Educational Debuff

Writing “Unlevel Playing Field” got me thinking, there is another issue that I believe presents a major drawback to the American people in today's global economy. As we see fewer and fewer manufacturing jobs (for a verity of reasons ranging from outsourcing to increased automation), we see an increase in the need for people to become more educated so that they can compete for a number of less physically strenuous, but more complex service related jobs. Yes, I am equating manufacturing jobs with “unskilled labor,” which seems to be a fair comparison coming from someone who works in a position that qualifies as such.

The issue isn't that I'm against education. In fact, I admit that I have a tenancy to evaluate a person's base worth to society based first on my own estimate of their intelligence, as ugly as that sounds (at least I'm honest). The problem here is that the cost of getting a decent education is prohibitively high, making it extremely difficult for people to justify the decades of student loans they will be repaying.

I have learned, however, that in some countries, a student would not be burdened by such insane costs. Of course, this could lead me to issues of constitutionality if someone wants to suggest that the U.S. federal government pay these costs, but state governments could without question, if they weren't already fiscally destitute. And yes, that too could lead me on another tangent.

So what I'm getting at with this is it would seem to me that another massive debuff on our economy is the significant lack of college educated people... arguably our high school diploma level of education is barely adequate, and many people are unable or unwilling to invest the little money they may have in what they may consider a gamble at-best. This coming from a non-college-educated person married to a woman with a four-year degree that has not been particularly helpful to her getting a job, yes I consider many college degree programs to be a gamble, and I'm too risk averse to bother with it.

So take what you will from my rambling... and maybe I'll come back soon with more to add.

Unlevel Playing Field

Best I can figure by compiling several sources, I can deduce that the workers in Chinese factories make around $1.00 per hour (this is rounded up to the nearest dollar, but sources vary from 44 cents per hour to 83 cents per hour) before overtime in factored in (whatever that means in China). Some sources make a point to state how much worse the rates are in places like Mexico or Indonesia, but being most goods I see at our local stores are Chinese, I'll pick on them specifically.

I can't say whether $1.00 per hour is considered a decent wage there, but that aside, it does go to illustrate a fundamental problem with our trade policies. Some call it free trade – that basically we put a minimal level of restrictions on what comes in or out, but I think we should have placed one huge restriction on incoming trade a long time ago. Fact is, businesses in the United States are required to pay their employees a certain “minimum wage,” and other countries may not have such a standard, or their standard is far below ours.

Now I know people can cry foul because the cost of living is simply not at high in those countries, but I simply see that as the main disadvantage we're facing today. If companies in other countries were required to pay at least the U.S. idea of minimum wage to their workers, we would probably still manufacture a great deal of these products here at a competitive price. Of course, we can't just change this now – I'm pretty sure that would spell disaster. It is important, however, to recognize a major flaw in our trade policy and remember it as we move on to the future.

I seriously believe that our nation would be in a better position today, at least economically, if we had made a few key decisions differently. In 1935, the federal government instituted the nation's first federal minimum wage standards. At that time, it is my belief that we should have insisted any company desiring to sell products in the U.S. pay that wage and prove it to the federal government in order to be permitted the right to sell it here. If this had happened, and been adhered to even half of the time, not only would we have forced the improvement of living standards in those countries, but we would have kept prices consistent with that which manufacturers in the U.S. can compete – keeping jobs here in the U.S.

I'm sure enforcing this would have been a nightmare in the 30s, but today I imagine it would be relatively easy (not that it would be without problems or cost).

Again, I wouldn't advise trying to implement this today, considering we have so little real manufacturing left in this country. What we would be left with is a bunch of super expensive import products and no American-made options. That, and our trading partners would be really pissed off.

Anyway, just thought I'd use a little lunacy to help illustrate what I think to be one of the fundamental reasons why the U.S. is hurting today in the global economy. Come back tomorrow to read the second part of this ongoing ramble.

Haven't Had a Lot to Say, Huh?

No, I guess I haven't. In the last couple of weeks, I have found time to win Fallout: New Vegas, siding with the NCR. I have since started playing again, but this time I'm choosing a more neutral, self-centered approach. I also got started into a round of an RP game called Classic Country Capital, but oddly have found that I haven't the time for it like I used to, what with our son's home schooling, work, and other things (aka family).

Last week, for instance, I was presented the opportunity to see my brother. He came to Cincinnati from the St Louis area for an overnight visit before departing northward to visit with our Dad and sisters in Bellefontaine. I hadn't seen him in 20 years, and have come to the realization that I've missed a lot having so little contact with the rest of the family. So, as might be expected of me, many alcoholic beverages were consumed and enjoyed. Fortunately, very little in the way of “side effects” were experienced the following day, and all told, it was a very pleasant, informative visit.

Following my brother's visit, my wife and I were permitted the luxury of a child-free weekend, thanks to her parents. Whilst they took him to Toledo to visit family there, my wife and I went to a car show downtown and enjoyed some movie madness via Netflix. “Angels & Demons,” “The Pledge,” “2012,” and “Surrogates” were among the featured titles, and those along with generous doses of amaretto made for a pleasant weekend that involved surprisingly very little computer time and oddly early bedtimes (for me, anyway).

So I guess what I'm getting at is that I've been busy doing other things, and while a few things have suffered, such as my blog writing, I feel like I've actually done something for a change. Not that I necessarily intend to make a habit of that – geesh, that would ruin my reputation!