Quote Originally Posted by richmondesi View Post
That's a good point Jimmy... the lack of manufacturing and natural resources in the US (relative to consumption) has really hurt as well.
Paul, sometimes I think about the fact that younger people in this country today don't remember a time when there was prosperity and a blue collar middle class. It only lasted about 30 years if you come right down to it. Guys died in the streets to get an 8 hour day and a forty hour work week. Literally died in the street fighting goons and cops paid for by the companies.

There was a window of time from after WW2 up into the late '60s early '70s when a man could go to work, feed his family, while the wife stayed home raising the kids. A home, a couple of cars and money to send the kids to college with a pension at retirement.

The companies never gave up. They used their political influence and whittled away at it. Gradually the union busters, the entrepreneurs and their bought and paid for politicians killed the goose that laid the golden egg. Back then a CEO didn't need to make 400% more than their employees and the government didn't give tax incentives to companies to move their production overseas. Democrats didn't push legislation such as NAFTA and say it was a good thing.

All over this country there are abandoned shells that once were factories, mills, and plants. I used to see them when I lived in Norther New Jersey in Newark, South Kearny, Elizabeth and Patterson. Forget about Pittsburgh and the steel mills and Detroit's auto plants.

Now mothers leave their latchkey kids to work two and three jobs and hope they don't get sick because they can't afford health insurance. The kids who used to be out and self sufficient at 18 or 20 are still living at home into their 20s unable to afford their own housing.

The way it was for that short window of time was what they used to refer to as "the American dream." I used to say buy American, the job you save may be your own but the cow is so far out of the barn now that I don't think there is anyway to shut the door. End of rant.