Cottage industry US - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pj67coll · #1 10-02-2009, 03:34 PM

I've been wondering with the loss of meaningfull US jobs to asia over the last couple of decades, jobs which will not be returning - if the US will perhaps become a kind of cottage industry country. I don't mean completely of course. I'm not suggesting that there wont be some kind of recovery but I don't see anything like a return to the economic growth of the last six decades. Maybe people will do more stuf from home? More niche product manufacturing/operation etc. Or am I imagining things? I guess in a way I'm thinking of small businesses but even more home based and "cottage industry" like.

- Peter.

JollyRoger · #2 10-02-2009, 04:22 PM

We have become a country that thinks we will make money by taking in each others wash. We simply can't. These are the things we need to do:

1) College education up to Associate Degree, free for all who want it

2) College up to PHD,free, but merit based.

3) Financial incentives for technical and scientific degrees, none for Liberal Arts.

4) Government support for a huge push in Robotics. The only way we can compete against Asian labor is thru robots.

5) We must get off of foreign oil in order to increase the amount of capital available in this country for manufacturing projects

6) Continue "free trade" with the all of the world except for China. What China calls "free trade" is a system of currency manipulation supported by slave labor, which outputs pollution and disease. We owe them no free trade agreement.

7) Cut the US Defense budget in half. Withdraw from all foreign bases where no threat exists or where the countries can take care of themselves. Use the savings to build sustainable consumer industries.

8) Go to a Single Payer health care system like the rest of the world uses, so our health care costs are not borne as competitive costs by business and are instead socialized over the population as a whole

9) End the US income tax system, and replace it with a Value Added Tax.

10) Reform the US political system, outlaw all lobbying and campaign contributions and set up a C-SPAN based campaigning system where all candidates must compete on the merit of their ideas instead of the fatness of their wallets.

Skippy · #3 10-02-2009, 04:48 PM

I agree with you on #9.

Ten sounds good on the surface but would be so difficult to do in a fair manner that it would probably end up far worse than what we have now. I would like to see the repeal of certain campaign finance laws that restrict the political speech of grassroots lobbying organizations within certain time limits of elections. I also wouldn't mind seeing the repeal of the 17th amendment (direct election of senators).

You have a point on #6, but I'm not sure how best to deal with that issue.

catmandoo62 · #4 10-02-2009, 05:00 PM

i'd like to see term limits for senators and representatives just like the pres.8 yrs is enough time.

Hatterasguy · #5 10-02-2009, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

We have become a country that thinks we will make money by taking in each others wash. We simply can't. These are the things we need to do:

1) College education up to Associate Degree, free for all who want it

2) College up to PHD,free, but merit based.

3) Financial incentives for technical and scientific degrees, none for Liberal Arts.

4) Government support for a huge push in Robotics. The only way we can compete against Asian labor is thru robots.

5) We must get off of foreign oil in order to increase the amount of capital available in this country for manufacturing projects

6) Continue "free trade" with the all of the world except for China. What China calls "free trade" is a system of currency manipulation supported by slave labor, which outputs pollution and disease. We owe them no free trade agreement.

7) Cut the US Defense budget in half. Withdraw from all foreign bases where no threat exists or where the countries can take care of themselves. Use the savings to build sustainable consumer industries.

8) Go to a Single Payer health care system like the rest of the world uses, so our health care costs are not borne as competitive costs by business and are instead socialized over the population as a whole

9) End the US income tax system, and replace it with a Value Added Tax.

10) Reform the US political system, outlaw all lobbying and campaign contributions and set up a C-SPAN based campaigning system where all candidates must compete on the merit of their ideas instead of the fatness of their wallets.

When are you running for President?

The morons in charge now only know how to throw borrowed Chinese money at problems.

Mistress · #6 10-02-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

We have become a country that thinks we will make money by taking in each others wash. We simply can't. These are the things we need to do:

1) College education up to Associate Degree, free for all who want it

2) College up to PHD,free, but merit based.

3) Financial incentives for technical and scientific degrees, none for Liberal Arts.

4) Government support for a huge push in Robotics. The only way we can compete against Asian labor is thru robots.

5) We must get off of foreign oil in order to increase the amount of capital available in this country for manufacturing projects

6) Continue "free trade" with the all of the world except for China. What China calls "free trade" is a system of currency manipulation supported by slave labor, which outputs pollution and disease. We owe them no free trade agreement.

7) Cut the US Defense budget in half. Withdraw from all foreign bases where no threat exists or where the countries can take care of themselves. Use the savings to build sustainable consumer industries.

8) Go to a Single Payer health care system like the rest of the world uses, so our health care costs are not borne as competitive costs by business and are instead socialized over the population as a whole

9) End the US income tax system, and replace it with a Value Added Tax.

10) Reform the US political system, outlaw all lobbying and campaign contributions and set up a C-SPAN based campaigning system where all candidates must compete on the merit of their ideas instead of the fatness of their wallets.

as far as number 3 goes, many companies are hiring liberal arts graduates because they can pay attention to detail....and the market is flooded with cookie cutter business degrees.

pj67coll · #7 10-02-2009, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

as far as number 3 goes, many companies are hiring liberal arts graduates because they can pay attention to detail....

Not as much, I suspect, as Science grads.

- Peter.

derburger · #8 10-02-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

as far as number 3 goes, many companies are hiring liberal arts graduates because they can pay attention to detail

Sure!

JollyRoger · #9 10-02-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

as far as number 3 goes, many companies are hiring liberal arts graduates because they can pay attention to detail....and the market is flooded with cookie cutter business degrees.

I agree, they never fail to mention "do you want fries with that?"

Hatterasguy · #10 10-02-2009, 06:46 PM

My friends a mechanical engineer and doing quite well...

We need more scientists and engineers.

MBlovr · #11 10-02-2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

We have become a country that thinks we will make money by taking in each others wash. We simply can't. These are the things we need to do:

1) College education up to Associate Degree, free for all who want it

2) College up to PHD,free, but merit based.

3) Financial incentives for technical and scientific degrees, none for Liberal Arts.

4) Government support for a huge push in Robotics. The only way we can compete against Asian labor is thru robots.

5) We must get off of foreign oil in order to increase the amount of capital available in this country for manufacturing projects

6) Continue "free trade" with the all of the world except for China. What China calls "free trade" is a system of currency manipulation supported by slave labor, which outputs pollution and disease. We owe them no free trade agreement.

7) Cut the US Defense budget in half. Withdraw from all foreign bases where no threat exists or where the countries can take care of themselves. Use the savings to build sustainable consumer industries.

8) Go to a Single Payer health care system like the rest of the world uses, so our health care costs are not borne as competitive costs by business and are instead socialized over the population as a whole

9) End the US income tax system, and replace it with a Value Added Tax.

10) Reform the US political system, outlaw all lobbying and campaign contributions and set up a C-SPAN based campaigning system where all candidates must compete on the merit of their ideas instead of the fatness of their wallets.

Sounds pretty good to me

pj67coll · #12 10-02-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

My friends a mechanical engineer and doing quite well...

We need more scientists and engineers.

I agree. But politics will not fix our problems. So Jolly's list is fantasy. I'm more interested in things that could actually be done by the people, absent government involvement. Original entreprenureship I guess is the concept I'm searching for. Not sure that it will happen myself. Not even sure that it can happen. But does anyone think its possible?

- Peter.