[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Christ

I'm well aware of the shortage of jobs in this country. I've been out of work since November of last year, collecting unemployment the whole time. When that runs out, I go back to working (most likely) as a self-employed nut, paying taxes on money that doesn't get reported, because I'm a "good" citizen (read as: I'm a "good" SS number...)

I'm all for patriotism and supporting America, but at the same time, the world economy is more important than that of any one country, and while it may be less environmentally and morally responsible to buy cheaply built and priced products from China, I still do so when it's fiscally better for me.

There is the National Economy, but there's the Economy in my pocket, as well. If I don't have the money to buy the overpriced American crap, I don't have the money. When it comes down to American and starving or Chinese and Food on the table, I pick whatever lets me eat at the end of the day. Call me whatever you want, but that's just the way it is.

In the mean time, Americans are losing work because we refuse to buy over priced American products when often, their foreign counterparts are of similar or superior quality... then again, I've been a part of the American workforce for ~10 years... I've seen lots and lots of dissatisfied people who can't live within their means, insist that they're working too hard and being paid too little, yet they often are found slacking around until the bell for quittin' time rings. They don't appreciate the dollars they do earn, because they feel entitled to something more, for doing nothing.

The era of the "hard working American", sadly, is nearing it's end, IMO. There are too many lazy people who have this feeling of entitlement, and none of them will even do what's asked for what's offered. Go to China, Japan (not so much anymore, from what I'm told), and several countries who aren't as "well off" as America, and you'll find a completely different attitude. Those people appreciate the opportunity to make a living as best they can on what's offered, and they work damn hard for it, gladly, knowing that it means they can eat and live to work another day. They don't piss and moan about not receiving an undeserved merit raise, or sit and complain that they didn't get that last-minute vacation approval so they could go drinking on Friday instead of upholding their duties at work.

Cost of Labor is a major component of why companies are moving to China, but there are other factors involved as well, that people refuse to see/admit to. When's the last time you heard someone honestly say that they were just too lazy to go to work? That's a factor, though noone will ever tell you that. they'll make up some excuse about how they're sick, etc...

I've had several jobs where there WERE NO sick days. You had 5 vacation days a year for the first 2 years, use 'em up foolishly, and they're gone. Get sick and take off work after that, you're fired. That was one of the best companies I've ever worked for. The bosses commanded respect, and the workers actually worked. We were paid a fair salary for the amount of work that we had to do, and had full benefits, another luxury IMO.

On top of all that, employee wages aren't even the largest practical reason for businesses moving overseas. CEO's need new cars. Plain and simple. What's the best way to liquefy $1.5 million dollars from your business' capital? Hire cheaper labor, get rid of the more expensive guys. Then, go buy your over priced car that you won't drive anyway, because driving is just a burden when you have a Chauffeur, and the Chauffeur and you both won't fit in a Ferrari.

/informative rant

Is there anyway you might could get the addresses and/or phone number, email addresses of these companies that can not seem to be able to find workers in this country that has unemployment rates anywhere from 10% to 30% depending on if your averaging the country, state or county. Michigan still leads the pack, but I understand the people in Michigan are going to stop watching all movies made in Hollywood or California, after all California is not buying many cars from Michigan, so it makes sense to me.

Yes sir, we got thousands of males and females ready to work over here. Get those background and drug tests ready because plenty of us are ready to start. I guess it boils down to the jobs being located in one certain place, yet so many that can not find work have family obligations that make it very difficult to relocate for work. It would be bad if one moves 200 miles for a job and the next week grandma is dead because the new care person forgot to give her the meds on time. I am not joking while attempting to make a serious point.

We have some of the hardest working people in Kentucky, especially WESTERN Kentucky that are used to working as fast pace and pull and lift heavy things at temps over 110 degrees F- I know because I used to work with some of these guys in Glasgow Kentucky. We have the workers, and if the company will not try to either relocating all of these workers, or relocating the company, then I don't see a chance of hard working people driving a billion miles to work either.

We have the hard workers. We don't have the jobs. If the jobs for LEGAL Americans are really out there, then we need to spread the word and the ones that can and have the money to drive or fly a long distance, likely either for tests and.or interview(s) Im sure will do so. But most unemployed folks have a bit of a problem getting $400 to a grand together just to apply and take a companies test as the one job opening has over 50 people applying for it although you were led to believe only YOU were being considered for the job. Employers here rather hire illegal immigrants for $4.00 an hour and claim they have no openings. I wish our Government would bust the asses of the companies and people hiring illegal immigrants at ANY wage- very much not legal and it cost us American good paying jobs for people born right here. There is no job to good for me. I have cleaned toilets, washed/waxed floors, dug ditches, chopped down large weeds with "posinious"[<sp] plants in them, painted, trimmed bushes trees, mowed, tared trailer roofs, you name it it's not beneath me! I apply everyday at what ever lead I get in my attempts to network for a job, which so far has not worked once, it seems the managers here are hiring either their personal family and.or friends, OR they hire illegal immigrants for less money than is legal. It simply amazes me how much alike the managers are to thier closest and highest ranking employee is. Corruption in the work place is ram-pet in Kentucky. I could write a book on my personal experiences that are not legal. I have got to the point I will start calling the attorney general;s office when ever a business is big enough that they cant so easily pull such stuff- and, btw: this is a good example of where a union would help.

GM lowered their wages and now starts out production workers for $14 an hour, Right after that I read that Honda of America had lowered their production wage about a buck an hour!! Do you folks see where this is heading, do you connect the dots? It's a race to the bottom line, whomever gets to pay their employees $0.000 WINS! Then we can all PAY TO WORK! YIPPPIE! Neither Honda nor Toyota would of been paying the wages they did if it was not for the threat of the UIAW trying ti get in, But Kentucky is a right to get fired state, so even if a union gets voted in a scab can still cross the line and work, which removes most of the clout that a union has. In Michigan their work laws favor the unions, and I too feel that their high cost of labor on average is why Michigan is the worst state in this DEPRESSION! If it was not for all of the "fixed income" checks being sent out once a month, I think we all would be no better than in 1931. If you get a check it's easier to ignore this depression, but if your in the wrong part of the country you can go for over a year of searching with no hires! And I swear if anyone would of told me it was possible to look for work for a full year and not have a full time job, I WOULD of said they were too lazy to work. But not now!! I have seen it, it's happen to me. Most of the money I made was repairing computers on the side and doing ever outdoor odd job I could lock in. Now winter is setting in, and it does not normally snow enough here to shovel driveways for $$l I will have to try to push my computer repair skills on some people that might rather throw away their computer and go to China-mart to score a computer that has everything built on to one mother board and a power supply- It's a fact I learned on a previous tech job I have- Walmart is said to dictate to manufactures how to cut every corner they can to get to their target price. Walmart has such a huge market companies buckle and build products of less quality but the outside will appear the same as a Best By computer, although inside they are different beasts!