What is wrong with America

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Originally Posted by Splashone

I think the problem is larger than that in a Chicken-Egg manner. As corporations have moved their employees to their lowest regard, the employees no longer have any loyalty to the employer. Look at how quickly the younger folks change jobs now! Both sides of the equation will have to change. Which brings it around to stock holders and acquisitions folks who only see value in squeezing out the last cent regardless of the ultimate effects on the company as a whole.

Consumers enable the process by being satisfied with ever lower levels of customer service/employee knowledge and product quality as long as the prices stay low. The idea of paying a fair price to get a product from a reputable company is disappearing. They care little for establishing a business relationship with their vendor. There will always be someone else to come along and sell it cheaper on the internet.

I see both sides of this daily at work. The most extreme example has been phone book advertising. The reps used to come around and review your account, discuss changes, how to maximize my advertising dollar. Now it is a phone call from someone that has no time to discuss anything. You are supposed to agree to a "recorded contract" without ever seeing the terms, part of which you must agree to automatic renewal of the contract (cancellation terms are very narrow) or not be listed. As a result, our spending for this advertising has plummeted about 90%. We have dropped numerous vendors that no longer do anything but send out emails of dropped products and ship in boxes of new samples without attempting to understand our business market/needs.

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In the mid 70s when I started with the company I retired from us young people were then able to go from one well paying job to another very rapidly also. A lot did so, they are young people and looking for work they liked doing. It has likely always been that way. Stock holder and acquisitions folks were around then too. You are right imho that priorities have changed and the social responsibilities of large companies/corporations to their employees, the communities and nations in which they operate have almost ceased to exist.

I am guessing that you are referring to the retail side of business and I am mostly talking about the manufacturing side of it. I am guessing that as well paying full time jobs disappear and are replaced, if at all, by part time jobs with lower pay and no benefits the consumer may no longer be in a position to pay as before. A lot consumers, not all, are being driven to buying lower quality goods at cheaper prices from warehouse style retailers or the internet. The retail side of things has become a very cut throat place to operate in because of this. I would hate to be an independent local business person today for that reason. Everyone in the chain is getting squeezed by events and forces they have no control over. Things have drastically changed in the last 30-40 years.

Bob

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Originally Posted by Phrank

In my opinion, nothing has changed at all, it's just another cycle that is repeating itself again over the thousands of years of civilizations, the only things that have changed are the people and the toys. I'm sure the Romans had this same conversation, as did countless other societies, and they will continue forever until we are just a distant, extinct memory in this tiny Solar System.

Well, that's my happy thought for the day....:)

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Yup, it is a cycle alright or a pendulum that has swung too far one or the other from the middle. All you can do is buckle up and enjoy the ride as best you can.

Bob

From an outsiders pov no matter what you may think is wrong with the US there still is much that is right with it.

Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qizm9OBQnz8

Rex Murphy has good point. The news media for the most part fanned the flame for the riots in Ferguson. anything for more unrest. fact is no respect for the law or anyone else's rights. if something doesn't go like you want just riot and burn and loot all you want. The news people will be there to cover it and make it worse if possible. I wonder why the news didn't go into Browns background. I did see one photo on the news that had him with questionable hand signs. did the news media interview the store owner that was robed. I really don't know what went on because I was not there but our legal system though not perfect has done well for a long time. It's the news media that needs more help that anything else. I'm sorry if I offend anyone but this is my opium. There is a football player who puts it like it really is and it's on utube. he's a lot better with words than I am.

This was a letter a Canadian sent to a local American newspaper, it's a foreigners perspective, and regardless of your politics, it's an interesting read.

Here's a link to the letter and an article:

'You Americans Have No Idea' - Another Open Letter, This Time From Canada & This One Hurts

Many of us Canadians are confused by the U.S. midterm elections. Consider, right now in America, corporate profits are at record highs, the country's adding 200,000 jobs per month, unemployment is below 6%, U.S. gross national product growth is the best of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The dollar is at its strongest levels in years, the stock market is near record highs, gasoline prices are falling, there's no inflation, interest rates are the lowest in 30 years, U.S. oil imports are declining, U.S. oil production is rapidly increasing, the deficit is rapidly declining, and the wealthy are still making astonishing amounts of money.

America is leading the world once again and respected internationally — in sharp contrast to the Bush years. Obama brought soldiers home from Iraq and killed Osama bin Laden.

So, Americans vote for the party that got you into the mess that Obama just dug you out of? This defies reason.

When you are done with Obama, could you send him our way?

Richard Brunt
Victoria, British Columbia

When someone else sets the stage you come up and take a bow. I still think Ronal Reagan was one of the best.

It's very simple. A good percentage of the American people are pretty much owned by one political party. They have a great machine and those folks just accept the party line no matter the subject. They have convinced their followers the President ain't worth a hill of beans and really isn't even the legal president. When the masters say jump they jump. You can go down the line with what they believe and don't believe. In addition to that the news business is a money making enterprise and the media doesn't report the news anymore they make it. They pick a good story and run it to death as long as it's profitable. The real news is ignored.

Also understand the economy looks great on paper however there are a lot of folks out of the labor market who are not counted in the rates and wages have stagnated or worse and all the good economics have gone to the very wealthy.

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Originally Posted by Phrank

...snip...
When you are done with Obama, could you send him our way?
Richard Brunt
Victoria, British Columbia

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No president in recent years has been much but a mouthpiece for some group or another. They are "allowed" to say what you see on the news and not anything more. If the market is reported as doing something or not, Every twitch of the stock market is making someone a huge amount of money.
~Richard

Now that Thanksgiving is over & our bellies are stretched from the plentiful,,, let's get back to Bit&*%$ about America,,,:rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Phrank

This was a letter a Canadian sent to a local American newspaper, it's a foreigners perspective, and regardless of your politics, it's an interesting read.

Here's a link to the letter and an article:

'You Americans Have No Idea' - Another Open Letter, This Time From Canada & This One Hurts

Many of us Canadians are confused by the U.S. midterm elections. Consider, right now in America, corporate profits are at record highs, the country's adding 200,000 jobs per month, unemployment is below 6%, U.S. gross national product growth is the best of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The dollar is at its strongest levels in years, the stock market is near record highs, gasoline prices are falling, there's no inflation, interest rates are the lowest in 30 years, U.S. oil imports are declining, U.S. oil production is rapidly increasing, the deficit is rapidly declining, and the wealthy are still making astonishing amounts of money.

America is leading the world once again and respected internationally — in sharp contrast to the Bush years. Obama brought soldiers home from Iraq and killed Osama bin Laden.

So, Americans vote for the party that got you into the mess that Obama just dug you out of? This defies reason.

When you are done with Obama, could you send him our way?

Richard Brunt
Victoria, British Columbia

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A schizophrenic bunch aren't we...Just ask the new majority in congress, our President can't do anything right and anything that has gone right is none of his doing!