Socialism/capitalism

[Grrr...]

The American manufacturing sector was quite simply the best in the world well into my adulthood. Made in the USA was the standard of excellence for virtually everything.

Those contemporary corporate leaders sure are good aren't they?

Ehhhhh..... you're doing the whole golden age thing. In the 40's it wasn't true. In the 50's and 60's, maybe, because half the world had been destroyed. By the 70's, other countries were producing better products again.

 

[jzk]

There are regulations supporting workers right to organize - though corporations and republicans have been doing their best to destroy those. Those well paying union jobs help set a benchmark that almost all other wages are related to in some way. Teamsters. UAW. NEA. SEI.

There are 'people' out there making 100,000 a year because they offer something to their company that's more than below average. Even salaried positions benefit hugely from the union pay scales, because they set a baseline of 'worth' for an employee in the company.

I like how you make bad strawman arguments. At least make a good one.

People make more minimum wage because they are "worth" it, not because of your dumb unions.

 

[Grrr...]

The corporate world has been engaged in a race to the bottom re: staff since the 80's. Cutting benefits, stagnating or reducing pay etc. etc. etc.

They are now reaping the whirlwind they sowed all those years and can't understand why.

I suspect that employers who refer to their staff as "associates", "human capital" and other such terms are the most puzzled of all.

My parents were able to pool their healthcare coverage between their employers and rarely paid anything for heath care.

Health care companies and employers quickly eliminated the ability to do that.

In 2001, I had my first child. If I had to pay the medical bills, I would have been out of pocket over $100k. But I had top-of-the-line health insurance, paid for by my company. I paid nothing.

20 years later, my company's health care has been continually reduced to where now the 'best' plan that is offered is a high deductible plan. I pay over $20k a year in payments and still have a $7500 out of pocket.

Oh, and if you get in a car accident, your CAR insurance is the primary medical provider, so your health care coverage doesn't even pay for that anymore. That's one of the reasons car insurance has been increasing so rapidly.

And I have an excellent job with excellent benefits. I can't imagine having a health emergency with bad insurance.

I have to fight monthly with the medical companies and insurance because I reached my max OOP in January, but they still keep fucking up billing and trying to bill me for things. Last month it was $14k. Today is was another $2k.

Companies are all in a race to the bottom. Pensions gone. Health care disappearing.

 

[Steam Flyer]

People make more minimum wage because they are "worth" it, not because of your dumb unions.

Why were workers worth relatively more 50 years ago?

In 1972 the majority of USA households had one income. Yet they could afford education, health care, housing, cars with fins, actually buying a ticket to go into a theater to watch movies, etc etc.

Households with 2 or 3 or 4 or more incomes cannot afford any of those things, they can barely afford food.

Why is that?

 

[SloopJonB]

Ehhhhh..... you're doing the whole golden age thing. In the 40's it wasn't true. In the 50's and 60's, maybe, because half the world had been destroyed. By the 70's, other countries were producing better products again.

A few other countries were producing some decent quality stuff but "Made in USA" was still the standard for virtually everything but cars right up to Reagan.

 

[SloopJonB]

My parents were able to pool their healthcare coverage between their employers and rarely paid anything for heath care.

Health care companies and employers quickly eliminated the ability to do that.

In 2001, I had my first child. If I had to pay the medical bills, I would have been out of pocket over $100k. But I had top-of-the-line health insurance, paid for by my company. I paid nothing.

20 years later, my company's health care has been continually reduced to where now the 'best' plan that is offered is a high deductible plan. I pay over $20k a year in payments and still have a $7500 out of pocket.

Oh, and if you get in a car accident, your CAR insurance is the primary medical provider, so your health care coverage doesn't even pay for that anymore. That's one of the reasons car insurance has been increasing so rapidly.

And I have an excellent job with excellent benefits. I can't imagine having a health emergency with bad insurance.

I have to fight monthly with the medical companies and insurance because I reached my max OOP in January, but they still keep fucking up billing and trying to bill me for things. Last month it was $14k. Today is was another $2k.

Companies are all in a race to the bottom. Pensions gone. Health care disappearing.

And I'm sure you are lined up to work for the assholes for $15/hr, right?

"Why doesn't anyone want to work"?

 

[BeSafe]

20 years later, my company's health care has been continually reduced to where now the 'best' plan that is offered is a high deductible plan. I pay over $20k a year in payments and still have a $7500 out of pocket.

THIS IS THE PLAN.

The government has created guidelines that mandate the minimum coverage. Equivalent coverage is available through the exchanges. The only real difference between any of my options are deductible vs premium. And if you do the math, its a simple tradeoff. Literally, you're just prorating out the difference in deductible. Why? This is how you get portability. Every employer offers the same basic plan and the same coverage. There are no pre-exisiting conditions. There is no reason to 'stay at a company for the insurance' - simply put, that's argument is quickly fading away for most Americans.

The second step is the HSA - portable health savings accounts - with perks that give cash rewards. Most large employers offer stupid easy rewards. For example - fill out an online questionnaire - get $100 into your HSA. Walk 2 km / day 20 days a month, get $25 into your HSA. Get a physical? $300 into your HSA. Online class for stress reduction? $100 bucks. Between my wife and I, we've been putting $1000/ year into our HSA for essentially a few hours per year of effort. And it's portable. It goes with you when you leave, and you can invest some of it into simple investment accounts for a few percent growth per year.

if you're an average GenZ / Millennial, you're should have 5-8K in your HSA by the time you hit 35, just by doing the minimum of incentivized activities. Putting ZERO of your own money in. Employers, through government incentives, are paying you to have good health habits.

And its portable.

THIS IS THE PLAN.

 

[Ease the sheet.]

The cool thing about living in a free society is that you don't have to enter into any transactions that you don't want to. Then, no one can "exploit" you.

What is the imperative that forces individuals to work?

What is the imperative that forces a company to minimise cost?

Which entity has the advantage?

 

[Ease the sheet.]

Why were workers worth relatively more 50 years ago?

In 1972 the majority of USA households had one income. Yet they could afford education, health care, housing, cars with fins, actually buying a ticket to go into a theater to watch movies, etc etc.

Households with 2 or 3 or 4 or more incomes cannot afford any of those things, they can barely afford food.

Why is that?

The percentage of profits going to employees has been steadily shrinking.

Profits to shareholders are increasing.

 

[Ishmael]

The percentage of profits going to employees has been steadily shrinking.

Profits to shareholders are increasing.

Payouts to the executive suite are through the roof.

 

[giegs]

Payouts to the executive suite are through the roof.

They add so much value though!

 

[Swimsailor]

Some would say human workers are an assett to help earn the capitol.. And like most assetts, you take care of it, it takes care of you..

The cool thing about living in a free society is that you don't have to enter into any transactions that you don't want to. Then, no one can "exploit" you.

I love your fantasy world.

 

[SloopJonB]

Payouts to the executive suite are through the roof.

BITD the boss made rates like 12X the average worker.

Now it's more like 12,000X the average worker.

I saw a bit recently about some corporate CEO greedhead who was paid $187,000,000.00 - per year.

 

[SloopJonB]

I love your fantasy world.

I prefer his non-standard spelling.

It demonstrates his intellectual depth.

 

[Swimsailor]

Commie gibberish
Ask any refuge from the old Iron Curtain counties
Oh , it’ll be different this time
Geesh… look at the corruption in the Biden and Pelosi families with sons getting unqualified cushy NO PARTICIPATION highly paid “jobs”
and deals

Oh fuck off. I looked for a job last year, spent a good 6 months doing so. Lots of jobs available paying $15-17 an hour with few benefits and awful working conditions. That is where people are working...slinging shit made in other countries because Americans can't get enough if cheap products.

The job I was at??? 60-70 work weeks doing manuql labor as an exempt manager without overtime,in clear violation of the law. When I complained? Hire a lawyer they said. So I can spend a shitton of money on a lawyer and spend the next 2 years of my life fighting or as you say, just get another job. And when there isn't another job that wl support my family? You are delusional to the plight of the average American.

 

[veni vidi vici]

Oh fuck off. I looked for a job last year, spent a good 6 months doing so. Lots of jobs available paying $15-17 an hour with few benefits and awful working conditions. That is where people are working...slinging shit made in other countries because Americans can't get enough if cheap products.

How could you pass up any of those jobs?
Did you live off your savings ?
Did you live off the taxpayers?
Somehow you have a sense of entitlement and a bitter attitude.

 

[Ventucky Red]

Somehow you have a sense of entitlement and a bitter attitude.

That he does...

 

[jzk]

Oh fuck off. I looked for a job last year, spent a good 6 months doing so. Lots of jobs available paying $15-17 an hour with few benefits and awful working conditions. That is where people are working...slinging shit made in other countries because Americans can't get enough if cheap products.

The job I was at??? 60-70 work weeks doing manuql labor as an exempt manager without overtime,in clear violation of the law. When I complained? Hire a lawyer they said. So I can spend a shitton of money on a lawyer and spend the next 2 years of my life fighting or as you say, just get another job. And when there isn't another job that wl support my family? You are delusional to the plight of the average American.

If you had a legit labor law claim, you get attorneys fees. Lawyers would be all over that. If there isn't another job that will support your family, then it sounds like you already had the best job that you could get.

Or you can start a business any time. And you can pay all sorts of high wages too. Just do it.

 

[Rain Man]

Crock of gibberish

Most of what was written doesn't translate well into Neanderthal, so it is understandable that you failed to grasp it.

 

[Rain Man]

Lol… I have not noticed
What freedom is he taking away

Freedom for women to control their reproductive choices. Freedom for teachers to teach the real history of the US. Just for starters.