With regards to Dave Peyton: A Post From An Angry WVian
Sure, everyone enjoys lower prices but we're missing the boat here imo.
More and more of middle America is wasting away. Factories being closed or moving over seas where wages can be bare bones and much lower than what American workers will accept. OMG! We might save five dollars at Walmart from lower prices!!!!! Yippee!!! Right???
No.
We have a society of instant gratification, too much credit and no appreciation for what we have. (Speaking in general terms and not pointing a finger at anyone.) We've watched middle America lose ground and ignore it on the basis that this global economy makes prices lower.
Well, maybe it's time that 5 dollars we save each trip to Wally World is put towards keeping American's middle class jobs intact and in America. (And please, don't bother with your disingenous drone about poor foreign workers. Stuff the hypocritical and start worrying about America or these nice freedoms you enjoy that allow you to worry about the poooooor foreign workers may just disappear. And if you don't understand how economic woes can contribute to the decline of America then please, do us all a favor and just keep quiet until someone explains it in small words you can understand.)
We may have to suck it up, put off that new computer, wait to get that camera, delay the big purchases if it means bringing the jobs back here and suring up middle class America.
I'm tired of those that accept the loss of jobs, the decline of the middle class worker and the substandard wages on the alter of a lower price. It's not a noticable, in the long run, amount of savings.
Anyone else willing to make the sacrifice? And trust me, higher costs of *anything* for many of us is a sacrifice. But it's a necessary one imo.
A global market, left unchecked, is not good imo for America.
*whew*
That felt good. This would be a post from what Dave Peyton calls an angry West Virginian and he would be right. (God help me. First I start reading his columns now I'm admitting he's right. Look for hell to freeze over any time.)
posted by Senihele @ 10:35 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Consider, the middle class has been driving itself out of existence for years. They spend above their means, and they don't save worth a dime. Rather than cut back on expenses, they "keep up with the Joneses". Keeping up this lifestyle requires greater income, but it is possible to price oneself out of employment.
Walmart workers who are paid barely above minumum are not "keeping up with the Joneses." Workers who's employers use tactic like not working employees a full week to avoid paying comp and benefits are NOT "keeping up with the Joneses". That's a talking point and it doesn't wash. The issue is the glut of foreign labor that is willing to work for substandard wages and the corporations that want to avoid any semblance of a tariff that would level the playing field, because let's make NO mistake. The playing field is NOT level.
Blaming the worker for the decline in their wages is rather hypocritical considering the increase in CEO salaries and profit margins.
What happened to the America where workers were treated well and loyalty on both ends of the employment spectrum was expected?
Aside from our differences, Derek, I do know you're a good man. Our differences are of opinion and I would hope not a judgement for either of us.
I don't feel judged in any way. But you're arguing with something I never wrote.
At $5.15 an hour, a full-time, hourly Wal-mart employee makes $10,712 a year. And that's IF AND ONLY IF that person works 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, with no lost hours due to sickness, vacation, or appointments for a dependent child. In fact, $10,712 is under the federal poverty threshold for a family of two. Such a worker is far from "middle class." And, as such, that worker is also far from my original comment. Two of 'em wouldn't even make middle class.
But, you see, I really don't disagree with your points listed above. But you went from talking about middle class manufacturing jobs to Walmart workers. And those are two COMPLETELY different economic categories.
My apologies if you thought that I was suggesting that the cost of labor was the only factor in this equation. It's not, but it remains a factor.
I do agree that outsourcing jobs to foreign workers has caused a decline in the middle class. I also agree that a job isn't what it was as far as employer/employee relations isn't what it was in the 50's. Somewhere in between then and now, corporations started to care about only one thing...the almighty dollar.
I will not work for a company the uses outsourcing as a way to save more money. I know my brothers and sisters here need the work, and that if we allow it to continue, that the middle class just may end up joining the ranks of the poor.
I think it's very sad to see this kind of thing happening, just so companies can save a few dollars.
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