webbie
Seasoned Moderator
"Americas Choice".......sad........
I guess that is what happens when products labeled Vermont Castings are made in China too! Not that I am a protectionist - far from it! But you don't call it Vermont Castings when you do that! Nor Americas choice.......
People in China need to eat also. In fact, they are probably more needy of nutrition than your average American. The problem seems to be the lack of any national trade policies in the USA - we have capitulated to a government by the corporations and for the corporations, and that has taken us to the point of placing the wealth and decisions in the hands of about 1/1000 of one percent of the population. I listened to an interesting podcast yesterday, from the author of a new book "Rise of the Superclass" and he details how there are about 6600 people in the world who have virtually TOTAL control over the 600 million other wealthiest people. 600 million being 10% of the worlds population (including you and I) who live at a very high standard of living.
He details all the problems we hear about, such as CEO pay now being 200x the average worker as opposed to being 20X as it was 30-40 years ago. He also dispels the myths that we need to pay people that much to get performance, noting that NEVER in the history of the world has it taken that kind of reward to make people take chances or work hard.
But, all in all, it seems that "we" have bought it hook, line and sinker. We sit by and allow the passage of new laws making the tax burden LOWER for hedge fund managers making hundreds of millions a year! Why we put up with this is beyond me - but some people speculate that all the poor people who favor giving advantages to the superclass think that just maybe THEY will be there someday.....fat chance!
And today we hear again about 14 BILLION in profits for the major oil companies in this 3 month period alone. The transfer of wealth from the middle class to the very wealthiest is dizzying. But the oil companies are taking out full page ads saying that when they make money, WE ALL make money, because after all - many of us have some oil companies in our mutual funds.
I guess that is what happens when products labeled Vermont Castings are made in China too! Not that I am a protectionist - far from it! But you don't call it Vermont Castings when you do that! Nor Americas choice.......
People in China need to eat also. In fact, they are probably more needy of nutrition than your average American. The problem seems to be the lack of any national trade policies in the USA - we have capitulated to a government by the corporations and for the corporations, and that has taken us to the point of placing the wealth and decisions in the hands of about 1/1000 of one percent of the population. I listened to an interesting podcast yesterday, from the author of a new book "Rise of the Superclass" and he details how there are about 6600 people in the world who have virtually TOTAL control over the 600 million other wealthiest people. 600 million being 10% of the worlds population (including you and I) who live at a very high standard of living.
He details all the problems we hear about, such as CEO pay now being 200x the average worker as opposed to being 20X as it was 30-40 years ago. He also dispels the myths that we need to pay people that much to get performance, noting that NEVER in the history of the world has it taken that kind of reward to make people take chances or work hard.
But, all in all, it seems that "we" have bought it hook, line and sinker. We sit by and allow the passage of new laws making the tax burden LOWER for hedge fund managers making hundreds of millions a year! Why we put up with this is beyond me - but some people speculate that all the poor people who favor giving advantages to the superclass think that just maybe THEY will be there someday.....fat chance!
And today we hear again about 14 BILLION in profits for the major oil companies in this 3 month period alone. The transfer of wealth from the middle class to the very wealthiest is dizzying. But the oil companies are taking out full page ads saying that when they make money, WE ALL make money, because after all - many of us have some oil companies in our mutual funds.
