On 7/25/10 1:01 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:51:02 -0400, Harry
wrote:

On 7/25/10 11:41 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:13:42 -0400, wrote:

gee. the germans have a world class export based economy that's
HEAVILY unionized.

the US, with NO unions, is not.


Yeah, and such powerful unions they are.
This union factory worker makes $22,000 a year and the government
taxes more than half of that away for things like his "free" health
care.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...M&refer=europe


What's *your* solution for providing workers who don't earn tons of
money a good health care and retirement program?

I think workers need to go get the skills to compete in a 21st century
labor market. That is not really being provided by our K-12 and
secondary education system.
The reality is I am not really sure what the middle class in all of
the Western Democracies are going to do to maintain the lifestyle they
desire.
I blame a lot of it on the greed of the consumer. Nom summed it up
when she said "why should she pay moreto support American
manufacturers".


I blame most of it on the greed of multi-national corporations.

I remember when a good quality RTW men's shirt cost less than $10...from
brands like Gant, Hathaway, Arrow, et cetera. The shirts were made in
the USA by members of garment workers unions. The workers made a living
wage, the manufacturer made a profit, and so did everyone else in the
retail chain.

Now, those same style shirts, but with lower quality materials, are made
in sweatshops in Vietnam and China by workers who are paid pennies a
day, and the shirts sell in U.S. stores for $70.

It isn't the consumer or the now-gone U.S. garment workers. The
corporation are the profiteers.