Major RANT here, I am so darn sick of it__the news! the gas prices, the people loosing jobs

[Q_ponQ]

No one seems to care, can't anyone do anything about all of this?

IMHO, the Wealthy causes it, let them fix it...

Their wants for bigger, faster, better and more profits causes what we are seeing!
companies took their business out of this country to pocket more $$
rather than pay unionized workers!

I call them
the World's Wasteful Wealthy....

the said part about it is this:
they have become accustomed to it, just like we are accustomed to cutting coupons, and saving $$
what "normal" is to some is not the "normal" to others

Sad...:frown:

[extechy]

You know, I think this is a source of frustration for me as well. I don't sleep well at nights right now and I'm wondering if this is why. And I agree, no one seems to care.

If anything it's being down-played, especially by people in high places. I don't agree with your quick fix, though. It's going to take people like you and me to fix this. We are closer to it and have a better understanding of all things money!

From now on, only cartoons, comedies, and puppy and kitten shows for me.

[Jiji]

I may get flamed for this, but one of the reasons companies went overseas was because the unions in this country made companies pay such high wages. Yes, these were skilled people, but we all have read about a mechanic or line worker at Ford/GM or Sunbeam or wherever being paid $40 an hour or something equally absurd. Unions have long since outlived their purpose, THIS being said from a former union shop representative.

If those wages could have been lowered, could companies have afforded to stay in this country? Probably, but even I know some would have left because they could make more money.

Now, I just made a sweeping generalization, like you did, but I maintain mine is just as much to blame and just as accurate as yours is. Unfortunately, the powers that be, government, let it happen because they are having their pockets padded.

I just wanted to add that the gas/oil companies are making the SAME profit margin they were making 10 years ago, but they are dealing with BILLIONS in sales, so when they have billions in profits and it looks obscene. We all need gas and most can't live without it. Therefore, who should have been at the forefront of discovering alternative fuels so we wouldn't be in this situation?

By no means am I anywhere near anything other than middle class, but I am not going to bash the wealthy for being just that - if you think they should fix things, how close is that to socialism? Karl Marx would be proud.

[TheWoman]

Didn't we all contribute to companies sending the jobs overseas? We here at HCW are spending lots of time and effort to get as much stuff as possible for as little money as we can get away with. When you go to a store and see two nearly identical shirts, but one costs half the price of the other, do you buy the more expensive shirt because it is made in the USA? If not, then you are also to blame. Companies don't outsource to pocket more money, they do it to stay in business because their competitor, with factories overseas, can sell their product for so much less money.

If anything, the rich are more likely to be the ones who purchase the expensice USA made stuff while the poor shop at Walmart, home of cheap "made in China" stuff.

[Q_ponQ]

Sorry jiji,
My husband works for a unionized food distributer...he has for
10+ years...he makes 16.00hour approx!

don't overgeneralize unions

It took years and years to get this way, I was downsized in 1986!!
I went to Jamaica, and taught people there do do my job, came home and was layed off....

In my opinion, any big corporation that has jumped ship (USA)
could be paying much more in taxes...and also be held to standards of quality,
which they also avoid by outsourcing

I agree, the politicians, are lining their pockets to do nothing...
In this country there has been division, not only of race but of class.
Call it Marxist if you wish....

It's not going to change...
It's a pendulum that swings, never really satisfying anyone!

Thanks for your opinion, one reason why our country
is still the best place to live!

[Q_ponQ]

If anything, the rich are more likely to be the ones who purchase the expensice USA made stuff while the poor shop at Walmart, home of cheap "made in China" stuff.

Exactly let them stimulate the economy!

Do you think that the $300/per person is going to do anything, what a joke!
or is that $600? I don't even know.

Maybe the more wealthy people will buy a pair of designer Italian shoes

[derketchup]

"There is enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed."
--Mahatma Gandhi

[extechy]

Exactly, Jiji. The middle class is suffering the most and we will have to find a way to fix this. Poor people don't care- many are counting on us to make this work. Rich people don't care - they are rich and only have to pay so much in taxes. Also, they can allocate where their charity dollars go. Plus, they also see this as a "middle class problem." Ultimately, it's up to the middle class to figure this thing out. We are most affected.

You can start by voting and voting for a candidate who has your interests in mine!

[CTCMC]

I just wanted to add that the gas/oil companies are making the SAME profit margin they were making 10 years ago, but they are dealing with BILLIONS in sales, so when they have billions in profits and it looks obscene. We all need gas and most can't live without it. Therefore, who should have been at the forefront of discovering alternative fuels so we wouldn't be in this situation?

By no means am I anywhere near anything other than middle class, but I am not going to bash the wealthy for being just that - if you think they should fix things, how close is that to socialism? Karl Marx would be proud.

I, too, am sick of the bashing of the oil/gas companies. Google makes a 25% profit margin- no one acuses them of price-gouging.
Look- a corporation is just a legal device for doing business. Companies don't actually make money- it's the people with a financial interest in the company that actually make the money.
Where does the "profit" on oil go? Well, over a third is sucked up by the government in taxes. Some goes to corporate activities like R&D and future development. The rest goes to shareholders. And who are they? Mostly, "the little guy". It's your pension plan, or IRA, or your dad's pension check, or the little mutual fund you opennd for your kid's education that's getting the bulk of that profit.

Ok, so the oil company makes 30 cents, or what-have-you, on a gallon of gas. In my state, our wonderful government makes 67 cents! So, who, I ask, is doing the price gouging?

[derketchup]

Corporations just don't pay as much taxes as individuals, and that is a problem in my book.

Continues Carter, who is chairman of Economists for Bush, “As most college freshmen learn in Economics 101, corporations do not pay taxes, people do. The burden of corporate taxation is ultimately borne by customers (through higher prices), stockholders (smaller dividends and capital gains), and employees (lower wages).”

Source: Corporations Don?t Pay Taxes, People Do - by Stephen Slivinski - The Heartland Institute