Still No Jobs

[teryang]

The article below describes the current state of the most significant economic/social/political trend of our times. The longer term view is documented in Wealth and Democracy by Kevin Phillips which portrays the economic and political decline of our nation in great detail along with the indifference of the rich who are exporting the nation's capital and destroying our social and economic infrastructure. Read Kevin Phillips book if you want to see our precipitous decline documented on a longer term and the associated failure of our democracy.

Read the entire article at counterpunch.org to get the full impact of this important commentary.

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts11082005.html

Still No Jobs
By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS

In the 21st century the US economy has ceased to generate net new jobs in middle and upper middle class professions. This is a serious economic, social and political problem that receives no attention...

Powerful lobbies that benefit from low cost foreign labor have invested heavily in public relations campaigns to create the impression that American jobs have to be outsourced and foreign workers brought into the US because there are shortages of US engineers, scientists, nurses and school teachers. It is amazing that the occupations in which shortages are alleged to exist are the very occupations in which qualified Americans cannot find jobs...

You might think that China would be running huge trade deficits with the US as China imports the goods and services necessary to continue its economic development and to serve consumer wants. The trade statistics, however, tell a different story. Last year the US imported $196,682,000,000 in goods and services from China and exported a mere $34,744,100,000 to China. The American "superpower's" trade deficit with China came to $161,938,000,000. To put this figure in perspective, America's trade deficit with China is 28% higher than American's total oil import bill...

In recent years, offshore outsourcing has caused the US trade deficit to explode. Offshore outsourcing means that the production of goods and services for the US market is shifted from America to foreign countries. This turns goods formerly produced in the US into imports. Between 1997 and 2004 the US trade deficit increased six fold. Since 1997 the cumulative US trade deficit (including $700 billion estimate for 2005) is $3.5 trillion. The outsourcing of America's economy is a far greater threat to Americans than terrorists...

[froshty1960]

1. Tell me about it.

I'm a technical and marketing writer and editor and I currently work for a small company that most likely will no longer exist after the end of the year. I've been sending out resumes for months trying to get a new job and I've had a few interviews, but have not been hired. Each time I interview, I learn that hundreds of people are applying for the same jobs I am because there are so many of us out of work and so few jobs.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

3. PM Me your info/resume

Froshty,

I am in agreement, and in much the same position. I write software for a living and am also working for a small company.

What I am finding is more and more of my friends in the middle/upper-middle class who are also in the tech field are going solo with their own businesses.

I need your info and resume and we can talk. My co-workers and I along with another friend are planning on forcing my boss' hand and taking his assets over in a hostile takeover. If we pull this off, we will need someone to do the marketing materials and technical writing. It will probably be a short-term contract until we can get some cash in the bank, but I firmly believe in hiring perm if possible.

No more corporate world for me. I need to be running the show instead of being run over by it.

DBDB

[acmejack]

2. I just bought the book you recommended.

Phillips is a sane conservative, his "American Dynasty-Aristocracy, fortune and the politics of deceit in the House of Bush" was terrific-highly recommended.

Our economic situation is indeed dire. I have a college education with a BSEE-long term unemployed. A 50+ year old person can't get hired for even a menial job. At least it gives me an excuse to go into non-profit work and benefit humanity. I like volunteering but it doesn't put food on the table.

Times will get very hard here in the future and we are too stupid to take any palliative measures to help our offspring. We should be terribly ashamed.

[raccoon]

6. You know that's right ,acmejack.

"A 50+ year old person can't get hired for even a menial job"

As someone who's 50+, fortunately I have a job and haven't had to look for one in a while. But when I was in my late 40's and was looking, I ran into what you're talking about.

Wish you the best.

[teryang]

8. I read "American Dynasty" as well

Barnes and Noble was giving it away for $5.98. As you say, an excellent read also. I'm over 50 also. I've been bouncing from job to job. I'm now in an entry level state job that is very demanding. I probably work about sixty hours a week. I'd quit except for the health insurance. Since the job is killing me, I need it.

[leveymg]

4. Does anyone know of decent study on the costs/benefits of reindustrializ-

ing the United States, and how we might do this in a competitive fashion?

Seems to me, the AFL-CIO and Democratic Party should fund and widely disseminate such a study.

[SudieJD]

5. Currently Employed...

or should I say, "under-employed". I have a degree in Business Management....I now find myself working at a local casino as a cashier. I like the job, lots of nice people and the money is good.

I was unemployed for 2 years and it's going to take a long time to get back on my feet.

Sudie

[raccoon]

7. This is a great article. Some point that particularly impressed me.

“It is amazing that the occupations in which shortages are alleged to exist are the very occupations in which qualified Americans cannot find jobs.”

This is SUCH a ripoff, claims that there are "shortages" in certain fields and encouraging people to get degrees in these areas...then there are no jobs to be found.

“This process of substituting foreign workers for American workers cannot go on for too long before the US consumer market dies from lack of income and purchasing power. US policymakers have no clue."

For some time now, I've been wondering about this. Who's going to buy all these products when so many people are working at McJobs?
And who's going to buy the services, too? People working at McJobs can't afford orthodontia and other expensive dental work. Heck, they'd be hard pressed to come up with $60 for a haircut and perm.

“Americans are expected to buy the products without having the incomes associated with their production.If the war in Iraq lasts another ten years, as the Bush administration keeps telling us, the US will find itself without the industrial capacity or borrowing power to continue with the conflict.”

Well, one good thing might come out of this, if the US gets out of Iraq because they don't have the money to continue the war. But at such a cost in human misery--people losing their jobs, their homes, etc.

[earth mom]

9. Kicked and Recommended!

:kick: