Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
“– that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
In reference to his comment about “of the people …” I’m not sure this is what Lincoln had in mind. If all are in government who is the governed?
Does this mean I can get minority status now?
I hate to be grim, but this country is just continuing on a long downhill slide. Somehow we have found that it is easier to suck off the government than to actually bring real value ‘building things’ to the economy.
Sorry, reading things like this this just depresses me.
Owning a small business in the manufacturing sector this hits closer to home than some. However, despite the continued bad news in the manufacturing sector and the seeming inability of those in the chattering class to look down their nose at manufacturing as something beneath the application of their intellect and certainly their toil the statistics cited need context to tell the tale.
The American manufacturing sector is the marvel of the world. On any measure of productivity it has continued to out-perform any other competitor. Of course a key reason for this is the continued application of technology to increase productivity while reducing costs. This, in turn leads to an continued reduction in manufacturing employment even as the amount of goods produced per labor hour soars.
So manufacturing is not dead in this country – far from it. It would be even more of a force (and likely will be a key element of any true economic revival) if less of our intellectual capital were squandered on, say, dreaming up new and exciting financial “products” I (read ponzi schemes) to enrich the few at the detriment of the many and instead applied more productively in designing and making products.
Government hasn’t seen it way to become anywhere nearly as productive in large part because, in my opinion, government is seen as an end all – a jobs program of sorts that politicians love to dole out – providing evidence of government’s benevolent role in “helping” those who, all too often, fail to help themselves.
There are numerous exceptions, of course. And we cannot forget the vital roles government must play in defense and such. But so many government programs are simply non-productive drains on the economic engine that is to pay for all this stuff. Manufacturing, is hardly ever a drain as, if it were companies would go out of business after all (maybe not ala certain Detroit entities I could cite) and , through the application of labor and intellectual capital create wealth.
Net net – yes there are fewer manufacturing jobs but still a vital and creative manufacturing. sector. Sadly, the trend towards more and more parasites draining the lifeblood of the economy continues unabated. The trend line combined with the recent political rhetoric suggests no reversal in sight.
Speaking of “GRIM” milestones, it is now
12:05 EST. The deed is done–and we are soon, I am afraid, to be both collectively and individually, undone–if not at once, than in seriatim.
It’s not clear exactly what the manufacturing number means: does it count everyone who works for a manufacturing enterprise, or only those who are actually doing manufacturing work? For example, does a turbine designer at GE get counted, or only the guy who actually puts the turbine together?
We are now 45 minutes into the final slide to third world status.
I agree with OldT6, we still have a manufacturing sector, but it is shrinking even as it adds to the net GDP as an incresing percentage, at least to this point. We would be much further along, however, if government wasn’t such a leach making it increasingly more difficult to operate.
Basically, Congress and the left has made it more difficult to operate though labor legislation that tilts the playing field steeply towards the unions, and toward the ecomaniacs.
there is a term that applies to a country that does not make what it needs – third world country. A service economy creates no wealth, although it certainly expends it.
Let me just point out that the graph is somewhat deceptive in that it starts in 1968. That marked the end of Lyndon Johnson’s first term, and he had greatly enlarged government with his “Great Society.”
To quote Ronald Reagan “Government is NOT the solution to the problem. Government IS the problem.”
The graph also ignores that we are a service economy, producing GNP with brains not brawn. (Odd. That sounds pejorative.) Less than a quarter of our workers are in manufacturing.
The goods-producing sector fell from 23.619 million in Jan 1997 to 22.324 million in Sept 2007, while the service-producing sector saw employment rise from 97.613 million in Jan 1997 to 115.914 million. (BLS.gov)
Tailspin:
I’m all aboiut brains versus brawn but I see more and more of the service economy developing as parasitical on the wealth producing segments. How many consultants do we really need to explain the latest (insert various government agency) regulations to business owners anyway? As a manaufacturer I’m bombarded with people trying to sell me their “services” that often aren’t worth the time spent telling them to get lost. I get bombarded by “experts” wanting to show me how to win business from the government. Having done so for a long time I question their means and methods. When I point out that, even in DOD procurements often the pricing on items manufactured are awarded at costs below the price of the raw materials required to make the part leading one to beleive that such items are being likely made in the subsidized “loss leader” mentality that is countries such as China I get begrudging agreement that “well maybe the prices aren’t profitable but let me show you how to win anyway…”.
So much nonsense – so little value.
Think for a minute how much value the financial services industry has provided this great economy of ours in, say, the last eight years? How many of those people will be able to find meaningful work when all they know is shilling the corporate greed line handed down by the “wise young men” from wall street offering nothing but hype and short term thinking? of course those firms fees are made on the transaction whether ultimately successful or not.
The balance has shifted too far methinks.
We need to get back to creating wealth by application of an honest day’s labor for a honest day’s return. A service econmy has to have a wealth creation one to service. That is our challenge I think.