Maexle
Well-known member
it's called capitalism.....
A Sad Day at Lowes....
- Thread starter dougmac
- Start date
it's called capitalism.....
Maexle
Well-known member
i think it's the greedy part of the management people, i want more, more, more, retire with a **** load of money after sucking all the money out of the company.
A fish rots from the head down.......
A fish rots from the head down.......
Jarhead0408
Well-known member
I was surprised to see this thread brought back to life, even more so when the page popped up with my name quoted.
Yeah man, I know it's capitalism. Capitalism is great, but, on some things a line should be drawn in the sand.
Just seems messed up to me though. Having a former combatant make our uniforms goes against any the grain for me. It shows lack of respect by whoever is coming up with the contracts and purchase orders for the Veterans who fought against those nations. Neither of my Grandfathers would have approved of BS like that. It would be like having Afgahnistan/Al-Qaida make our uniforms in 2031.
Yeah man, I know it's capitalism. Capitalism is great, but, on some things a line should be drawn in the sand.
Just seems messed up to me though. Having a former combatant make our uniforms goes against any the grain for me. It shows lack of respect by whoever is coming up with the contracts and purchase orders for the Veterans who fought against those nations. Neither of my Grandfathers would have approved of BS like that. It would be like having Afgahnistan/Al-Qaida make our uniforms in 2031.
hifi_hokie
Well-known member
If we excluded former combatants as possible sources for our goods, our trade deficit to Antarctica would be astronomical. 
I'm not a vet, so I'll admit that I'll never understand it the same way, but to me being able to trade with countries that were former enemies is a sign of hope, that things can get better.
Being half Armenian, I definitely see what happens when two countries don't make those steps after horrific things happen, even 100 years later...
I'm not a vet, so I'll admit that I'll never understand it the same way, but to me being able to trade with countries that were former enemies is a sign of hope, that things can get better.
Being half Armenian, I definitely see what happens when two countries don't make those steps after horrific things happen, even 100 years later...
In response to:
"I don't, for one minute, think that formerly American companies were NOT making good profits. They were not making the insanely huge profits that moving the industry overseas would bring so offshore they go."
Do you have any idea how costly and risky it is to move a business to a country like China, and try to maintain control of quality using a work force that is motivated but very inexperienced and poorly educated? You probably have no idea what a nightmare it is to grease the palms of dozens of crooked communist bureaucrats who will bleed, dictate, and meddle in every aspect of your business. Then there's the wholesale theft of intellectual property. You can spend tens of millions of dollars to develop a new product, set up a manufacturing operation, only to have your product design stolen and counterfeited, with no legal recourse.
I work in the integrated circuit equipment manufacturing industry, and no one I know enjoys going to China for an equipment install. It's a nightmare. It *****. No prospering businessman in his right mind would fire coworkers many of whose families he's known for years just to make more money. Your problems with tax compliance, shipping, parts and materials acquisition, facility setup and operation all become exponentially more difficult.
In other third-world countries, there are additional problems, such as in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez suddenly decided to nationalize the assets of western oil companies. Imagine if your company invested billions in the refineries there, only to have it stolen.
We've sold equipment to a IC chip fabrication plant in Juarez, Mexico. We won't go there to maintain it, even with an armed ****** to and from the hotel, and 15-foot high walls around the facility, protected with armed security guards. That plant must be a dream to operate, right?
The companies I know of only move their operations overseas only if they have to, because competition is fierce. Most manufacturing businesses operate with razor thin profit margins of only a few percent, so a couple percentage points increase in costs associated with taxes, labor, environmental regulation compliance, transportation, energy, raw materials, mandatory health care, union regulations, etc, could make even a solidly profitable business suddenly unprofitable.
Consider the "greedy" oil companies, whose profits have doubled in the last few years. They now average less than 7 cents profit on a gallon of gas that retails at around $3.50/gallon. That's less than 2% of the retail price. On the other hand, the combined taxes on gas in places like California and N.Y. City tops 40 cents/gallon. And politicians call the oil companies greedy.
I'm sure there are unscrupulous business owners who move manufacturing offshore purely out of greed, but I suspect that most do so out of necessity.
"I don't, for one minute, think that formerly American companies were NOT making good profits. They were not making the insanely huge profits that moving the industry overseas would bring so offshore they go."
Do you have any idea how costly and risky it is to move a business to a country like China, and try to maintain control of quality using a work force that is motivated but very inexperienced and poorly educated? You probably have no idea what a nightmare it is to grease the palms of dozens of crooked communist bureaucrats who will bleed, dictate, and meddle in every aspect of your business. Then there's the wholesale theft of intellectual property. You can spend tens of millions of dollars to develop a new product, set up a manufacturing operation, only to have your product design stolen and counterfeited, with no legal recourse.
I work in the integrated circuit equipment manufacturing industry, and no one I know enjoys going to China for an equipment install. It's a nightmare. It *****. No prospering businessman in his right mind would fire coworkers many of whose families he's known for years just to make more money. Your problems with tax compliance, shipping, parts and materials acquisition, facility setup and operation all become exponentially more difficult.
In other third-world countries, there are additional problems, such as in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez suddenly decided to nationalize the assets of western oil companies. Imagine if your company invested billions in the refineries there, only to have it stolen.
We've sold equipment to a IC chip fabrication plant in Juarez, Mexico. We won't go there to maintain it, even with an armed ****** to and from the hotel, and 15-foot high walls around the facility, protected with armed security guards. That plant must be a dream to operate, right?
The companies I know of only move their operations overseas only if they have to, because competition is fierce. Most manufacturing businesses operate with razor thin profit margins of only a few percent, so a couple percentage points increase in costs associated with taxes, labor, environmental regulation compliance, transportation, energy, raw materials, mandatory health care, union regulations, etc, could make even a solidly profitable business suddenly unprofitable.
Consider the "greedy" oil companies, whose profits have doubled in the last few years. They now average less than 7 cents profit on a gallon of gas that retails at around $3.50/gallon. That's less than 2% of the retail price. On the other hand, the combined taxes on gas in places like California and N.Y. City tops 40 cents/gallon. And politicians call the oil companies greedy.
I'm sure there are unscrupulous business owners who move manufacturing offshore purely out of greed, but I suspect that most do so out of necessity.
fordzilla90
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 3, 2012
- Messages
- 62
Chicom ********!
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Jarhead0408
Well-known member
If we excluded former combatants as possible sources for our goods, our trade deficit to Antarctica would be astronomical.
I'm not a vet, so I'll admit that I'll never understand it the same way, but to me being able to trade with countries that were former enemies is a sign of hope, that things can get better.
Being half Armenian, I definitely see what happens when two countries don't make those steps after horrific things happen, even 100 years later...
I get your point man, but it strikes me a tad different.
If trading with a former enemy were in fact a indicator that some change had occurred in the former opposing country for the better I could accept it a little easier. But the last I checked Viet'Nam and China are still communist countries, and China has a real bad record on Human rights.
It rankles me a bit that some of the uniforms we wear now are produced by former combatants like Viet'Nam etc. My Grandfather fought there. He lost buddies there. Seems like it's throwing it in his face to me. Too many higher ups in these companies only care about how much money they can rake in. Regardless of whom is paying it to them. Sometime's it seems like we as a Nation would sell our souls to make a buck. Money IS nice to have, but it's not everything by a long shot.
Not criticizing you at all, just expanding on my views a little.
Jarhead0408
Well-known member
If we excluded former combatants as possible sources for our goods, our trade deficit to Antarctica would be astronomical.
There's a few left we haven't fought yet! Give me time though.......
Maybe next time we'll just declare war on the Kardashians and Lady Gaga! That'll make alot of people happy.
darkk
Well-known member
Ahh...those lazy ones with entitled attitudes are the ones our tax dollars are supporting......
acer66
Well-known member
I get your point man, but it strikes me a tad different.
If trading with a former enemy were in fact a indicator that some change had occurred in the former opposing country for the better I could accept it a little easier. But the last I checked Viet'Nam and China are still communist countries, and China has a real bad record on Human rights.
It rankles me a bit that some of the uniforms we wear now are produced by former combatants like Viet'Nam etc. My Grandfather fought there. He lost buddies there. Seems like it's throwing it in his face to me. Too many higher ups in these companies only care about how much money they can rake in. Regardless of whom is paying it to them. Sometime's it seems like we as a Nation would sell our souls to make a buck. Money IS nice to have, but it's not everything by a long shot.
Not criticizing you at all, just expanding on my views a little.
That is right, but he he said a sign of hope, I do not know what is going on in Vietnam
but in China as said before is something happening.
It's not going to happen overnight but it will get more expensive to produce there because workers will get paid more etc..
But I doubt that will mean it all will come back here, they will just find another poor country and produce there.
green.bubbly
Well-known member
Well we have no other choice.
I paid about $300 for the laptop I'm on so yes, I would happily pay $600 for one I knew was made in the US of US components. I would welcome that ability to choose.
IO trhinki there is a lot of the problem, the ability to choose. When I purchase online, I do make an effort generally to find an American made product.
The problem is when it is Saturday morning and you are under your car and you need a 7/8" open end wrench now. Good luck finding an American made one.
What I would like to see but I doubt I ever will would be for stores such as Lowes to offer both options of some items. Cheap Chinese **** on the left and the made in America on the right.
It is not always about the quality either. Being made in America does not always mean it is better but being better is not the only reason to buy something. Keeping well paying jobs in America needs to factor in. Put two crappy wrenches side by side, made by each country and I will pay a little more for the one made here. It is not any better but at least it was made here.
Maybe the person that made that wrench will need my services one day. It sure would be nice if that person had a job and could pay me for my services. Any one here ever get called out to China to fix a broken car?
cashishift
Well-known member
truth.. and a bunch of kids who couldn't change their own oil if their life depended on it.
JimVonBaden
Well-known member
If we excluded former combatants as possible sources for our goods, our trade deficit to Antarctica would be astronomical.
I'm not a vet, so I'll admit that I'll never understand it the same way, but to me being able to trade with countries that were former enemies is a sign of hope, that things can get better.
Being half Armenian, I definitely see what happens when two countries don't make those steps after horrific things happen, even 100 years later...
I am a vet, and I agree! We should embrace our former enemies, unless we wish them not to remain former enemies. Trade is one way to do it. We were trading with England weeks after the revolutionary war.
Of course we should strive to bring manufacturing back to the US, but we must face the fact that we will never make everything we need, and that is as it should be. Some are better at making things than others.
Jim
hifi_hokie
Well-known member
I totally agree - ever since leaving school, my last two gigs were either a) in a subcontractor to defense firms in DC or b) textiles, all of which are made in Shanghai. It gives me pause when I'm working on an analysis of moving part of our supply chain to Xiamen province and simultaneously I'm listening to the BBC give an interview with a family whose house was bulldozed in the night in the same province to make room for a new factory.
Then again, most of the owners of smaller firms that I've talked to that are trying to keep everything here, are in holding patterns - running on a skeleton crew of contractors. I don't know if they're waiting for the political winds to change or what, but I know I'll be looking to make a career move in the spring and it would be nice to get back into the design/build arena again.
I like one of Nick Cage's lines in Lord of War - "I never sold to Osama Bin Laden, but not on any moral grounds - he was always bouncing checks back then."
Not criticizing you at all, just expanding on my views a little.
This is why GJ rocks...discussions on a mature level
Jarhead0408
Well-known member
It gives me pause when I'm working on an analysis of moving part of our supply chain to Xiamen province and simultaneously I'm listening to the BBC give an interview with a family whose house was bulldozed in the night in the same province to make room for a new factory.
This is why GJ rocks...discussions on a mature level
WHOA DUDE! Hold up! Don't accuse me of being mature! Crossed the line there........
Just messin, GJ does rock, Seems like you do always get one or two people out there intent on destroying threads, but for the most part people are levelheaded here.
The real drawback is sometimes not being able to convey the tone or syntax of what you are saying. Leads to misunderstandings sometimes.
I know what you mean about China. The same day I found out the government there had forcibly taken a woman and aborted her Baby against her will was the same day I bought some castors at Tractor Supply that were made in china.
I felt like sh1t after hearing that on NPR.
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KPSquared
Well-known member
Oh, it'll end.
Sooner or later the Chinese will stop taking green paper promises from us and instead demand something of real value. Then the US dollar will fall hard until it's worth less than 1 Chinese Renminbi, and jobs will start coming back because we'll be the new India - a poor third-world country with lots of hungry people willing to work for pennies...
This is truth. You are all screwed because your nation ***** with money.
See. . .competitive price. . .you are being cheap. If you want to "support a nation" you have to pay up sucka. . .
MoparTrucks
Well-known member
You have obviously never been to China (yes I have). Those vaunted skyscrapers you mention have a nasty habit of falling down or over, their dams fail, their overpasses collapse, etc. My last overseas posting before I retired from the Army was in Mongolia where most of the construction and machinery is of Chinese or Russian origin and I can tell you that much like some of the products they sell in this country that come in attractive packaging, most of it is a shiny facade underlying inferior materials and poor craftsmanship.I wonder what the all the construction and labor firms in China use? I'm not talking about rural, poor China. I'm talking about high tech sky-scrapers China. I bet the workforce there values craftsmanship just as much as anywhere else. What tools do they use? Where does a Chinese carpenter get his circular saw? What tools are in a Chinese mechanic's tool box? I bet a few of them are made right there in China (good ones, there must be some demand for quality, yes?) and they get rebranded and sent here, too.
Or are they all really just using Harbor Freight electric drills?
Like most people I am forced to sometimes buy Chinese made goods because some things arent even manufactured in the US anymore but for tools, I would rather spend my money on a well used quality tool from a farm auction than a generally inferior product from China, India, Bangladesh etc.
jimindm
Well-known member
Threads like this are almost comical to read. The only way of getting something good, is not to buy the crappy stuff. The one post says of two crappy pliers, I would buy the one thats made in the USA. **** is ****, does not matter were it is made. If the **** did not sell, it would not have a market, there fore, not be manufactured.
Others buy USA made off of the internet. Great, you saved two jobs at a manufacturing facility on the other side of America, but the hardware store down the street from you, in small town USA, that has ten people that work there closed, because of no business.
The american worker is the reason there are no manufacturing jobs. Unions are demise of many. When there is talk of a strike it is almost all because of retirement or health benefits or both. Its not because of poor working condition. Its not because of being over worked. The biggest cost of most products being union built in the USA are because of this. Its not fuel, or steel costs, or plant upgrades, etc. It is the health care and retirement packages of the workers that work there.
There was a time and a place for unions, and they were needed. Most of the reasons that unions were started for, there are now government regulations forbidding employers of doing it now. Unions were started because the empoyers were exploiting employees. Now its just about the opposite, the employees are exploiting the employers threw unions.
At one time I read that something like 18% of american workers were unionized. Also interesting is that something like 15% of americans work for the government, county, city, state, federal, etc. Most are also union. So most unionized labor does not produce anything. They are in charge of dispersing our taxes. Most government jobs are for life. Ever heard of one that got fired, not many have. Ever heard of them actually saving money? Ever heard of them being responsible for anything? Whether they are good or bad at there job, they have a job to go to.
Small business is what made america. Throw in manufacturing jobs and America was a prosperois nation. Now government talks of helping small business. That really means companies of 250 or more. Not the small mom and pop joints. The dairy queens, the repair shops, etc are not big enough. Alot of the small mom and pop joints have been swallowed up, or ran out by the big companies. You are no longer working for Mr.Smith that lives on the other side of town, that cares about you and where you live and how you live. You are working for Mr Jones that lives in another state, and may have never been to your facility ever. You are just employee #1234.
Oversea poducts are not all bad. What would a pair of jeans or a sweatshirt cost today? What about the radio or the TV or the computer that you are reading on today cost? What would the american car cost today with no overseas components?
The sad fact is that no body is willing to just have a peice of the american pie, and pass it on. They want the whole pie. No sharing, it all about whats in it for them. Its all about me and not others.
Where does it end? It ends when, we have had enough. You can not stand up for made in the USA, and then go shop at Walmart and Target. You can't buy it on the internet, you actually go down to the store on the corner and buy it. Most people do not know or care about building their own furniture, growing their own fruits and vegetables. Most people could not make a weeks worth of meals at home. Meals that are made from scratch, not frozen ready made dough or pie crusts, soup in a can, etc.
America need to quit being greedy. It not about me and what I have. Its about what I have given and shared with you. Its about being happy that someone is sharing and giving, that has made a person that they are today. Its about you being responsible. Its about you being the best that you can be. Its about hard work. It about looking in the mirror and like what you are looking at. Sadly it has taken just a few generations to get us into this, but will most likly take many generations to get us out of it. If ever.
Others buy USA made off of the internet. Great, you saved two jobs at a manufacturing facility on the other side of America, but the hardware store down the street from you, in small town USA, that has ten people that work there closed, because of no business.
The american worker is the reason there are no manufacturing jobs. Unions are demise of many. When there is talk of a strike it is almost all because of retirement or health benefits or both. Its not because of poor working condition. Its not because of being over worked. The biggest cost of most products being union built in the USA are because of this. Its not fuel, or steel costs, or plant upgrades, etc. It is the health care and retirement packages of the workers that work there.
There was a time and a place for unions, and they were needed. Most of the reasons that unions were started for, there are now government regulations forbidding employers of doing it now. Unions were started because the empoyers were exploiting employees. Now its just about the opposite, the employees are exploiting the employers threw unions.
At one time I read that something like 18% of american workers were unionized. Also interesting is that something like 15% of americans work for the government, county, city, state, federal, etc. Most are also union. So most unionized labor does not produce anything. They are in charge of dispersing our taxes. Most government jobs are for life. Ever heard of one that got fired, not many have. Ever heard of them actually saving money? Ever heard of them being responsible for anything? Whether they are good or bad at there job, they have a job to go to.
Small business is what made america. Throw in manufacturing jobs and America was a prosperois nation. Now government talks of helping small business. That really means companies of 250 or more. Not the small mom and pop joints. The dairy queens, the repair shops, etc are not big enough. Alot of the small mom and pop joints have been swallowed up, or ran out by the big companies. You are no longer working for Mr.Smith that lives on the other side of town, that cares about you and where you live and how you live. You are working for Mr Jones that lives in another state, and may have never been to your facility ever. You are just employee #1234.
Oversea poducts are not all bad. What would a pair of jeans or a sweatshirt cost today? What about the radio or the TV or the computer that you are reading on today cost? What would the american car cost today with no overseas components?
The sad fact is that no body is willing to just have a peice of the american pie, and pass it on. They want the whole pie. No sharing, it all about whats in it for them. Its all about me and not others.
Where does it end? It ends when, we have had enough. You can not stand up for made in the USA, and then go shop at Walmart and Target. You can't buy it on the internet, you actually go down to the store on the corner and buy it. Most people do not know or care about building their own furniture, growing their own fruits and vegetables. Most people could not make a weeks worth of meals at home. Meals that are made from scratch, not frozen ready made dough or pie crusts, soup in a can, etc.
America need to quit being greedy. It not about me and what I have. Its about what I have given and shared with you. Its about being happy that someone is sharing and giving, that has made a person that they are today. Its about you being responsible. Its about you being the best that you can be. Its about hard work. It about looking in the mirror and like what you are looking at. Sadly it has taken just a few generations to get us into this, but will most likly take many generations to get us out of it. If ever.
trbomax
Well-known member
Very well said. I agree100%.
Jarhead0408
Well-known member
There's alot of truth in your well thought and spoken post man.
Just from a jobs/economic ethics perspective wish you were on the ticket this fall.
I agree with you. Whatever happened to "Ask not what your country can do for you, instead, ask what you can do for your country"
Seems like that has fallen by the wayside for the most part.
I do for the most part try to buy local. Here in my hometown whenever possible.
Sometimes though the tools I need are not offered by a local retailer (Mom and Pop or chain) in store or online. Not much choice in that case. I grow as much of my own food as possible on one acre. Surprising how much can be grown on so little a piece of land
I would love to make my own furniture, maybe one day.
Definitely agree about unions having a place and time and both being long past due to go away. Replace them with something else that looks out for workers rights if need be but the power that they hold is way out of control. U.A.W. springs to mind.
Back when the industry was tanking I heard a NPR report on a Ford plant. They had problems with attendance so they hired 3 times the needed workers. On days when they had more workers actually show up than needed they were asked who wanted to work and who wanted to go home. The ones that chose to go home were still paid half wages!!!!!! No wonder the industry nearly failed. Yea Ford didn't go bankrupt. But they still had problems.
Just from a jobs/economic ethics perspective wish you were on the ticket this fall.
I agree with you. Whatever happened to "Ask not what your country can do for you, instead, ask what you can do for your country"
Seems like that has fallen by the wayside for the most part.
I do for the most part try to buy local. Here in my hometown whenever possible.
Sometimes though the tools I need are not offered by a local retailer (Mom and Pop or chain) in store or online. Not much choice in that case. I grow as much of my own food as possible on one acre. Surprising how much can be grown on so little a piece of land
I would love to make my own furniture, maybe one day.
Definitely agree about unions having a place and time and both being long past due to go away. Replace them with something else that looks out for workers rights if need be but the power that they hold is way out of control. U.A.W. springs to mind.
Back when the industry was tanking I heard a NPR report on a Ford plant. They had problems with attendance so they hired 3 times the needed workers. On days when they had more workers actually show up than needed they were asked who wanted to work and who wanted to go home. The ones that chose to go home were still paid half wages!!!!!! No wonder the industry nearly failed. Yea Ford didn't go bankrupt. But they still had problems.
PaulsGarage
Well-known member
Lots of politics and polarization with the upcoming elections... don't let it get in the way of good sense! If you really care and want to make a difference put your money where your mouth is and buy local and USA-made.
This **** is obvious!
This **** is obvious!
Oh, it'll end.
Sooner or later the Chinese will stop taking green paper promises from us and instead demand something of real value. Then the US dollar will fall hard until it's worth less than 1 Chinese Renminbi, and jobs will start coming back because we'll be the new India - a poor third-world country with lots of hungry people willing to work for pennies...
The answer isn't to try and force things to be made here that can't be made here profitably. It's not smart to compete with them on things like cheap labor. I sure don't want to work for Chinese wages!
The answer is to do stuff here they can't do. Compete with them where we have an advantage, not a disadvantage. We have to educate, innovate, adapt, and overcome. I don't have the answers on how, but we must figure it out or we'll be Rome on our way to being India.
I am working for their wages... been outta work for 5 years (injury/disability) and looking feverishly for work; the ONLY job that came calling (am still looking and phone is silent so far) pays me 40% of my wages 5 years ago and 60% of what I made 8 years ago before making a career change in search of better pay; my mortgage is teh same as it was then utilities taxes and insurance are HIGHER than then and I am supposed to be HAPPY at 40%??? I just do not get it... disability was a bite in the shorts but paid better than working now a days... BEFORE I consider the 60 mile a day drive and $250-300 a month in fuel to get there and home... I am fuming and desperate to get back to where I was
me too Used, auction, garage sale how ever I can get them
JimVonBaden
Well-known member
Coming from a guy with a German made BMW in his avatar?
Seriously, no offense, but not everything worthwhile is made in the US!
Jim
jimindm
Well-known member
You can sit all day and put the blame on some one else, or you can accept it, that there is no one to blame but you.
I have heard many say I can not work for what they are willing to pay me. This is usually coming from a some one that was paid good to do meanial work. Just because you push a broom in a large unionized manufacturing job, does not make you worth 25$ an hour to pusha broom.
The more you make, the more you spend. Most people have no nest egg, rainy day fund, etc. They buy based on how much a month is it, not how much is it. You want me to feel sorry for the situation that you are in but you are the one in the new home and new car, working as a casheir at walmart.
It all comes down to personal responsibility. I know not there are many reasons out of control that this can happen. You cans choose lemons or to make lemenade.
My dad always drilled into me that you are your own destiny. He said that for 75 years. He now has medical issues. In five years he has been diagnosed with diabetes, that he is now on dialisis. He has had stints, balloons in about every major blood vessel in his body. Is legally blind with a 20-200 vision, has to watch what he eats. When he gets to haveing awhy me week, I load him up and we go see people that we know, that are in the shape that he is in. It does not take long for him to see he has it pretty good. My dad was 6-3, 230 lbs my whole life, he is now maintained at about 176 by dialisis. We have about lost him a couple of times, but he is here with us now.
I think its just easier to blame some one else. Its to the point now that it is almost a generational thing.
I could go on, but the truth is, those that get it understand, and those that don't never will.
I have heard many say I can not work for what they are willing to pay me. This is usually coming from a some one that was paid good to do meanial work. Just because you push a broom in a large unionized manufacturing job, does not make you worth 25$ an hour to pusha broom.
The more you make, the more you spend. Most people have no nest egg, rainy day fund, etc. They buy based on how much a month is it, not how much is it. You want me to feel sorry for the situation that you are in but you are the one in the new home and new car, working as a casheir at walmart.
It all comes down to personal responsibility. I know not there are many reasons out of control that this can happen. You cans choose lemons or to make lemenade.
My dad always drilled into me that you are your own destiny. He said that for 75 years. He now has medical issues. In five years he has been diagnosed with diabetes, that he is now on dialisis. He has had stints, balloons in about every major blood vessel in his body. Is legally blind with a 20-200 vision, has to watch what he eats. When he gets to haveing awhy me week, I load him up and we go see people that we know, that are in the shape that he is in. It does not take long for him to see he has it pretty good. My dad was 6-3, 230 lbs my whole life, he is now maintained at about 176 by dialisis. We have about lost him a couple of times, but he is here with us now.
I think its just easier to blame some one else. Its to the point now that it is almost a generational thing.
I could go on, but the truth is, those that get it understand, and those that don't never will.
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acer66
Well-known member
Can we all agree that unions are responsible for all bad things in the US/world and get on with life?
jimindm
Well-known member
I would not say that at all. There are many companies in America that are union and many that are not. Many that are not, pay as well as those that are.
Its about personal responsibility. In the state of Iowa the governor asked for the non union department heads to pay 20$ a month toward their health care voluntarily. Of over 200 he got like 7and that included him and his cabinet. There were only like three that were in the trenches that agreed to do it. Its all about them.
I went to a hockey tournament in northwest Iowa, a guy staying at the hotel actually closed down post offices for the government. He was closing one down, that had just signed a new contract. The next closest PO was 50 miles away. Guess what, the contract was that these employees could not be located farther away than 35 miles. They met in the union hall every morning and played cards all day, They saw nothing wrong with this. Its all about them.
In not all about the unions, but they sure fit the bill of what is in it for them. What happened with go to work, work hard, and get paid for what you do. Do you really need a union behind you, if you do that. The unions have covered the asses of many, that could not hold down a regular job any other place.
Unfortunatly many that unions represent now are working for the government, that do not produce nothing at all. In Iowa we have John Deere, Vermeer, and others that do produce a product. I beleive that succesful unions that represent people, that are producing a product, do understand better of the role that they play. I would guess that it would be much easier to do nothing for the government, than to try to do that at a manufacturer these days.
When you have one person on the system for every three paying into the system, its not going to change anytime soon. Elected politicians might as well be on the system. Many have made a career out of it, and have no idea how the common american lives now.
You truly are your own destiny. With hard work, a little luck along the way, nothing is impossible. Tomarrow is the next day of your future, do not make it a day like today. Do something about it yourself. Put on your work clothes and get it done.
carterbeauford
Well-known member
this veered off topic. it never occurred to me to ever buy mechanic's tools at Lowes, I don't see what the big loss is.
SGKent
Banned
it is a sad day when someone tries to rob a neighbor and you assist. If they played cards all day and you said nothing shame on you. If you took someone else's heresay and spread it shame on you. If you have a political gain in posting here shame on you. Ask the folks at the Sensata Technologies plant in Freeport Illinois who just lost their jobs to China last week after their company had a 1/2 billion dollar record quarterly profit how they feel about what you just said. Bain Capital was the 51% controlling interest who sold out the plant overseas. It is about numbers and math. I am just reporting facts, not making a political statement. Google it.
TurboCup87
Well-known member
acer66
Well-known member
Yeah, unbelievable that workers want health benefits and retirement, really shocking.
You know that works in many different western nations, right?
How about corporate greed?
While his post has some good points it looks only at one side of the coin.
You know that works in many different western nations, right?
How about corporate greed?
While his post has some good points it looks only at one side of the coin.
jimindm
Well-known member
Not sure who is trying to make this political. I have nothing to gain by my statements. I see that you are in California talking about a plant closing in Illinois. You are right, I do not know which PO the fellow was closing, but there were a few closed in the Soiux City, Iowa area. I am sure google could show how many of the Iowa department heads opted to pay part of their insurance.
Acer, I am not sure what the other side of the coin is. You either take care of yourself, or let some one take care of you.
Living in Iowa my whole life, I look at farmers. I am not in the farm industy. They generally drive vehicles, made by the big three. Usually what ever make they happen to sell in a town. They buy their implements from the dealer in town. Who provides health insurance for them? Who provides retirement for them? Most belong to Farm Bureau to get a group rate on their health insurance. While selling their crops all over the world, they deal with the people closest to them.
Most small business owners are the same way. Who provides these things for them? They deal with the people close to them.
People need to get back to that. Take care of the people that can take care of you. Some one here mentions needing a coil for a GM ecotech engine, because there is no spark. There is usually several links put up rather quick, about where to order one off of the WWW. You have to go down the thread pretty far before some one mentions a parts store in their area, or to just take it to someone to verify that they truly need a coil. Usually Rock Auto is one of the first. I am not knocking there prices or there service, but how many people do they employ in your area. Do they spend any money in your area. When the church van needs brakes, do you think that they will help you out on that? In the big picture you save pennies, but it cost you much more than that in the end.
This thread started over Kobalt tools no longer being made in the USA. I am in the car repair business, and as long as the tool is a quality product, I will buy it if needed. I really does not matter COO to me. If people would not buy the ****, then there would not be a market for it, and it would not be built in the first place. There are good tools manufactured over sea, and there is **** manufactured here. Quality is quality, where ever it is built.
Coming from a guy with a German made BMW in his avatar?
Seriously, no offense, but not everything worthwhile is made in the US!
Jim
Plenty of BMWs made in the US now. I have one of them, and although it doesn't bother me (it is my favorite car) the build quality (and paint quality) was not as good as the ones I have that were assembled in Germany. I've corrected numerous panel gaps that were off, and replaced many poorly attached fasteners in the years I've had the car. Just sayin'. I know the original post was tools, USA vs Asia....... if you're trying to argue cars, USA vs Germany, you're pushing it. ;-)
JimVonBaden
Well-known member
Why is that pushing it? The biggest manufacturing industry in the US is the auto industry. If you are worried about keeping jobs and dollars in the US, that is far more important than tools. Just saying.
Personally I buy the best I can, reguardless of where it is made.
Jim
VWPORSCHEGT3
Banned
the Germans also had their equivalent of chevy/ford/chrysler , it was called Volkswagen. even up to the late 80's people considered the door gaps , fastener quality , intallation of various items , over all just assembled unit quality to only be on par with chevy/ford/chrysler. the dependable VW was the lowest quality car coming out of germany for many years
that being said , a GERMAN designed/assembled car is the ****! the Germans are **** when it comes to the attention to detail on things that most Americans would say , yeah good enough! In my opinion there is just no comparing a German car to an american , or even japanese car for that matter. the Krauts know their shhhhtuff