facts

Connecticut Manufacturing Facts Manufacturers in Connecticut account for 10.31% of the total output in the state, employing 9.94% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $29.66 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 158,000 manufacturing employees in Connecticut in...

www.nam.org

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Admittedly, the massive investment in China was a huge mistake - and one of history's greatest betrayals. It clearly showed a lack of any loyalty by investors to the American workers - the same people that had saved capitalism during the cold war.

While it may be true that some manufacturers move out of state rather than pay decent wages, those that are willing to pay Union wages and stay in their home state do very, very well. Here in Connecticut we have a robust manufacturing base. Our workers are paid well and do a very good job. My company is unionized and we have great relationships with the unionized workers. We are a very successful and profitable company.

The fact is that if workers don't have the brains to Unionize, they don't have the brains do do good work. Non-Union shops are populated by morons, and the quality of the work shows it. The unionized north bypassed the non-unionized south a long time ago and remains superior in every way.

Sure you still have some companies running down south for non-unionized labor - but that usually ends up being a big mistake. I worked for a non-unionized company in Florida for a year. Working for that company SUCKED!!! It had originated in Illinois but relocated to Florida. Within a few years after I left it shutdown.

2021 Connecticut Manufacturing Facts

Connecticut Manufacturing Facts Manufacturers in Connecticut account for 10.31% of the total output in the state, employing 9.94% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $29.66 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 158,000 manufacturing employees in Connecticut in...

www.nam.org

As a retired local tractor-trailer driver I have the exact opposite view. If I did a delivery or pickup to a company I haven't been to before, I could tell you within five minutes if they were union or not without talking to a single person. The union places were slow, employees that could give a shit, and the attitudes were generally rude and obnoxious. The UAW was the worst. In fact my former employer quit taking auto company runs because of it. He couldn't afford to send a driver half-way across the state and have them spend a day there to get unloaded whereas a non-union place could have us out of there in a half-hour to 45 minutes.

As long as your customers are willing to pay companies with union labor, I'm all for it. However the problem in our country is most consumers won't. We often look for the cheapest product our money can buy, and we could give a shit less where it's made, as long as it's the cheapest.

If you're really concerned about China, you better start voting Republican. As they try to force us out of reliable fossil fuel we have under our feet, we will become more enslaved to China since they have most of the elements for things like solar panels and batteries. The cobalt is mined by children and it's dangerous work, but they'll work for next to nothing.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

As a retired local tractor-trailer driver I have the exact opposite view. If I did a delivery or pickup to a company I haven't been to before, I could tell you within five minutes if they were union or not without talking to a single person. The union places were slow, employees that could give a shit, and the attitudes were generally rude and obnoxious. The UAW was the worst. In fact my former employer quit taking auto company runs because of it. He couldn't afford to send a driver half-way across the state and have them spend a day there to get unloaded whereas a non-union place could have us out of there in a half-hour to 45 minutes.

As long as your customers are willing to pay companies with union labor, I'm all for it. However the problem in our country is most consumers won't. We often look for the cheapest product our money can buy, and we could give a shit less where it's made, as long as it's the cheapest.

If you're really concerned about China, you better start voting Republican. As they try to force us out of reliable fossil fuel we have under our feet, we will become more enslaved to China since they have most of the elements for things like solar panels and batteries. The cobalt is mined by children and it's dangerous work, but they'll work for next to nothing.

Actually, we have lots of the necessary resources to make those batteries and Trump lifted restrictions on their mining. Biden immediately reimposed those restrictions upon seizing office.
This is all about demmunism.

 

[Lesh]

Look folks. Stop being stupid. We put a lot of money into the economy because we had to keep it running during COVID.

Yes that is inflationary. But it’ s not long term inflationary. As that money gets burned up inflation will come down

Relax.

Jesus

 

[Richard-H]

As a retired local tractor-trailer driver I have the exact opposite view. If I did a delivery or pickup to a company I haven't been to before, I could tell you within five minutes if they were union or not without talking to a single person. The union places were slow, employees that could give a shit, and the attitudes were generally rude and obnoxious. The UAW was the worst. In fact my former employer quit taking auto company runs because of it. He couldn't afford to send a driver half-way across the state and have them spend a day there to get unloaded whereas a non-union place could have us out of there in a half-hour to 45 minutes.

As long as your customers are willing to pay companies with union labor, I'm all for it. However the problem in our country is most consumers won't. We often look for the cheapest product our money can buy, and we could give a shit less where it's made, as long as it's the cheapest.

If you're really concerned about China, you better start voting Republican. As they try to force us out of reliable fossil fuel we have under our feet, we will become more enslaved to China since they have most of the elements for things like solar panels and batteries. The cobalt is mined by children and it's dangerous work, but they'll work for next to nothing.

As a tractor-trailer driver you know NOTHING about what goes on in industrial facilities. As an engineer that's worked at several manufacturing facilities, I have a much greater knowledge. Yes, there are some unions that promote shitty attitudes and corruption is obvious, but most `have high standards for their workers - and if workers are treated well - they will do exceptional work.

The worst facility I worked at was a non-union shop in Florida. Workers were treated like crap. The company refused to follow OSHA safety standards for chemical handling. Rumor was that they paid off the OSHA inspectors. Workers hated the company and did as shitty a job as they could get away with. I quit after about 9 months, and the facility shutdown within a couple of years.

The U.S. needs some tariffs on Chinese goods, but not so much as to start a trade war. The U.S. has all the minerals it needs, but it does cost more to produce here. We shouldn't subsidize child labor in China or anywhere else. It seems that it takes government intervention to stimulate rare earth & IC chip production here in the U.S. - the free market won't do it on it's own.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

As a tractor-trailer driver you know NOTHING about what goes on in industrial facilities. As an engineer that's worked at several manufacturing facilities, I have a much greater knowledge. Yes, there are some unions that promote shitty attitudes and corruption is obvious, but most `have high standards for their workers - and if workers are treated well - they will do exceptional work.

The worst facility I worked at was a non-union shop in Florida. Workers were treated like crap. The company refused to follow OSHA safety standards for chemical handling. Rumor was that they paid off the OSHA inspectors. Workers hated the company and did as shitty a job as they could get away with. I quit after about 9 months, and the facility shutdown within a couple of years.

The U.S. needs some tariffs on Chinese goods, but not so much as to start a trade war. The U.S. has all the minerals it needs, but it does cost more to produce here. We shouldn't subsidize child labor in China or anywhere else. It seems that it takes government intervention to stimulate rare earth & IC chip production here in the U.S. - the free market won't do it on it's own.

The Democrats would sell their soul to the devil over climate change yet alone sell out the country. No, we don't have many cobalt mines in the US, but they are loaded with them in China. We are loaded with oil and coal.

If you work in the same company with union people it's different than when you don't. They have to work with you every day so they may have better attitudes. My point is that when you have workers that virtually can't get fired for anything, of course they're going to do a shittier job. Our company charged detent time but the workers could care less. Let the company pay it. You can't fire me over it, I'm union!! All I have to do is be moving and breathing.

Our last company that was union, it was the employees that initiated the vote to get them out of there. The company was forced to give the most worthless employee the highest paying job, and the guy couldn't even do it. The owner had to come out and do it for him. He just stood there and watched. But the union rules were they had to give it to him based on tenure and his abilities be damned. After it turned non-union, that guy lost his job along with several others the company was held hostage into keeping against their better judgement. The shipper told me the employees there were never happier.

 

[Richard-H]

The Democrats would sell their soul to the devil over climate change yet alone sell out the country. No, we don't have many cobalt mines in the US, but they are loaded with them in China. We are loaded with oil and coal.

If you work in the same company with union people it's different than when you don't. They have to work with you every day so they may have better attitudes. My point is that when you have workers that virtually can't get fired for anything, of course they're going to do a shittier job. Our company charged detent time but the workers could care less. Let the company pay it. You can't fire me over it, I'm union!! All I have to do is be moving and breathing.

Our last company that was union, it was the employees that initiated the vote to get them out of there. The company was forced to give the most worthless employee the highest paying job, and the guy couldn't even do it. The owner had to come out and do it for him. He just stood there and watched. But the union rules were they had to give it to him based on tenure and his abilities be damned. After it turned non-union, that guy lost his job along with several others the company was held hostage into keeping against their better judgement. The shipper told me the employees there were never happier.

We have Cobalt deposits, but we don't mine them. Conga supplies 70% of the worlds cobalt - China isn't a major producer.
We also have rare earth metals (which aren't really rare). China does produce them cheaper but Australia is competitive.

Is North America the next cobalt producing giant?

Potential reserves in Canada, and new investments in exploration, may help the North American cobalt industry to rival the Democratic Republic of Congo...

miningdigital.com

No, Liberals will not sell their souls to Trump over climate change. Somehow we doubt he would help.

What did Trump give you in exchange for your soul?

You seem to have no faith in the human integrity and dignity. There are LOTS of people that have work ethics and will do a good job without being afraid of losing their jobs. There are lot's of people who are motivated to get educated without threat of poverty. I realize that since being a trailer-truck driver as your greatest accomplishment, you're not one of those people.

I personally would rather work with self-respecting, self-motivated people than a bunch of whores that only are motivated to education out of fear of poverty. Let those people work the low skilled, low educated jobs if they want. Pay them a decent, livable wage. Keep them out of the way of us motivated people.

I've known too many idiots with advanced degrees working jobs above their intelligence level. The University system has dumbed down to cater to mediocre intelligence. All a person needs to get an advanced degree is to be determined and be willing to go into debt. They are motivated by fear of poverty...and fear of work. Intelligence is not required.

Note: I've also been friends with some pretty lazy low IQ people. I'm fine with them getting a livable wage for menial labor. They were union people. Their employers were easily able to pay them.

We can't have a world where everyone is a hard working genius, and we shouldn't condemn those who are not to poverty.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

We have Cobalt deposits, but we don't mine them. Conga supplies 70% of the worlds cobalt - China isn't a major producer.
We also have rare earth metals (which aren't really rare). China does produce them cheaper but Australia is competitive.

Is North America the next cobalt producing giant?

Potential reserves in Canada, and new investments in exploration, may help the North American cobalt industry to rival the Democratic Republic of Congo...

miningdigital.com

No, Liberals will not sell their souls to Trump over climate change. Somehow we doubt he would help.

What did Trump give you in exchange for your soul?

You seem to have no faith in the human integrity and dignity. There are LOTS of people that have work ethics and will do a good job without being afraid of losing their jobs. There are lot's of people who are motivated to get educated without threat of poverty. I realize that since being a trailer-truck driver as your greatest accomplishment, you're not one of those people.

I personally would rather work with self-respecting, self-motivated people than a bunch of whores that only are motivated to education out of fear of poverty. Let those people work the low skilled, low educated jobs if they want. Pay them a decent, livable wage. Keep them out of the way of us motivated people.

I've known too many idiots with advanced degrees working jobs above their intelligence level. The University system has dumbed down to cater to mediocre intelligence. All a person needs to get an advanced degree is to be determined and be willing to go into debt. They are motivated by fear of poverty...and fear of work. Intelligence is not required.

Note: I've also been friends with some pretty lazy low IQ people. I'm fine with them getting a livable wage for menial labor. They were union people. Their employers were easily able to pay them.

We can't have a world where everyone is a hard working genius, and we shouldn't condemn those who are not to poverty.

Who's condemning them? I respect anybody that works, but I also respect the people that employ them. As I already stated, I worked plenty of low wage jobs when I was younger. If I didn't have a job that worked reasonable OT, I worked two jobs, at one point three in my life. But it was those low paying jobs that motivated me into bettering myself. If somebody forced my past employers to pay me satisfactory money doing monkey work, I would have retired working at the car wash, not much of a life.

Also I never said the only way to live a decent life is to attend college. it may be an option for you, but there are construction trades where you don't have to go 80K in debt to learn: Plumbing, electrician, remodeler, carpentry, bricklayer, HVAC are all trades you can make a decent living with.

What I get sick of reading is people like you who say "Nobody should have to better themselves. it's up to the employer to make the lives of their employees better!" That is written nowhere. People don't start or run companies with the goal of providing good paying jobs and benefits. They open up companies to produce products or services for a profit. That's it.

As for your link, if you read it, you'd know that the Congo sends it's cobalt to China for refining. And Canada? It says what they may have, but not that they'd actually mine it. Do you think these leftist environmental kooks want this kind of landscape?

 

[Richard-H]

Who's condemning them? I respect anybody that works, but I also respect the people that employ them. As I already stated, I worked plenty of low wage jobs when I was younger. If I didn't have a job that worked reasonable OT, I worked two jobs, at one point three in my life. But it was those low paying jobs that motivated me into bettering myself. If somebody forced my past employers to pay me satisfactory money doing monkey work, I would have retired working at the car wash, not much of a life.

Also I never said the only way to live a decent life is to attend college. it may be an option for you, but there are construction trades where you don't have to go 80K in debt to learn: Plumbing, electrician, remodeler, carpentry, bricklayer, HVAC are all trades you can make a decent living with.

What I get sick of reading is people like you who say "Nobody should have to better themselves. it's up to the employer to make the lives of their employees better!" That is written nowhere. People don't start or run companies with the goal of providing good paying jobs and benefits. They open up companies to produce products or services for a profit. That's it.

As for your link, if you read it, you'd know that the Congo sends it's cobalt to China for refining. And Canada? It says what they may have, but not that they'd actually mine it. Do you think these leftist environmental kooks want this kind of landscape?

View attachment 679772

I'm sorry that there are people like you that are only motivated to get skills and/or education because of fear of poverty.

While, there are opportunities for people that want to get educated, there are some people that do not have the ability. Some people are just plain dumb. I've had friends that can only read to a 3rd grade level. They're willing to do a hard days labor. They should not have to live in poverty.

Also, while most business people do start businesses with the goal of making a profit, they need to realize that they have responsibilities. If the business they want to open requires more people than themselves, they either have to contract out or if they want employees, they have to pay a decent age with benefits. If they can not do that, they have no right to be in business.

Many employers would reinstitute slavery if they could. They'd keep their 'employees' in absolute poverty - no matter how profitable the business is. History has shown that when employees get good wages and benefits the entire civilization benefits. The American economy grew the most in the 1950s & 1960s when the relative incomes of working people were growing at a record setting pace. It was a time of an ever-growing middle class.

Your attitude toward employees is ancient. It is a formula for a society to stagnant in poverty. It has proven to fail for centuries. In all modern industrial countries there is a direct relationship between how much that society grows economically and how well workers are treated. People like you want the U.S. to degenerate into a third world banana republic.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I'm sorry that there are people like you that are only motivated to get skills and/or education because of fear of poverty.

While, there are opportunities for people that want to get educated, there are some people that do not have the ability. Some people are just plain dumb. I've had friends that can only read to a 3rd grade level. They're willing to do a hard days labor. They should not have to live in poverty.

Also, while most business people do start businesses with the goal of making a profit, they need to realize that they have responsibilities. If the business they want to open requires more people than themselves, they either have to contract out or if they want employees, they have to pay a decent age with benefits. If they can not do that, they have no right to be in business.

Many employers would reinstitute slavery if they could. They'd keep their 'employees' in absolute poverty - no matter how profitable the business is. History has shown that when employees get good wages and benefits the entire civilization benefits. The American economy grew the most in the 1950s & 1960s when the relative incomes of working people were growing at a record setting pace. It was a time of an ever-growing middle class.

Your attitude toward employees is ancient. It is a formula for a society to stagnant in poverty. It has proven to fail for centuries. In all modern industrial countries there is a direct relationship between how much that society grows economically and how well workers are treated. People like you want the U.S. to degenerate into a third world banana republic.

You're entitled to your own opinion but you don't make the rules. If an employer can't or won't pay their employees what they want, the do have a right to have their business, just like an employee has the right to find another job if he or she isn't happy where they work. Nobody has authority to force an employee to stay with an employer like nobody has the authority to force the employer what to pay his or her employees. That's what's wrong with unions.

Today rental properties are high in demand. So it seems, there is much less interest in owning a home today than in the past, and landlords are taking full advantage of the rental unit shortage. For me, I keep my rents more than reasonable. My tenants are like neighbors and family. I prefer to collect less money and have great long term tenants than charging the highest price the market will allow and get assholes. What another landlord charges for something similar to what I have is none of my business. If he or she wants to rape their tenants, it's their right. They made the real estate investment like I did. They have to worry about things breaking and maintenance, they have to worry about tax hikes and new city regulations, they have to be prepared for any major cost. My situation may be different than theirs where I can afford to charge less, but you can't look at all landlords and insist they all do what I do. They may not be able to afford it. It's the same with any business. Not everybody is rolling in dough because they have something.

As for low intelligence people, I do sympathize with them. I've worked with them, they've loaded my truck. I feel bad for them, but they are an anomaly when it comes to low wage workers. The biggest problem today are better jobs require drug screens that people can't pass. They chose dope over a better paying job, and you can't hold their current employer responsible for that. They need to clean up their act and go out and get those better paying jobs. I'm not into dope but I love my beer. If push came to shove and I had to give up my beer for a good paying job, that's what I would have done.

 

[Richard-H]

You're entitled to your own opinion but you don't make the rules. If an employer can't or won't pay their employees what they want, the do have a right to have their business, just like an employee has the right to find another job if he or she isn't happy where they work. Nobody has authority to force an employee to stay with an employer like nobody has the authority to force the employer what to pay his or her employees. That's what's wrong with unions.

Today rental properties are high in demand. So it seems, there is much less interest in owning a home today than in the past, and landlords are taking full advantage of the rental unit shortage. For me, I keep my rents more than reasonable. My tenants are like neighbors and family. I prefer to collect less money and have great long term tenants than charging the highest price the market will allow and get assholes. What another landlord charges for something similar to what I have is none of my business. If he or she wants to rape their tenants, it's their right. They made the real estate investment like I did. They have to worry about things breaking and maintenance, they have to worry about tax hikes and new city regulations, they have to be prepared for any major cost. My situation may be different than theirs where I can afford to charge less, but you can't look at all landlords and insist they all do what I do. They may not be able to afford it. It's the same with any business. Not everybody is rolling in dough because they have something.

As for low intelligence people, I do sympathize with them. I've worked with them, they've loaded my truck. I feel bad for them, but they are an anomaly when it comes to low wage workers. The biggest problem today are better jobs require drug screens that people can't pass. They chose dope over a better paying job, and you can't hold their current employer responsible for that. They need to clean up their act and go out and get those better paying jobs. I'm not into dope but I love my beer. If push came to shove and I had to give up my beer for a good paying job, that's what I would have done.

You're wrong. Nobody has a right to have a business, and workers do have a right to unionize in most places.

The government has a responsibility to set standards for doing business. Regulating business is as old as civilization itself.

There is plenty of interest in home ownership. More today than ever. Nobody likes to rent. The problem is that banks have set too high standards for mortgages, and home prices are too high. People are being turned down or mortgages were the monthly mortgage payments would be considerably less than what they currently pay in rent. An entire generation is being screwed.

I'm not only concerned with low intelligence people not getting a living wage, I'm also upset by all the mediocre intelligence people that get advanced degrees. I know a doctor that could barely pass in high school even though he was absolutely dedicated to school work. The man is an idiot that should have worked as a janitor. I could write a list of morons with college degrees that I've known. These people get relatively high paying jobs and lots of authority in corporations. They are only motivated to get educated because if they don't they'll live in poverty. I wish they'd just accepted a job that was on par with their intelligence.

I don't think that it's an employers business what an employee does off hours. It shouldn't matter to the employer if they do drugs. Just as long as they're not high at work. I smoked pot for years while I worked an an engineer. It didn't interfere with my work at all. Back in the early 1980s, when I applied for a security clearance to work for a Navy contractor and was asked about drug use, I told them that I smoked pot regularly. They gave me the clearance. Of course they desperately needed an engineer that could work in a predominantly Rastafarian area, so I fit the bill.

At the time of the American revolution the keyword that was used by the leaders of the revolution was 'Liberty'. At that time 'liberty' was mostly used to mean 'Freedom from your employer'. It was granted to ship's crews by their captain. It was granted to indentured servants by there employers, and to slaves by their masters. It's a word that's misinterpreted by most Americans today to mean absolute freedom. That's not at all what was meant by the founding fathers.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

There is plenty of interest in home ownership. More today than ever. Nobody likes to rent.

You are oblivious to welfare culture. Where I live, the welfare money used to pay for public housing could cover a mortgage in an old house. It’s about incentive and expectations of personal responsibility. Welfare culture is similar to if not identical to union culture.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

I don't think that it's an employers business what an employee does off hours. It shouldn't matter to the employer if they do drugs. Just as long as they're not high at work. I smoked pot for years while I worked an an engineer. It didn't interfere with my work at all. Back in the early 1980s, when I applied for a security clearance to work for a Navy contractor and was asked about drug use, I told them that I smoked pot regularly. They gave me the clearance. Of course they desperately needed an engineer that could work in a predominantly Rastafarian area, so I fit the bill.

That’s because they didn’t realize — as you and many others apparently still don’t realize — that pot can cause psychosis and psychosis leads to violence.
Mass shooters are all potheads. Not a good workplace circumstance.

 

[Richard-H]

You are oblivious to welfare culture. Where I live, the welfare money used to pay for public housing could cover a mortgage in an old house. It’s about incentive and expectations of personal responsibility. Welfare culture is similar to if not identical to union culture.

Welfare account for only a tiny percentage of the American people. I am oblivious to the 'Welfare culture' - I've never known anyone on welfare.

Conservatives always pull out the 'Welfare' card and make it sound like half of America is on welfare. It's pure BULLSHIT!!!

Of those that are on welfare - if their employers paid them a fair wage, they wouldn't be on welfare.