Unemployment map 2007-2010

[arctiva]

Ive been a part of the unemployed for 2 years from my main job. Worked 6 months total in 2 years. Now ive also looked and have worked for far less pay and done less desirable jobs to get by.

With that said here's a story to think about

I was out snowmobileing for the first time the other nite(pretty sad huh) and i stopped at a bar/gas station and were watching the game talking to the bar tender who says he's a heating and air guy for the last years been working 24 hoursish a week and picked this job up to to be able to pay his mortgage. And i tell him wow i'd be happy with 24 hours a week as ive worked 3 months each the last 2 years. So we get up to leave and i left a 10$ bill on the bar for him as a tip and he run's me down and say's here you need this more than i do but thanks for the thought.

 

[deerhunter]

This has been chewed before....it was the "favored nation" status that opened the doors as NAFTA deals with "North American Free Trade Agreement" involving Canada (economically on a par with the USA, but also Mexico which is not).

China and India are whipping us....our own engineers and manufacturers are beating the door down to make products over there. Orik Vacuum cleaners cost about $6 dollars in parts labor and shipping to get to the USA and are sold for $100. With profits like this happening, who can blame somebody for going there making the stuff where labor is $5 per week and endless lines ready to work, no pollution requirements, no pensions, no medical?...and we are STUPID ENOUGH TO buy it because wally world sells it cheaper.

When we learn the lesson that other countries like Germany, Switzerland, and a hundred other forward thinking countries already know...that buying anything that is designed, built, funded, by anything other than USA costs jobs...we will then turn the corner.

But unless you have had your head under a rock lately you know this is still not being discussed much, and people go merrily on their way to buy this cheaper crap, all the while undermining their own jobs. How many people need to be out of work before we figure out that job stimulus means nothing if you can't sell the products because imports are cheaper?

We are in a real pickle folks....this isn't like like anything we have faced in the history of our country. The middle class is losing ground fast and you can't fix it until we get a handle on what is wrong.

So go ahead keep buying the cheap stuff that says "made in china under the direction of Honeywell, ford motor company, zenith, mas-co, etc...."

Take a moment and turn the package and see where it is made. Take the time to find out WHO still makes whatever it is you are buying in the USA...I know, not easy to find, but there if you look....then pay no attention to the price...buy that instead. Once the imports stay on the shelves and don't move, the market people will turn the corner and that will be the first day of a new beginning. Until then....live like tomorrow is your last day at work...cause...it might just be that!

Stupid is as stupid does...end of statement.

you cxouldnt have said it better espeacially when you state "Until then....live like tomorrow is your last day at work...cause...it might just be that!"

i had no clue what so ever that today was my last day. i was at home already when i got the call.

 

[propjockey]

i agree with reved on this one, it was set in motion with clinton. When he signed the nafta program and sent all manufacturing out of the country, what did they think was going to happen. Then two weeks into the bush administration people started blaming him for the downturn in the economy. When this country wakes up and realizes that manufacturing is the back bone, and gets it going again then things will change. Who do they think were buying the homes, cars, ect. Well when all the poeple related to manufacturing lost their jobs, the housing market started going down hill. Manufacturing made this country great, and that is how we won wwii, and our educated idiots in washington don't see that. Look at some of the other countries out there, they don't import any thing manufactured. And how is china building their wealth ?, by massive manufacturing. I think we need to vote them all out and get some good comon sense people who have worked hard all their lives in there to run this great nation,not the obamas who have been given eveything in life. Yes i too agree that mcain and palhin would have been the better choice, at least mcain loved this country, and he almost died for it , unlike michelle obama who hated it until her husband got elected.

10-4

 

[ubee]

wow economy is not good,I feel sorry for all the people that have lost their jobs!We need a plan to put USA back on track as the world leader!! Maybe we can sweep all the events in Vancover and show them whos still #1 Buy American if you can!! GO USA

 

[ezra]

I got some verry spendy lights for a job this summer Vermont something something. the box said made in the USA open the box sticker on the light said made in china.well start looking closer at the box on the side with some other righting in fine print it states the box is made in the USA.

 

[wilson]

bought a kitchen table and chair set at a large furniture chain, the manufacturer was "american oak"...got it home...made in china.

 

[fastmax05]

Doesn't matter who is in office - I unfortunately have lost all hope for the leadership in our great country - It is surprising to me that we don't have a million man march on washington demanding action and demanding accountability. This is a country of the people by the people and I have said it many times over - we have the best politicians money can buy and they are sooooooo out of touch with main street america. We need to have a massive tax payer revolt in this country and tell the politicians who is in charge. I remember seeing Obama on tv telling the american people that we have to tighten our belts and be responsible - look who is talking a 3.8 trillion dollar budget? Who is being irresponsible now? They are getting to fat and sassy up on capitol hill and it's time to say ENOUGH.......Peace and Hope for our Nation.

 

[arctiva]

Doesn't matter who is in office - I unfortunately have lost all hope for the leadership in our great country - It is surprising to me that we don't have a million man march on washington demanding action and demanding accountability. This is a country of the people by the people and I have said it many times over - we have the best politicians money can buy and they are sooooooo out of touch with main street america. We need to have a massive tax payer revolt in this country and tell the politicians who is in charge. I remember seeing Obama on tv telling the american people that we have to tighten our belts and be responsible - look who is talking a 3.8 trillion dollar budget? Who is being irresponsible now? They are getting to fat and sassy up on capitol hill and it's time to say ENOUGH.......Peace and Hope for our Nation.

Well said. I'll be there for a march though it will never do any good. Maybe they would do a study or some reasearch but problem is they dont care. Untill it hit's YOU PERSONALLY people dont care whats happening to other's. There's a comment on this page " I try to do the best I can to buy American but I will not go broke doing so." We the people cant even support and help each other let alone our government doing it.

Ive lived the last 2 years on 50k less each year than i was acustomed too. I think my belt is tight as it can go and then some.

 

[frnash]

… looking closer at the box on the side with some other righting in fine print it states the box is made in the USA.

I'm sure glad to see that those sophisticated, "high tech/high pay jobs" are staying in the good ol' USA! {frown}

 

[mjkaliszak]

Does anyone remember Ross Perot ? He said something to the effect that we will hear that loud " sucking sound ". As the jobs leave the country. Everyone ( In Power ) laughed at his big ears.... Well, I kind of liked that guy and thought who better to run a deficet ridden government than a successful buisness man ? Currently my " CORPORATION " that is owned by a equity group, that wants to " off us " is moving all 310 jobs out of Michigan down to Torreone Mexico. They bought a building , added on, and bought all kinds of NEW state of the art equiptment . Our jobs will be done in June, we will be out on the street. AND I will be income-less . This is all for the purpose of putting the buisness up for sale. Our parent corp, ( ALCOA ) wanted out of the buisness so they gave the buisness away , plus gave the E - Group 65 million to take it. Now the Equity group wants it sold.
I hope mexico works out for them.

 

[kevisip]

mjkaliszak, that is unfortunate. Yes alot of jobs are leaving the country. Even businesses in Michigan are leaving at an alarming rate. Not just out of country but to differant states that are more biz friendly. Some of them I don't blame for leaving, considering the current political state we are in, I can completely understand. Just hope this changes real soon.

 

[ezra]

I know of 2 manufacturing biz that buds own who moved in the past 2 yrs to SD.owning a biz in MN is a hard deal you end up paying higher tax than you would living in France.

 

[qber]

Other than cars, sleds, beer or groceries try to buy an American product -there aren't any. The outsourcing has caused most of the problem with the economy and that has gone on since the 80's but accelerated mostly during the last decade - you can't blame that part on Clinton- I didn't like NAFTA either, but I didn't see any reversal during the Reps time in power-in fact they were most in favor of the "global economy" idea. By the way, outsourcing is done by the well-bonused heads of the large corporations and they certainly aren't Dems.
I think some people choose to forget that the economy rapidly went south in the summer of 2008, more than 6 months prior to the current administration.

 

[mjkaliszak]

I was trying to put a plug in for Ross Perot. An independent. As far as my wife & I are concerned, neither political party represents us. They ( both parties ) seem to take care of themselves and their friends. Just for the record , my job ( OUR USA MICHIGAN location ) was the only consistantly profittable location within the division. There is another location in Traverse City that is moving also. In Europe they bleed loss by the Millions, In South America the same, there is 1 location in Juarez ( MEX ) that either loses, breaks even, or mades a profit. I guess their thinking is if WE make money, they the ( THE CORP ) can make more $$$$ down in Mexico ???? ( Cheap Labor ) I would understand if ( our location ) was losing money. As for my wife & I , we are over taxed, and NOT represented. Then sold out by Corp America. I don't want a "severance package", a unemployment check , or any welfare. I just want to earn my own way and spent my money snowmobiling and on my kids. Funny thing !!! when you are young, many things are amusing, as you get older sometimes it's only 1. For me it's snowmobiling. I guess next season, I start knocking off banks, buying NEW sleds , then hiding out up in the UP !

Oh , yeah I forgot to mention, there might be something wrong with me !

 

[frnash]

I was trying to put a plug in for Ross Perot. An independent.

I actually voted for that Texas banty rooster! What was I thinking? (I don't recall if that was in 1992 or 1996.) So what did it get me? Bill Clinton! {arrgh}

 

[rocketman356]

Voted 4 the banty rooster 2,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but as much as I dislike that out of the womb used car salesman Clinton.Right now I would take 10 years of him over 1 year over this idiot we have now!

 

[ezra]

cant hang it all on the evil corps .hard to sell a widget worth $2 when you have legacy costs have to pay some lazy POS $25 a hr because he has sat in the same chair for 27yrs and never even tried to make a diff in how he did his job.then you are paying outrageous workers cop bills because of the other POS that worked for 1 wk and then picked up a trash can and supposedly through out his back and now can never work again at least that is what his POS lawyer said.then the local gov takes out the tree trunk size dildo and starts ramming up your back side to pay for the other 300k pos that don't want to work but still want a nice place to live and money to live on.you cant tell them to go out and work that would be offencive and degrading to them.and you need that money to pay for things like art galleries what would your town be without a big stainless steel funny shaped building funded buy the local biz taxes to hold plays and wine tasting art shows at?and lets not start on the fed level.hmmmm I wounder why a guy would move his company headquarters to bermuda and the manufacturing to a less taxed country like communist China.and yeah the economy really started to tank before the elections started but every one knew that it did not matter if it was Obama Hillery or Mccain they were going to be nailed to the boards for succeeding with any of the 3 and straight up crucified with the likely 2 so why invest the money you have until you know what the penalties were going to be.now they still don't know but they do know it is not going to be good.

 

[jroz]

I wish there was someone you could call to get an answer...but that hotline has been outsourced to somewhere in India already.

 

[luv2sledd]

bumperboy - I third the AMEN

I thought I would never see this - I am a product designer consultant, been doing it for near 30 years - I have had clients recently have me review their parts previously made in China and elsewhere foreign - for documenting them so that they can now be made here in the USA. It is only a start but hopefully we can jump start other companies into doing the same thing. And YES the reason is price of component parts here are starting to be competitive with overseas and I am sure that they will wind up with a part closer to the drawing than what they had gotten prior.

 

[ubee]

doesn't look good for a few more years
By JEANNINE AVERSA FEB,17,2010





WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve expects unemployment will stay high over the next two years because recession-scarred Americans are likely to stay cautious, making for only a moderate-paced economic recovery.

Fed policymakers said in a forecast released Wednesday that it will take "some time" for the economy and the jobs market to get back to normal. They did not spell out how long that would be. Previously they suggested it could take five or six years for economic conditions to return to full health. A "sizable minority," however, thinks it could take more than five or six years for the economy and the job market to return to normal.

In updated economic projections, the Fed said the unemployment rate this year could hover between 9.5 percent and 9.7 percent. Next year, it will drop to between 8.2 percent and 8.5 percent. By 2012, the jobless rate will range between 6.6 percent and 7.5 percent.

Although those forecasts are little changed from projections the Fed had released in late November, the figures show that unemployment will remain elevated heading into this year's congressional elections as well as the presidential election in 2012. A more normal unemployment rate would be between 5.5 percent and 6 percent.

Fed policymakers "expect that the pace of the economic recovery will be restrained by household and business uncertainty, only gradual improvement in labor market conditions and a slow easing of credit conditions in the banking sector," according to the forecast.

Against that backdrop, the Fed expects the economy will grow between 2.8 percent and 3.5 percent this year. Growth will pick up to between 3.4 percent and 4.5 percent next year and log similiar growth in 2012. The economy would need to grow by at least 5 percent a year to make a dent in the unemployment rate, analysts say.
rs!