Obama sucks. There are you happy?

With that out of the way.

There is no business on the planet that would voluntarily raise wages. It eats into their profits, or forces higher prices on consumers. It only forces work to be done elsewhere where it can be done cheaper. It used to be that people picked up and went to where higher paying jobs are. Now everyone wants to stay put and eek by or complain. Plenty of countries have a labor shortage...people are leaving Ireland for Poland, Canada, even Australia. Mexicans left Mexico for decades for work in the U.S. But in the U.S. we whine and wait for a politician to force a business to raise wages? Ridiculous. If you don't like what you have...go get something better, wherever that takes you.

Good luck.

It used to be that people picked up and went to where higher paying jobs are. Now everyone wants to stay put and eek by or complain.

There are reasons people don't relocate and money can be a big one. Intelligent responsible people won't go into debt just moving themselves if they can be in less debt staying put. I certainly won't move myself across the country for an extra $2 - $3 per hour, because it would take years to recoup the cost of moving. Plus moving tends to not just be an economic consideration. There's emotional attachments, such as friends, family, your home, etc. There's also the aggravation of moving, which I'm convinced is exactly what hell is like. This is why we don't ever hear about rich folks moving to another state when their taxes are raised.

What if you have a mortgage ? You can't just up and relocate without falling into foreclosure and severely damaging your credit.

Nobody is buying houses today. There are over 20 houses in my neighborhood that have been on the market for 3-5 years. We're talking nice houses in a suburban neighborhood at low prices.

I had a very good job. My plant closed and they opened a new plant over 3 hours drive from my house one way. They offered me a job at this plant and I was unable to accept because I couldn't sell my house, and my step sons father wouldn't allow us to move him out of state.

Now I'm unemployed for almost an entire year. I spend hours every day looking for work and there is nothing of value out there.

I certainly won't move myself across the country for an extra $2 - $3 per hour, because it would take years to recoup the cost of moving.

And that's the problem, the short term view americans now have. Everyone needs everything instantly. If you are making $30/hr, $3 more is 10%, and obviously more for any pay less than 30. So as you see it being 'just $3', someone with some foresight sees it as an extra $6k/yr. Unless you are making 6 figures then that is not chump change over the years.

Actually they do, the news just always reports Republican efforts in a negative light with the assumption that Repubs want people to be poor, which is ridiculous. Republican ideas are about job creation at all levels and the fact that the policies of the Obama administration are not about creating jobs but about punishing businesses. Just naming something a "Jobs Bill' doesn't mean it will work that way and that's what Dems criticism always is, Repubs won't pass Obama's "Jobs Bill", but theres a good reason, it's because the bill won't actually create jobs, not that Repubs are just trying to give Obama a hard time. If you actually read about it instead of being shallow and accepting what you're being spoon-fed you'd see. Nominating Perez is the final nail, another one who's into giveaways of other people's money. What do you think will happen when they run out of other people's money? "The rich" aren't the bottomless pool of funds you imagine. If he would hire a labor secretary or anyone who knew about job creation you wouldn't have to worry about what minimum wage was, there would be enough jobs that workers could demand and receive above minimum wage. Evevry issue in the country - immigration, education, poverty - boils down to this and nobody gets it, especially not Obama. Create jobs and you'll get every other thing you want. P.S. Don't think it makes me happy to defend them either, I"ve been a Democrat my whole life. Right now Democrats make me just as sick as right wing Repubs (tea party), both parties can go straigh to you know where. I just want someone who makes sense, Please.

Stella. How do you explain 40 years of pro business tax policies supply side trickle down economics resulting in a second depression and the largest transfer of debt from the corporations and the wealthy to the public?? The GOP can, will , and does routinely verbalize, propagandize they want to improve the lives of all. The question that is ignored is the outcome is always the same , the few benefit and the many pay while being blamed for outcomes they did not create.

The GOP cannot fix by process what they have created. Like a drug addict they cannot stop buying and selling. As you stated the GOP will not pass many of the current occupant of the White house legislation. You nor the GOP cannot claim to know if it will work but that is why you are confused. Not passing his legislation is voter nullification, the risk is if you pass it and it works , if it does not run for office with your polices and see if you can get elected. How about we try democracy for a change not plutocracy!

There has always been a class war in this country, since it's inception. And there's always been an enormous divide between the haves and have nots.

I'm one of the haves so I'm not terribly concerned.

Mark, Maybe you should be. The have nots will only take so much and eventually rise up. When is the only issue.

Mark,

I don't think the French aristocrats of the late 1700's were terribly concerned either. Then their heads became separated from their necks. I'm not saying it will happen here, but I'm not saying it won't either.

Once upon a time labor unions helped the underpaid rise. The unions have become useless with their greedy highly paid "executives" and pushed good jobs out of the country with their high demands on business. It is time for unions to reinvent themselves and become useful again - fighting for realistic pay, benefits and conditions.

And to think their are people making a million dollars-plus per year sitting behind a desk who complain $9 is too much to pay for an hour of manual labor.

Ellis,

That's because 90-98% of people can do some sort of manual labor. The more easily you are to replace, the less money you are going to make. I'm 27 years old and work in the construction world. Started off one job at $9/hr, moved to one for $11/hr, and have worked my way up to $14/hour. I've done everything from deliver parts, tear up concrete, lay concrete, install datacom/telecom/conduit, install fire alarms, manage a warehouse, etc... Just about ANYONE can do my job with minimal training. The reason I've worked my way up to my current pay is because I've demonstrated a much stronger than average (especially among my current peers) work ethic and eagerness to go above and beyond the call of duty. In my eyes, a lot of my coworkers are paid too much because of the poor quality work they perform. Know what 90-98% of people can't do? Be in charge of a multi-million/billion dollar company. Do you think that you could handle being in charge of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of workers? Bidding on multi-million dollar projects that, if you estimated poorly and underbid on a job, could cost your company tons of money? How about managing several multi-million jobs all over your state and ensuring that they are putting out the quality work expected from you... Cause if they don't... word will get out that you do shoddy work and you'll lose more bids. Eventually you'll start losing out on enough jobs that you'll have to cut hours or jobs. One or two bad decisions or projects could cost dozens or hundreds or maybe even thousands of people their jobs. Do you think that the average construction worker is capable of doing that?

C. Butler didn't necessarily say that those expenses were hers/his, and the $400 number was car payment AND insurance.

I was going to say the same. If you are stuck working minimum wage you have to live in your means. I've had car payments over $400, but that was for a brand new car on a 3 year term.

You have to get to work to make a wage, but you don't need an expensive car to do that. I drive an old 1995 Toyota Corolla that recently passed over 230k miles. If I was to sell it, the most I could get for it would be $500-800 or so yet it's still a dependable working car. Even if you have to fix it periodically, that sure as heck beats a required $400 a month payment. It isn't worth replacing an old car until the repairs start costing you more than a car payment every month.

My husband and I just decided to sink $1000 into repairing a 10 year old vehicle with 160,000+ miles on it because buying a "new" used vehicle with the same or better gas mileage, less than 100,000 miles, large enough to fit our carseats, and sturdy enough to handle 100 miles per day in a Minnesota winter would be at minimum $150/mo plus a $2000 down payment. Our auto insurance would increase another $50/mo or more depending on the auto loan requirements. Licensing and tags would also increase. We have been looking at cars primarily 4-8 years old, but even those which meet our requirements are usually about $200/mo. So $400/mo on a car and insurance payment doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

You do realize that with low income, bad credit scores aren't far behind don't you? For the same model car, you will probably pay less than mr butler simply because you earn more

It may not be a new car. Have you shopped for a used car lately? Even cars 12 years old are going for 10K or so...with tons of miles on them. Add insurance...and it could be $400. It sucks. I make good money and I couldn't afford a new car right now. Not with most new cars starting high 20's, low 30K's. That's almost a house payment.

I was thinking the same thing..

30ish, I save ahead of time no matter how hard that is for emergencies like needing a car and pay cash. The point is you have to live within your means. My son can't afford a car, so he sold it, moved to a bus line and rides his bike even in MN winter. Rides a bus only if weather is too bad.

You do realize that with low income, bad credit scores aren't far behind don't you? For the same model car, you will probably pay less than mr butler simply because you earn more

Low income does not mean bad credit. I spent 9 years on low income before getting my undergraduate and master's degree and in that whole time I never once missed a payment for any credit I had. And yes, I paid for school myself and not through my parents.

You have to live in your means, and understand that you can't start out at the top but rather have to work your way there over decades.

So $400/mo on a car and insurance payment doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

Me neither. I remember back in our younger, broker days, that my husband (then boyfriend) bought a used car for $10k. After insurance and a 5 year loan, $400/month was about what he was paying.

I on the other hand, bought a POS car for $3k in cash, which broke down constantly. I probably spent more per year fixing that piece of junk up then he did!

Maybe reading comprehension would serve you better if you knew what it was.

He said 400 for the car and insurance. easily an attainable number in any part of the country. New car need not apply, just live in a high crime area with a popular car for theft, or a place with high accident rates...

Completely agree. Perhaps C. Butler should rethink priorities. A car payment that is almost as much as rent when you are struggling financially is irresponsible.

just live in a high crime area with a popular car for theft, or a place with high accident rates...

you mean like like that great dem, rahm emanuel's, city?

pay attention, get serious. $400 a month even including insurance will buy a great car, MUCH newer than what I have. And none of it really matters - if you can't afford it you can't have it! Pretty simple. So many people think they "need" all kinds of things they can't afford, then when things get tough you can't keep up. What do you think got everybody into the mess "we" are in?

$400 a month even including insurance will buy a great car, MUCH newer than what I have.

I just bought a used car myself. One year old, less than 10,000 miles on it. My monthly payment + insurance doesn't top $200 a month. The only way you get to $400 a month is to live in a city, have a terrible driving record, sign a loan agreement with an insane rate like 12.5%, and/or buy way more car than you need. If you have decent credit, there is no reason you can't get a rate around 3% these days, and good credit will get you 2%.

Incidentally, I'd kill for $400/month rent, but the cost of living in my area is insane.

Me neither. I remember back in our younger, broker days, that my husband (then boyfriend) bought a used car for $10k. After insurance and a 5 year loan, $400/month was about what he was paying.

Be that as it may, $10k is a heck of a lot for a used car if you are struggling financially. You can buy a brand new car for not a lot more than that. Perhaps not the car you want, but when you're hanging on by a thread you don't get the luxury of being picky.

People have a stigma that anything over 100k miles is 'bad' and should be avoided. Perhaps that is true with some brands, but cars that are known for reliability can easily go twice that without any major repairs if taken care of properly. Take advantage of that fear people have. When they sell their car at 92k miles because they are terrified of crossing that 100k line, you can buy it and get an equal amount of use out of it for a fraction of what they paid for it.

Buying used is always a gamble (so can buying new sometimes...) but it's probably worth paying the $100 to have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle before you buy it. On every used car if you look hard enough you'll find something that could be fixed, but that doesn't mean it needs to be fixed. Count save you from a lemon though if they find something major. You can also use what they find as leverage to the seller to reduce the price (or meet you half way).

You would also be surprised at how cheap some repairs can be if you get your hands dirty and fix it yourself using either the internet or a book from the library. For example you can replace the brake pads on a car for about $25-$50 doing it yourself. Avoid that $80-100/hour labor fee whenever possible!

You would also be surprised at how cheap some repairs can be if you get your hands dirty and fix it yourself using either the internet or a book from the library. For example you can replace the brake pads on a car for about $25-$50 doing it yourself. Avoid that $80-100/hour labor fee whenever possible!

Yeah, I got lucky and said husband actually knows how to change brake pads/headlight (hey sometimes they're hard to change!)/oil. When I was referring to my lemon of a $3k car, I meant like *real* problems with the car. Amazingly that piece of junk made it through undergrad/post grad and few years into my real job, at which point I bought another used car in much better shape! :)

My two cents, is don't buy a car out of the paper unless you are broke! Like, really truly broke...

My two cents, is don't buy a car out of the paper unless you are broke! Like, really truly broke...

You can get good deals if you know what to look for Bought two that way and they lasted for years My K car lasted for 6 (it died at the 16 year old mark)years another for a total 100K the reason I junked it is because they no longer had a part that failed and no Junk yard had one I would have to have the part custom made for 3,000. that is when it is time to sell when they no longer make/ have parts for your car.

I have an aunt who works at WalMart and she says the employee break rooms have info slapped all over the walls on how to get government assistance!

My sister says the same thing...why would a pofitable employer need to direct its staff to free stuff from the taxpayers?

Sally Ann,

Agree, and while conservatives complain so much about people receiving public assistance, they oppose paying a livable wage. The GOP is certainly not the party of hope.

That's because Wal Mart passes savings on to the customer - and also passes the social costs on to the taxpayer!

Brilliant, don't you think?

Eddie-673099, I can tell you why the rich won't share. Look at our situation. Do you want to help out people who would rather whine than work harder and smarter?

My husband and I have a middle-income salary. We have grown children. We consider them our "charity work". We helped all of our children make it thru college. We currently help out our one single daughter all the time. She makes a fairly good salary but she just went thru a difficult divorce. Her ex-husband is just getting back on his feet after being unemployed for a year. She is slowly getting her finances on track. In the mean-time, we give her money and groceries and other things she needs. She is very appreciative. She takes care of our house when we go on vacation and does little things to make our lives easier. In a year or two, she won't need our help anymore.

Over the past ten years, we have also helped one son and his wife almost to the point of ruining our own finances. He dropped out of college. She refuses to consider college. We give them money. They resent us for it. They never say thank you. They spend money on silly things like Monster drinks. Then they whine and complain because we won't give them more money. We have cut way back on how much we give them. We have become stingy, rich people in their eyes.

Our other three children make more money than we do. They refuse our help, as they should. In fact, our youngest has offered to help us with some of our expenses.

That's not exactly true. Many wealthy people give away millions every year to social and environmental programs. They are the only ones who can!

You're talking communism, and I think it's been shown that no matter what system you're living under, greed happens. Look at the former Soviet bloc nations today.

Ed - agree 1,000% with "Lady." We grew up dirt poor - ate twice a day, because there wasn't enough money for a 3x/day "feast." In my entire youth, we ate out once - at a greasy spoon diner - it was a VERY big deal. No one gave us anything - not a crumb. My father refused to take handouts (if he saw America today, he'd probably cry).

Fast forward - my brother owns his own company and is a multi-millionaire - he worked his way through undergrad and grad school at a good state university. I was able to get scholarships and work part time for all my degrees. I have a house, investments and money in the bank. Nobody gave us anything - we worked for it - every single dime. Point is, if we can do it, ANYONE can. Funny thing though, whining and crying won't get it for you. I've seen some stupid people become VERY wealthy because they started a business and kept at it. Sob stories only get you so far, as they are no solution. Everyone has SOME talent - get off your a$$ and use it - crying is just a waste of time.

Dubya wasted $800 BILLION on a war in Iraq that never should have happened, along with killing 4000 Americans! Think about that one.

don't make them think....they al think the bush days were the best while they avoided service and paying for their wars

What can the president do to create jobs besides increase the size and scope of government? Presidents are all too happy to take the credit for a good economy, but they get the blame for a lousy one. They have little to no authority to actually do anything about it. They can just talk and Obama loves to talk.

Get your facts straight. Half of the stimulus was tax breaks insisted upon by the GOP!

Gas prices are set on the world market. Again, it is oil company greed. They are all international and don't give a rip about any one particular country. Obama has NO say in oil/gas prices.

Raped? That's very cheap compared to everywhere else in the world.

The price of gas is twice that in Europe. That's why they all have standard transmissions, smaller cars, smaller engines, and drive with the windows rolled down rather than using A/C. They also put their cars in neutral at stoplights. And that's the people that drive at all - most use public transportation.

Why will people happily pay $1.50 for a small bottle of WATER, but scream about something that must be drilled thousands of feet below ground, transported by ship around the world, refined into something useful, again transported to pumps, and sold for a mere $4 a gallon?

Bull**it!!!!

holly, please be more specific.

I paid a dollar a gallon the day before busd invaded iraq on his 31 trumped up reasons...are you really that dumb?

In Europe you would be faced with gasoline costing more than twice as much. It's all a matter of perspective.

The spouse and I rarely shop at WalMart anymore, for that and for other reasons.

But WalMart has large restrooms which we find convenient on long road trips.

As far as causes for inflation, low job availability, etc. it is caused by greed, or at least the desire to have more income, at all levels from the lowest busboy to the largest and highest corporations and exectives/directors.

Comes from too many lazy students that think you can take the easiest degree and magically make money. I guess they think the underwear gnomes are real.

When we start graduating a surplus of american born engineers in the country and I see them complaining about having to take minimum wage jobs maybe I will start to feel sorry for them. For now its you own fault if you get a degree that qualifies you for a minimum wage job. Maybe the government should pay them $2 more than minimum wage to go into the colleges and show all the current idiots what they have to look forward to taking degrees that make them feel happy.

Thanks for bringing that up. When I had college homework (physics and math) problems that required several pages of paper to complete just a single equation, I didn't have a lot of respect for some of the other degrees. Some degrees are a joke, and are no comparison to degrees that require diligence, and frankly, more intelligence.

This also holds true for WHERE one seeks a degree. Some colleges are just glorified high school, as evident by their graduates who make an impression (not a good impression) when they reach the engineering business workplace.

As an engineer, who graduated in Dec 2005. I've been fortunately enough to remain employed. I've seen a lot of engineering majors that graduated post-recession start, that have still yet to find a job. There's a gap, every engineering major that graduated from 2007-present, is competing with some of the downsized engineerings majors who have a few years under their belt.

If you are doing the hiring, who do you pick up? The guy with experience, willing to cut back his salary to that of a starting engineer, or the fresh graduate with absolutely no experience? You take the experienced guy nearly everytime. Thus the fresh graduate never accummulates any experience, and thus never gets chosen for the job.

Hiring has always been a numbers game since the creation of careerbuilder/monster/etc. Thousands of qualified people all applying for the same job, some willing to move half-way around the globe to attain even an entry level position. When the company hires, one, those thousands move on to the next application. Long gone is the days of our fathers and grandfathers where they were accepted into every position they applied for. You've got to receive literally hundreds of FOAD letters, and non-responses from companies before you get someone to say yes. And you have to do it quickly, because who wants to hire someone who's been out of the 'field' for a year or more?

As an engineer, who graduated in Dec 2005. I've been fortunately enough to remain employed. I've seen a lot of engineering majors that graduated post-recession start, that have still yet to find a job. There's a gap, every engineering major that graduated from 2007-present, is competing with some of the downsized engineerings majors who have a few years under their belt.

I've noticed this in my field too. I work in microbiological research. The only jobs available to 4 year degree graduates these days are temp jobs with no benefits and no job security. It doesn't matter if you're entry level or have a decade under your belt, this is what is available.

And you have to do it quickly, because who wants to hire someone who's been out of the 'field' for a year or more?

My wife has been out of the science field for 2 years after having our daughter. She has to take a job that will at least pay for day care, around $1,600/month. It's tough enough just finding an opening, but she's finding that wages for the same job are 20 - 30% less than they were 2 years ago, making the childcare requirement a very difficult goal to obtain. Her options are pay to go to work, or not work.

I believe that there has to be room in our society for studies like archaeology, music theory, sociology, and the many other subjects that may not translate into a job where you make a product and sell it. Otherwise the culture becomes filled with two-dimensional cardboard-cutout workers--lose one, plug in another one. There is more to life than learning how to do a job, although of course it's important to know how to work.

Go away. The adults are talking.

.....did you find a job yet?.....

From my comment at 14.4

I work in microbiological research.

Sorry, your party leaders have not been accurate with you. Not everybody that disagrees with you is unemployed and on the government dole.

...so you're an employed Dumbocrat?????....how unique.....

Minimum wage has to be legislated, and there is never a good time to do it, according to business owners. Every time it increases, we hear the same howls from companies that are looking to pay as little as they have to for workers. Surprise--once the minimum wage goes up, they find they really can stay in business after all.

Any company that bases its survival on paying as little as possible to its workers is going about it the wrong way.

People that make more money, spend more money. It's how the GDP is defined. Remember the stimulus checks? Right now, those of us that are suffering are using any money just to stay afloat.

Cry me a river.

oh yes, let's look down our nose at someone and dictate how to run their life but make d*#$ sure not to have family planning available or affordable...

Good comment, Trillian. I agree. Mark Taft, maybe you should stop judging others whom you don't even know. Unless you think we ought to legislate family size.

Mark, these folks are idiots. I agree. Figure out how the hell to take care of yourself before you commit yourself to taking care of others. If I have to support them I get to judge them. And, Jay, maybe we ought to legislate family size. Prove you can take financial care of a child before you are allowed to have one. Its called being responsible. And too few are practicing it.

I have an idea... how about everyone is responsible for their own financial well being! The American citizen should not be responsible for people who live outside their means. If you are making piss poor money... don't have kids! Don't have sex even to make sure that doesn't happen (either the 99.998% effectiveness of condoms/birth control is horribly off or people are going Free Willy a lot more than they admit) or pay for your own damn murder, errrrrr, abortion. This isn't looking down our noses at someone... this is damn common sense! I've worked a minimum wage job as a hotel clerk. I had a 15 year old car with over 150k miles, I had minimum car insurance, I lived in a crappy studio in a bad part of town, I didn't have cable (but I did splurge $20/month on substandard internet), I couldn't afford to go to McDonalds, I couldn't go out with friends, I ate Ramen at least twice a day, I couldn't afford a girlfriend (and I certainly didn't sleep around)... I was even eligible for Food Stamps (by like $25) but I was able to stay afloat without it... so I turned it down. What would you know... I was surviving on minimum wage and slowly increasing my savings! Amazing what you can do when you live within your means!

Do you know how easy it is to cheat unemployment here in New Mexico? You just went from a 40-hour/week job to unemployed... The state requires you to look for a job how many times?!? TWICE A WEEK! That includes just networking with family and friends... you just have to log it... a log that the state NEVER CHECKS because there are so many people abusing, errrrr, filling for unemployment!

Also... why should the government make sure family planning is available or affordable? Know what is the cheapest and easiest family planning? Abstinence. If you want to get with a chick and risk pregnancy... that's fine... but you are taking care of that kid... Not me.

Well, it used to, at least. Not so much anymore.

Gee, Jenny, maybe "they" worked their butts off for the privilege. Maybe you grubs live on crumbs because you don't get out and earn the entire loaf.

Please give me one name from the "they" group that worked their butts off...

Tim Cook who closed down thousands of Apple's factories and warehouses around the world but got million dollar bonuses for doing so?

Hugh Grant from Monsanto who's never held a job that paid lower than six figures in his life?

Ben Bernanke who went from pampered tenured professor to chairman of the Fed where he proceeded to use my money and yours to bail out Wall Street?

Yeah, please let me know Danman when you find a "they" that actually "WORKED their butts off"....

You mean Tim Cook who has a Masters from Duke University?

You mean Hugh Grant who has a BS in molecular biology and two masters degrees from prominent UK universities?

You mean Ben Bernanke who scored a near perfect SAT and taught himself calculus in high school? Who graduated Summa Cum Laude from frickin Harvard and then got a PhD from probably the most grueling university in the world, MIT? Who then became a professor at frickin Princeton?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? Are you insane or just completely ignorant? How do you figure that none of those guys worked their butts off for where they are right now? Do you have any idea how prestigious those schools are, how hard they are to go into, and what work they had to put in in order to get those degrees?!? Those three are where they are because they are brilliant minded people who applied themselves and worked for everything they got. It's people like you that are ruining this country... that blame those guys and assume that they somehow, someway lucked their way into their status without having put in ungodly amounts of time and effort... That they don't know anything about what they are doing. You think those professors just gave them A's for no reason? That they were admitted into those universities because they were desperate to fill up classes? That as soon as they were done with school that they immediately just made them CEOs of companies? You are completely delusional.

Zach, your naivety is endearing.

Getting into the best schools is not about working your butt off...it's about knowing the right people. Grades, much like votes, can be bought.

Like the rest of the sheep, you are easily led and even easier to fool.

This is the most rational and coherent post so far.

Well done. I hope people read and listen.

See, this is where everyone needs a history lesson. The problem, 20 years ago, wasn't that American businesses couldn't compete with the importers- they could, and they did. Here's where the fly hit the ointment- a "little" and mostly forgotten thing called the North American Free Trade Agreement, aka NAFTA. Bantered about by Bush Sr. (remember "Trickle-Down Economics?") and finally signed by Slick Willie, who seemed to get all the credit for giving us such a good economy during his terms as president.

Of course, one of the arguments was that it would open up trade for our exports to other countries (including China, which, prior to NAFTA, had (and still has) "most favored trading status."), hence boosting our economy by creating jobs in the manufacturing sectors here in the U.S., which in turn would trigger jobs like mining, refining, shipping, etc., which in turn would stimulate economies worldwide, and the US would be the world's top economy because of it. At least, that was the big picture that was sold to congress at the time. And, to be fair, it worked- but not for long.

The reality is that NAFTA actually opened up one HUGE doorway that managed to ship a lot of our manufacturing jobs away to other countries, which, in turn, brought forth much cheaper Chinese goods to be sold in the US, which made the corporations here in the US VERY rich, because of the greatly-reduced parts and labor costs. No, it didn't happen all at once- one struggling company did it, which in turn caused another one to do it, then another, and so on. And of course, the corporation's bottom line was so wonderful that they didn't need a lot of their workers.

Think about it- The real estate bubble burst partially because the workers that had a job before the company shipped them south and far east eventually didn't- and that seemed to turn into a LOT of jobs all at once, didn't it? Well, so much for THAT fine plan, eh Billy?

And no, I'm not gonna spot you any links. If you are reading this, you're on the net, you know how to use Google.

Unfortunately, we've gone too far to seal up the gaping hole known as NAFTA. The only thing we can hope for now is being able to invent a new widget that nobody can live without that triggers a TON of side jobs here in the US... and the inventor keeps it here in the States...

not from what I read above...people with college degrees unable to get anything but a min wage job...fewer employers hiring because using the scaled down present workforce to do more for less...for what - oh, higher profit

You make it sound like I shouldn't care about my fellow Americans, especially when they need a hand up...