The mammoth troubles facing GM, Ford and their auto parts makers are
merely a symptom of the global leveling of manufacturing that has been
underway for some years.
Stop and think. We're told this week that the average annual wage for
a Ford family production line worker is an astounding $65,000! Where
else in the world can an uneducated, ignorant, untalented, unskilled
slob who tightens bolts make anything approaching that figure?
Especially when working for a company that can't move its inventory of
unwanted products!
At least in Germany, where auto workers' pay is nearly comparable to
their U.S. counterparts, those employees possess technical skills plus
a minimum high-school education.
Of course, in South Korea, such workers make about 20 percent of the
$65, 000 the American schlubs '"earn." But the Koreans at least
possess real skills and a real education. And in China, $650 a year
is real good.
So get used to less, beer-bellied Amer'cun slobs! The good old days
are never coming again - except for those with education and genuine
21st century skills! Globalism is eatin' your lunch!
Really no surprise.
Those are some unbelievably low numbers. One problem is the person making 15
k in NYC equates to a guy making 11 k in Sioux City, IA. The government
can't realistically think one set of numbers can apply to 48 States.
Lee
2000 SSEi
The auto industry didn't have this problem until Chimps buddies at
Exxon got the price of oil so high that nobody could afford to drive
SUVs or big pickups anymore. Granted, there are a lot of ignorant,
knuckle dragging morons on Ford and GM assembly lines making $25.00 an
hour doing jobs the 16 year old counter girl at Dunkin Donuts could
easily do, but until gas got so high, they seemed able to handle their
high wages.
Something is beginning to break down in America that has not broken
down since the early 1930s.
Worldwide demand has driven up the price of oil. The problem is this. Once
the forgein companies built aassembly plants in the US, they were able to
deliver cars at the same rate at the American companies.
Competition inproves quality and lowers prices, but the American companies
cannot lower prices and make a profit if they have higher labor costs.
The majority, if not all of the forgein manufacturers use less expensive,
non-union labor.
US car companies have to cut costs in order to lower prices, in order to
move vehicles.
Labor costs make up the majority of any company's costs.
Something has to give.
Do you believe the oil companies can control the prices, outside the market
forces, to increase their profits? If they actually could do that the
price of gasoline would never go down, it would only ever go up. ;)
mike hunt
If companies did not continually want more profits, they would do a
disservice to their owners (shareholders) and lose their reason for
existence. Don't blame them for doing their duty just because you are
not smart enough to own their stock.
(Okay time to start throwing a little mud...) ;-)
...Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought that the true and ETHICAL
PURPOSE for starting, maintaining said business was to PROVIDE A
SERVICE, from which you make profits to CONTINUE providing that
service.... Not providing whatever service, JUST and SOLELY to make
profits for the owners/shareholders etc? That's the problem with these
faceless and greedy corps. Since there's hardly any 1 person to place
the blame, they become profit oriented ONLY and they forget or ignore
their whole function/purpose... that being- PROVIDE A SERVICE for
consumers to consume... Not make PROFIT of those that own/run the corp.
The profits are the END sum of providing something of worth. NOT the
end all end of why you exist. If that were the case, then why don't the
leaders of said corporation just start up their own Britt World Wide
"legal" "pyramid" scheme, which basically provides little service at
all, except making money for an elite few and relying on the REST of
the masses to keep them rich?
So... if said corp made say ~2.5billion/yr in profit, and could
NOT make anymore than that; do you think for 1 minute that some people
wouldn't be trying to figure out how to make MORE, and then MORE and
MORE more more more every year, yet providing the same service... hell
eventually they would just LOVE for you and I to pay them for little if
NOTHING at all! lol Just give them money for being another
faceless-corporation, b/c "they" (who? The elite few) are (and or feel)
entitled to living the way they want to live...... USA = continent of
sell outs. The people that run this country and these corps, don't give
a crap about the masses and families that make up their corps. They'd
ship 90% of our jobs overseas if they could for MORE profit... Geehs.
This is what I love about this brain washing of the middle and
lower classes. People with no, or hardly any affluence sticking up for
these corporate clowns. These people don't give a shit about you nor
I. But somehow the mindless middle class dreamers are conned into
believing that they TOO are going to make it BIG BIG BIG and become
some affluent, worldly traveled millionaires. HAHA Yeah right, better
start playing the lottery! All the while distancing themselves, hating
and belittling the people in their own socio-economic class, as if,
they are better somehow b/c of their wanna-be affluent day dreaming?
Better check up on who you elect - for they (the elected ELITE)
don't give a crap about you, nor what your
living-check-to-check-lifestyle / class cares about. Wanna-be
Republicans you are! Haha or should I say (r)epublicans, because all
you are and are going to be to the REAL elite, are little r's.
Shit, out of you so-called reps, HOW many of you have been or
were invited to a nice $5000/plate dinner to discuss the party's
current status and future? ZERO! I'm going to make that bet...
Therefore, they don't give a squat about YOU, nor your ambitious day
dreams. And YOU are NOT a real/true "Republican." Last time I
checked about family values and all this other capital "R"
political soap boxing - the country is even MORE divided on issues
AND actual policy of education, class, health and overall welfare than
EVER in the history of it. So much for Republican leadership paving the
way for a united, well-being, and worldly respected United States of
America... HAHA!
Lastly... the Dems aren't exactly a party of honest Johns
either... but they haven't shown their hegemonistic side like the big
Reps at the moment. Haha stay poor little republicans!
---Workers unite!
The philosophy that led to my fortune was to follow the business theory that
says if one starts a business they must make a product, or offer a service,
that will attract new and retain current customers. If one does that,
profits and growth will follow. If not you will eventually go out business,
period.
mike hunt
Your "fortune," Okay since I know about some real wealth, just what do
you consider a "fortune," and don't give me any poser
upper-middle-class $300,000K/yr BS. I'm talking million/Multi-million
dollar income. Don't say fortune and actually mean "nest egg."
As further proof, just what type of stock/investment portfolio do
you have? What type of Yacht (Hatteras, Ferretti, Jefferson, Cheoy Lee,
a Cigarette maybe?) , luxurious amenities to you possess? Multiple
seasonal homes? Precious paintings or art décor? Global trips to
multiple countries, staying at 4-5star hotels? Don't reply back with
that clichéd "I'm not into materialistic trivialities, I'm just a
plain old guy with BANK!" Bs. Can you drop $20,000 on anything you
feel like purchasing this week? - THAT is a REAL "fortune," not someone
on google groups pretending to have a fortune and really having a
couple hundred K stashed away from a few tacobells or small time
business ventures. Prove your affluence and true membership in the
(R)epublican party, TEN HUT!
BTW- I'm still waiting for an answer about those $5000/plate
invitations you've gladly made use of... hrmmm what did you guys talk
about at the dinner/meeting - world domination possibly?
Cheers ;-)
Your ignorance is so profound I don't even know what to say to begin to
educate you. Try taking some basic business classes. If companies
offer a good or service that is in demand at a price people are willing
to pay that is above the cost of production, then they tend to make
money and stay in business. If they don't then they tend to go out of
business.
Try to remember that the wealth created by those with personal ambition
and drive is what creates the money the politicians steal from us in
taxes to drive the welfare state. It's funny how the Libs love to
complain about "big business" and the success of those with a better
idea, but they are always looking for more ways to steal from the
"wealthy" and distribute that wealth to buy votes from the poor.
The top Libs -- Kerry/Heinz -- are "weathly".
I think they invented welfare to keep ambitions down and protect the Old
Money.
Republicans are new money and respect drive and entrepreneurialism.
We could swing that without an extra dime of expense if we cut down on
things like YOUR (Republican) elected officials accepting bribes and
payoffs from corrupt lobbyists.
They are all corrupt! It doesn't matter which party they are
affiliated with. From the start of the term to the end its all about
getting re-elected. If you think otherwise then you have a rather
large set of blinders over your eyes.
...Ron
--
68'RS Camaro
88'Formula
00'GT Mustang
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