All of those who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001 killing 2,977 people, were radical Muslims. In 1993 there was the first attempt by Islamic terrorists in detonating a massive truck bomb under the World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring over 1,000 in an effort to collapse the towers.
On 21 December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 crashed as a result of an Islamic terrorist bomb killing 270 innocent people. In 1999 an Egyptian airline pilot purposely crashed a plane into the water near Nantucket, Mass. killing 217 people while uttering a Qur'anic prayer. On October 12, 2000 Islamic suicide bombers killed 17 US sailors on the USS Cole. In 2009 a Muslim psychiatrist gunned down thirteen unarmed soldiers while yelling praises to Allah. And the list goes on and on.
The facts show that there is more than sufficient reason and evidence for the American people to harbor suspicious feelings toward Muslims. Particularly after 9/11, an outright attack against the United States, the American people can never forget the images of Palestinians celebrating in the streets. Further there was no strong unified outcry evident by "good" Muslims after 9/11. Even to this day, after a multitude of terrorists acts across the world, killing thousands of people, there is no strong unified outcry against the Islamic terrorists by Muslims, only seemingly scattered and meek objections. This is what the American people see, this is what they can't deny. This is why people are suspicious of Muslims.
There are approximately 1.2 to 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide. There have been claims that only about 1%, or approximately 12 to 16 million are radical Muslims. Others say that it may be as high as 10% or higher, or 120 to 160 million. Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said it best on a recent (Sept. 2010) television interview where he said that although the actual number of radical Muslims may be small, there is a much larger number who buy into the radical Muslim storyline, or narrative. Certainly we must assume that most Muslims are good, and not all Muslims are bad. This is what the American people WANT to believe. But the question continually lingers...where are all the "good" Muslims in speaking up for their religion? In weeding out the bad? People do not see this happening and this further creates an air of suspicion around Muslims. It is a self created doubt, created by Muslims, for not only failing to speak out, but in failing to take action to clean out those who have radicalized their faith.
In looking at the recent history of mosques, in the Iraq War they were allowed to be desecrated by storing arms, and being used as a meeting place for the gathering, recruitment and training of terrorists and suicide bombers. In some cases they were used as places for military action, actually firing weapons from the mosques. Mosques have been used extensively by al-Qaeda operatives and other Islamic terrorists to recruit, finance operations and train zealots to commit attacks. The 9/11 Commission Report issued in 2004 stated "Americans are often appalled by the intolerance, anti-Semitism, and anti-American arguments taught in schools and preached in mosques." One of the most famous examples of a mosque being used as a terror center is the al Quds Mosque in Hamburg, Germany. It was in that mosque that leaders of the September 11 attacks were radicalized and put in touch with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Earlier this month, the German government shut down the mosque. (It is interesting to note German government action.)
Then there is Brooklyn's Al-Farouq Mosque, a hotbed for terrorists, such as the notorious blind Sheikh Omar Abel Rahman who was behind the first terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. In still another instance at this mosque the FBI revealed another plot planned by the Al-Faroug Mosque cell to set off five bombs in 10 minutes intended to blow up the United Nations headquarters, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the George Washington Bridge, and a federal building in New York housing the FBI.
There is the American-born Imam Anwar Awlaki who preached at the Rabat Mosque in San Diego and met some of the 9/11 conspirators. Some moved to Northern Virginia at the same time Awlaki did. At the Dar al Hijra Mosque in Virginia, Awlaki preached to Maj. Nidal Malick Hasan, who later carried out the Fort Hood massacre. Awlaki now practices his violent form of Islam in Yemen, urging followers to murder Americans. He is on the U.S. kill-or-capture list. The Bridgeview Mosque in Chicago was built with Saudi money and became a recruiting ground for Osama bin Laden's mentor, Abdullah Azzam. Around the world, mosques have been used as venues for terrorists to raise funds, plot operations, recruit new terrorists and radicalize young Muslims. In the Middle East mosques in the Gaza Strip have served as repositories of weapons and havens for terrorists. In Europe, several of the 9-11 hijackers were recruited in mosques. In Pakistan's vast tribal region on the Afghanistan border, al Qaeda, the Taliban and other Islamic terrorists extensively use mosques as safe havens and headquarters in an alliance with radical imams. Do the American people have good reason to suspect mosques? Any rational person would say yes.
Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah was the spiritual leader of Hezbollah, and was responsible for the 1983 terrorist attack against the U.S. Marine barracks and the U.S. embassy in Beirut, which killed more than 300 people. Fadlallah had praised terrorist attacks against Israel, and has been deemed a terrorist by the U.S. government. Yet many U.S. Muslims are mourning his death at three suburban Detroit Muslim mosques.
Throughout history, Muslim conquerors have purposefully erected mosques over some of the most sacred and hallowed places of Judaic and Christian worship. The al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is built on top of one of the holiest sites in Judaism, the Temple Mount. The Hagia Sofia, once the world’s largest cathedral and orthodox patriarchal basilica until its capture in 1453, was the principal mosque of Istanbul for over 450 years. During the Muslim conquest of medieval Spain, the Christian church in Cordoba was captured and converted into the central mosque of the Umayyad Caliphate. Muslims have engaged in this practice for centuries, symbolizing their victories over the infidels.
Sharif El-Gamal, owner of Soho Properties. Inc., purchaser of the buildings near Ground Zero went from waiting on tables to paying $4.8 million in cash for the site a couple of years later. He also has been involved with other multi million dollar projects. Where is all this money suddenly coming from? Is this not HIGHLY suspicious to anyone?? Isn't it also very suspicious that this project is known as “Cordoba House” given the history of the Muslim medieval conquer of Spain??
The project’s public face, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has been touted as one of the most moderate Muslims in this country today. Yet he has made several anti American statements including saying that we were an accessory to the terrorists acts of 9/11, as well as other outrageous statements. The claim is that the mosque at Ground Zero is needed for the Muslim population in that area. Yet there is no large Muslim population in that specific area. Further, Manhattan Island already has eight functioning mosques affiliated with Sunni and Shia Islam. Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and New Jersey have dozens more. Many are also called “Islamic Centers” or “Islamic Cultural Centers.” Still further, they refuse to lets us know where all the funding for this $100 million projects is coming from. The project, the funding, those behind it, and the entire reasoning simply do not hold.
Ground Zero, in reality, does not belong to the City of New York...it is sacred ground that belongs to America. It appears clear, given all the facts and history above that the REAL purpose of this mosque is a symbol of conquest that can be used as a rallying point throughout the radical Muslim world...a stake in the eye of America, a symbol of victory over the infidels.
In spite of the misguided support by Mayor Bloomberg, who is a Jew and doesn't seem to mind being spat at in the face, and the Obama administration, this mosque will NEVER be built at Ground Zero. The American people will not build it, and the American people will not allow it.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
GM IPO Benefit to Taxpayers Falsely Reported
In April, 2010 General Motors announced that it suffered a $4.3 billion loss in the first 6 months after declaring bankruptcy. Then, Ed Whitacre, head of General Motors, proudly strutted through a GM plant claiming that GM had paid back the $8.1 billion owed to the federal government, ahead of schedule, plus interest. Members of the Obama administration then touted this great accomplishment. Yet the truth was that the TARP (taxpayer) bail-out money that was borrowed, had NOT been paid back with GM money, but with additional TARP (taxpayer) bail-out money, out of an escrow account (taxpayer money) in the US Treasury. This claim of pay back was an insult to the intelligence of the American people, and an outrage.
Now, in typical false propaganda fashion, the claim by the media is that with a GM IPO the taxpayers will be fully paid back. Nothing could be further from the truth. First, the impression that is being given is that GM is now fully profitable and successful. This is false. Secondly, and very importantly, NONE of the money received from the IPO will benefit taxpayers. The national debt will not be paid down, the money will not go into the US Treasury, and not even a smidgen of the money will be used to ease the burden on taxpayers. There is an attempt to pacify the American people by implying that "taxpayers" will be paid back. Most probably the money will be squandered and used for political purposes under some claim of helping Americans and the economy that will NEVER be realized, much like the original "stimulus" money.
What the American people need is factual and truthful information, not propaganda that only serves to further take down our country.
Now, in typical false propaganda fashion, the claim by the media is that with a GM IPO the taxpayers will be fully paid back. Nothing could be further from the truth. First, the impression that is being given is that GM is now fully profitable and successful. This is false. Secondly, and very importantly, NONE of the money received from the IPO will benefit taxpayers. The national debt will not be paid down, the money will not go into the US Treasury, and not even a smidgen of the money will be used to ease the burden on taxpayers. There is an attempt to pacify the American people by implying that "taxpayers" will be paid back. Most probably the money will be squandered and used for political purposes under some claim of helping Americans and the economy that will NEVER be realized, much like the original "stimulus" money.
What the American people need is factual and truthful information, not propaganda that only serves to further take down our country.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Loss of Manufacturing Devastating to America
Manufacturing: Necessary for Survival of Our Economy and America
Several years ago the drumbeats started. You heard the words..."We are becoming a service economy". They were said often enough that people actually began to believe them as truth. Worse, manufacturing jobs began to slip away overseas, in many cases based on false financial analysis and expectations. Yet the great strength of America since the Industrial Revolution has always been, and still is, manufacturing. No single factor has hurt the economy of the United States more than the loss of manufacturing to our country. Conversely, no single move could help the economy more than bringing back the great strength of manufacturing. It requires a national commitment.
We have a strong and productive work force; access to a great number of raw materials; transportation systems including waterways, rail and roadways; and very importantly a huge market for consumption right here in our country. Very importantly we did have a great education system in support of manufacturing that included engineering, technology, research and development, quality and process control, manufacturing business related courses, and more...all in support. If one just looks around you see "things", and all of these "things" have to be manufactured. This will never go away, and those that pushed us into believing that we should accept just being a "service economy" have misled America and this has dramatically and negatively affected our entire country, including our economy, and every American.
When manufacturing is given up, much, much more goes with it. The obvious is the huge loss of jobs and the spiraling negative effect on our economy. Along with this, however, goes the loss of technology know how, the loss of manufacturing know how...the ability to make things and the associated process technology. We set ourselves up as a DEPENDENT NATION, relying almost entirely upon other countries to supply our basic needs. In addition it is a major detriment to our national defense since critical components of both offensive and defensive weapons, as well as technology come from outside the U.S. There is more, but the important point is that the loss of manufacturing greatly weakens the United States.
It is difficult to purchase anything today that isn't made in China. China also holds a huge portion of our national debt with our financial dependency on them expected to increase even more. It is well known that controlling the purse strings tends to control the entity that receives the funding. Yet China is a communist country that can hardly be considered friendly. They have a dictatorial regime that routinely abuses the human rights of their citizens and others. How possibly can we feel comfortable with this? Yet we sit here and not only allow it to continue, but continue at an ever increasing rate. Do we not care at all about America?
We don't have "trading partners", we seem to trade with countries where we are always at the disadvantage thanks to successive administrations and Congress. Our current annual trade deficit is running at a rate of $480 billion and approximately $216 billion of that is with China. Even more alarming is that China holds approximately $895 billion of our national debt and it is fast approaching $1 trillion! All of this is with a country who is unfriendly to the United States and whose ideology is that of a communist dictatorial regime. What in the world are we doing with the future of our country?
Reported unemployment is at approximately 9.5% with the independent Financial Forecast Center predicting that it will be 9.9% in February of 2011. The real unemployment is around 15 to 16% including those who have given up looking for a job and the underemployed. With the continuing loss of manufacturing in America this will most certainly worsen. Looking at the facts, the manufacturing share of the economy has gone from 53% in 1965, to 39% in 1998, and was only 9% in 2004. We are well on our way of totally giving up our greatest strength as a nation. Why? Our ability to competitively manufacture is waning fast. Over the last several years we have lost millions of manufacturing jobs; over 3 million of them since 1998. It will get even worse according to the testimony of David Kreutzer, of the Heritage Foundation, before the House Energy Commerce Committee on the proposed Cap and Trade legislation. He stated that by 2029 the job losses in the manufacturing sector will be nearly 3 million and further stated that this is over and above the nearly one million manufacturing job losses that most economists predict will occur even in the absence of global-warming legislation.
Following manufacturing it is predicted that 3.4 million white collar jobs and $136 billion in wages will end up overseas by 2015 (Forrester Research, Inc.) . An even worse report by the University of California indicates that 14 million jobs may be lost overseas. By the end of this year Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 10% of the computer services and software jobs will be lost. Over the next 5 years Deloitte Research has reported that 2 million jobs from our largest financial services firms will end up overseas. Princeton economist, Alan Blinder, has estimated that 42 to 56 million jobs could potentially be lost overseas! Is this not a crisis of major proportions?
Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel, the world's largest maker of computer chips, has warned that outsourcing is destroying Middle America and our economy. He is calling for the need to have manufacturing infrastructure here in the U.S. He has also indicated that when we don't participate in the first phases of some of the high tech development we may never catch up and participate. This is the eroding danger of giving up not only development, but the process and manufacturing know how.
The CEO's of manufacturing companies have allowed themselves to be driven by simplistic approaches that eventually backfires. They look at the lower wages of some foreign countries and by simple arithmetic begin counting the "apparent" profits for their company by manufacturing outside the U.S. What they don't look at enough is start up cost; the costs and tariffs of shipping in raw materials and finished products out to markets (one huge market is right here in America!); and they don't look at the REAL measure of manufacturing...the dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced...NOT wage per hour. Further, many manufacturing companies are material intensive where the yield of good quality product produced far exceeds labor cost considerations. For example, in one company the hourly labor cost was only 7% of the total cost of operating the company...or more clearly stated 93% of the costs were other than direct labor. Where would you look if you wished to reduce cost to increase profits?
There are further complications, and these complications cost money. For example there are complications with both U.S. and Chinese tax laws. There are issues of currency, and the manipulation of currency not necessarily in the best interests of the U.S. dollar and the companies involved. There are other laws that strongly favor China at the expense of U.S. companies. There have been a multitude of quality problems that have cost U.S. companies millions upon millions of dollars. There is a lack of a basic concern for health and safety issues in the production of products and the products themselves. Air pollution and environmental concerns exist and are essentially ignored.
Compare all of the above with manufacture in America with ready raw materials, a productive and quality oriented work force, and a huge market right here in America, with greater ease of exporting products overseas. Compare the ability to keep inventory under control, offer fast response time, and excellent customer service. There is no doubt whatsoever that quality and customer service have taken a back seat since American companies have started manufacturing in countries for the apparent benefit of a lower wage work force.
In answer to lower wages....what ever happened to manufacturing process technology improvements, automation, robotics, an emphasis on productivity improvements while keeping quality high? Again, manufacturing cost is NOT only about wages, it is about the amount of dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced in a time frame. Years ago there was a television program entitled Industry on Parade showing various manufacturing where automation and process technology was used and was a great strength of America. This was when our economy was booming, during a period of our manufacturing "heyday". We were second to none and took great pride in our manufacturing companies in America. Whatever happened to this? Were we sold down the river by lulling us into thinking that we are a "service economy"? It appears so.
The CEOs of manufacturing companies need to look at real and total costs in the direction of their companies. And how about patriotism? How about doing something for America and the American economy, while making a good profit for their shareholders? How about "made in America" by American workers for American markets? Do they realize how much people actually hate having no other alternative other than buying products made in China? Do they realize how the American people would flock toward buying good quality products made right here in America? It would be overwhelming and at the same time everyone would know that it is helping our economy. Have we not run the course of the fallacy and misdirection of "we are becoming a service economy"?
We are losing and will continue to lose millions upon millions of jobs. For realists, our economy is in a state of collapse. The greatest strength of our country and the rock solid pillar of our economy is manufacturing. Our federal government MUST offer incentives and direction to bring back manufacturing to America. CEO's of companies need to wake up, and wake up fast....for the good of their companies, for their shareholders, and, most importantly, for the good of and the survival of our country.
Without manufacturing we will become a 3rd world country with an economy in shambles with little chance of recovery. With a sense of urgency. For our very survival as a nation. We need to bring back manufacturing to America.
Several years ago the drumbeats started. You heard the words..."We are becoming a service economy". They were said often enough that people actually began to believe them as truth. Worse, manufacturing jobs began to slip away overseas, in many cases based on false financial analysis and expectations. Yet the great strength of America since the Industrial Revolution has always been, and still is, manufacturing. No single factor has hurt the economy of the United States more than the loss of manufacturing to our country. Conversely, no single move could help the economy more than bringing back the great strength of manufacturing. It requires a national commitment.
We have a strong and productive work force; access to a great number of raw materials; transportation systems including waterways, rail and roadways; and very importantly a huge market for consumption right here in our country. Very importantly we did have a great education system in support of manufacturing that included engineering, technology, research and development, quality and process control, manufacturing business related courses, and more...all in support. If one just looks around you see "things", and all of these "things" have to be manufactured. This will never go away, and those that pushed us into believing that we should accept just being a "service economy" have misled America and this has dramatically and negatively affected our entire country, including our economy, and every American.
When manufacturing is given up, much, much more goes with it. The obvious is the huge loss of jobs and the spiraling negative effect on our economy. Along with this, however, goes the loss of technology know how, the loss of manufacturing know how...the ability to make things and the associated process technology. We set ourselves up as a DEPENDENT NATION, relying almost entirely upon other countries to supply our basic needs. In addition it is a major detriment to our national defense since critical components of both offensive and defensive weapons, as well as technology come from outside the U.S. There is more, but the important point is that the loss of manufacturing greatly weakens the United States.
It is difficult to purchase anything today that isn't made in China. China also holds a huge portion of our national debt with our financial dependency on them expected to increase even more. It is well known that controlling the purse strings tends to control the entity that receives the funding. Yet China is a communist country that can hardly be considered friendly. They have a dictatorial regime that routinely abuses the human rights of their citizens and others. How possibly can we feel comfortable with this? Yet we sit here and not only allow it to continue, but continue at an ever increasing rate. Do we not care at all about America?
We don't have "trading partners", we seem to trade with countries where we are always at the disadvantage thanks to successive administrations and Congress. Our current annual trade deficit is running at a rate of $480 billion and approximately $216 billion of that is with China. Even more alarming is that China holds approximately $895 billion of our national debt and it is fast approaching $1 trillion! All of this is with a country who is unfriendly to the United States and whose ideology is that of a communist dictatorial regime. What in the world are we doing with the future of our country?
Reported unemployment is at approximately 9.5% with the independent Financial Forecast Center predicting that it will be 9.9% in February of 2011. The real unemployment is around 15 to 16% including those who have given up looking for a job and the underemployed. With the continuing loss of manufacturing in America this will most certainly worsen. Looking at the facts, the manufacturing share of the economy has gone from 53% in 1965, to 39% in 1998, and was only 9% in 2004. We are well on our way of totally giving up our greatest strength as a nation. Why? Our ability to competitively manufacture is waning fast. Over the last several years we have lost millions of manufacturing jobs; over 3 million of them since 1998. It will get even worse according to the testimony of David Kreutzer, of the Heritage Foundation, before the House Energy Commerce Committee on the proposed Cap and Trade legislation. He stated that by 2029 the job losses in the manufacturing sector will be nearly 3 million and further stated that this is over and above the nearly one million manufacturing job losses that most economists predict will occur even in the absence of global-warming legislation.
Following manufacturing it is predicted that 3.4 million white collar jobs and $136 billion in wages will end up overseas by 2015 (Forrester Research, Inc.) . An even worse report by the University of California indicates that 14 million jobs may be lost overseas. By the end of this year Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 10% of the computer services and software jobs will be lost. Over the next 5 years Deloitte Research has reported that 2 million jobs from our largest financial services firms will end up overseas. Princeton economist, Alan Blinder, has estimated that 42 to 56 million jobs could potentially be lost overseas! Is this not a crisis of major proportions?
Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel, the world's largest maker of computer chips, has warned that outsourcing is destroying Middle America and our economy. He is calling for the need to have manufacturing infrastructure here in the U.S. He has also indicated that when we don't participate in the first phases of some of the high tech development we may never catch up and participate. This is the eroding danger of giving up not only development, but the process and manufacturing know how.
The CEO's of manufacturing companies have allowed themselves to be driven by simplistic approaches that eventually backfires. They look at the lower wages of some foreign countries and by simple arithmetic begin counting the "apparent" profits for their company by manufacturing outside the U.S. What they don't look at enough is start up cost; the costs and tariffs of shipping in raw materials and finished products out to markets (one huge market is right here in America!); and they don't look at the REAL measure of manufacturing...the dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced...NOT wage per hour. Further, many manufacturing companies are material intensive where the yield of good quality product produced far exceeds labor cost considerations. For example, in one company the hourly labor cost was only 7% of the total cost of operating the company...or more clearly stated 93% of the costs were other than direct labor. Where would you look if you wished to reduce cost to increase profits?
There are further complications, and these complications cost money. For example there are complications with both U.S. and Chinese tax laws. There are issues of currency, and the manipulation of currency not necessarily in the best interests of the U.S. dollar and the companies involved. There are other laws that strongly favor China at the expense of U.S. companies. There have been a multitude of quality problems that have cost U.S. companies millions upon millions of dollars. There is a lack of a basic concern for health and safety issues in the production of products and the products themselves. Air pollution and environmental concerns exist and are essentially ignored.
Compare all of the above with manufacture in America with ready raw materials, a productive and quality oriented work force, and a huge market right here in America, with greater ease of exporting products overseas. Compare the ability to keep inventory under control, offer fast response time, and excellent customer service. There is no doubt whatsoever that quality and customer service have taken a back seat since American companies have started manufacturing in countries for the apparent benefit of a lower wage work force.
In answer to lower wages....what ever happened to manufacturing process technology improvements, automation, robotics, an emphasis on productivity improvements while keeping quality high? Again, manufacturing cost is NOT only about wages, it is about the amount of dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced in a time frame. Years ago there was a television program entitled Industry on Parade showing various manufacturing where automation and process technology was used and was a great strength of America. This was when our economy was booming, during a period of our manufacturing "heyday". We were second to none and took great pride in our manufacturing companies in America. Whatever happened to this? Were we sold down the river by lulling us into thinking that we are a "service economy"? It appears so.
The CEOs of manufacturing companies need to look at real and total costs in the direction of their companies. And how about patriotism? How about doing something for America and the American economy, while making a good profit for their shareholders? How about "made in America" by American workers for American markets? Do they realize how much people actually hate having no other alternative other than buying products made in China? Do they realize how the American people would flock toward buying good quality products made right here in America? It would be overwhelming and at the same time everyone would know that it is helping our economy. Have we not run the course of the fallacy and misdirection of "we are becoming a service economy"?
We are losing and will continue to lose millions upon millions of jobs. For realists, our economy is in a state of collapse. The greatest strength of our country and the rock solid pillar of our economy is manufacturing. Our federal government MUST offer incentives and direction to bring back manufacturing to America. CEO's of companies need to wake up, and wake up fast....for the good of their companies, for their shareholders, and, most importantly, for the good of and the survival of our country.
Without manufacturing we will become a 3rd world country with an economy in shambles with little chance of recovery. With a sense of urgency. For our very survival as a nation. We need to bring back manufacturing to America.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Manufacturing: Necessary for Survival of Our Economy and Our Nation
Several years ago the drumbeats started. You heard the words..."We are becoming a service economy". They were said often enough that people actually began to believe them as truth. Worse, manufacturing jobs began to slip away overseas, in many cases based on false financial analysis and expectations. Yet the great strength of America since the Industrial Revolution has always been, and still is, manufacturing. No single factor has hurt the economy of the United States more than the loss of manufacturing to our country. Conversely, no single move could help the economy more than bringing back the great strength of manufacturing. It requires a national commitment.
We have a strong and productive work force; access to a great number of raw materials; transportation systems including waterways, rail and roadways; and very importantly a huge market for consumption right here in our country. Very importantly we did have a great education system in support of manufacturing that included engineering, technology, research and development, quality and process control, manufacturing business related courses, and more...all in support. If one just looks around you see "things", and all of these "things" have to be manufactured. This will never go away, and those that pushed us into believing that we should accept just being a "service economy" have misled America and this has dramatically and negatively affected our entire country, including our economy, and every American.
When manufacturing is given up, much, much more goes with it. The obvious is the huge loss of jobs and the spiraling negative effect on our economy. Along with this, however, goes the loss of technology know how, the loss of manufacturing know how...the ability to make things and the associated process technology. We set ourselves up as a DEPENDENT NATION, relying almost entirely upon other countries to supply our basic needs. In addition it is a major detriment to our national defense since critical components of both offensive and defensive weapons, as well as technology come from outside the U.S. There is more, but the important point is that the loss of manufacturing greatly weakens the United States.
It is difficult to purchase anything today that isn't made in China. China also holds a huge portion of our national debt with our financial dependency on them expected to increase even more. It is well known that controlling the purse strings tends to control the entity that receives the funding. Yet China is a communist country that can hardly be considered friendly. They have a dictatorial regime that routinely abuses the human rights of their citizens and others. How possibly can we feel comfortable with this? Yet we sit here and not only allow it to continue, but continue at an ever increasing rate. Do we not care at all about America?
We don't have "trading partners", we seem to trade with countries where we are always at the disadvantage thanks to successive administrations and Congress. Our current annual trade deficit is running at a rate of $480 billion and approximately $216 billion of that is with China. Even more alarming is that China holds approximately $895 billion of our national debt and it is fast approaching $1 trillion! All of this is with a country who is unfriendly to the United States and whose ideology is that of a communist dictatorial regime. What in the world are we doing with the future of our country?
Looking at the facts, the manufacturing share of the economy has gone from 53% in 1965, to 39% in 1998, and was only 9% in 2004. We are well on our way of totally giving up our greatest strength as a nation. Why? Reported unemployment is at approximately 9.4% with the independent Financial Forecast Center predicting that it will be 9.9% in February of 2011. The real unemployment is around 15 to 16%. Our ability to competitively manufacture is waning fast. Over the last several years we have lost millions of manufacturing jobs; over 3 million of them since 1998.
Following manufacturing it is predicted that 3.4 million white collar jobs and $136 billion in wages will end up overseas by 2015 (Forrester Research, Inc.) . An even worse report by the University of California indicates that 14 million jobs may be lost overseas. By the end of this year Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 10% of the computer services and software jobs will be lost. Over the next 5 years Deloitte Reasearch has reported that 2 million jobs from our largest financial services firms will end up overseas. Princeton economist, Alan Blinder, has estimated that 42 to 56 million jobs could potentially be lost overseas! Is this not a crisis of major proportions?
Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel, the world's largest maker of computer chips, has warned that outsourcing is destroying Middle America and our economy. He is calling for the need to have manufacturing infrastructure here in the U.S. He has also indicated that when we don't participate in the first phases of some of the high tech development we may never catch up and participate. This is the eroding danger of giving up not only development, but the process and manufacturing know how.
The CEO's of manufacturing companies have allowed themselves to be driven by greed and simplistic approaches. They look at the lower wages of some foreign countries and by simple arithmetic begin counting the "apparent" profits for their company by manufacturing outside the U.S. What they don't look at enough is start up cost; the costs and tariffs of shipping in raw materials and finished products out to markets (one huge market is right here in America!); and they don't look at the REAL measure of manufacturing...the dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced...NOT wage per hour. Further, many manufacturing companies are material intensive where the yield of good quality product produced far exceeds labor cost considerations. For example, in one company the hourly labor cost was only 7% of the total cost of operating the company...or more clearly stated 93% of the costs were other than direct labor. Where would you look if you wished to reduce cost to increase profits?
There are further complications, and these complications cost money. For example there are complications with both U.S. and Chinese tax laws. There are issues of currency, and the manipulation of currency not necessarily in the best interests of the U.S. dollar and the companies involved. There are other laws that strongly favor China at the expense of U.S. companies. There have been a multitude of quality problems that have cost U.S. companies millions upon millions of dollars. There is a lack of a basic concern for health and safety issues in the production of products and the products themselves. Air pollution and environmental concerns exist and are essentially ignored.
Compare all of the above with manufacture in America with ready raw materials, a productive and quality oriented work force, and a huge market right here in America, with greater ease of exporting products overseas. Compare the ability to keep inventory under control, offer fast response time, and excellent customer service. There is no doubt whatsoever that quality and customer service have taken a back seat since American companies have started manufacturing in countries for the apparent benefit of a lower wage work force.
In answer to lower wages....what ever happened to manufacturing process technology improvements, automation, robotics, an emphasis on productivity improvements while keeping quality high? Again, manufacturing cost is NOT only about wages, it is about the amount of dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced in a time frame. Years ago there was a television program entitled Industry on Parade showing various manufacturing where automation and process technology was used and was a great strength of America. This was when our economy was booming, during a period of our manufacturing "heyday". We were second to none and took great pride in our manufacturing companies in America. Whatever happened to this? Were we sold down the river by lulling us into thinking that we are a "service economy"? It appears so.
The CEOs of manufacturing companies need to look at real and total costs in the direction of their companies. And how about patriotism? How about doing something for America and the American economy, while making a good profit for their shareholders? How about "made in America" by American workers for American markets? Do they realize how much people actually hate having no other alternative other than buying products made in China? Do they realize how the American people would flock toward buying good quality products made right here in America? It would be overwhelming and at the same time everyone would know that it is helping our economy. Have we not run the course of the fallacy and misdirection of "we are becoming a service economy"?
We are losing and will continue to lose millions upon millions of jobs. For realists, our economy is in a state of collapse. The greatest strength of our country and the rock solid pillar of our economy is manufacturing. Our federal government MUST offer incentives and direction to bring back manufacturing to America. CEO's of companies need to wake up, and wake up fast....for the good of their companies, for their shareholders, and, most importantly, for the good of and the survival of our country.
Without manufacturing we will become a 3rd world country with an economy in shambles with little chance of recovery. With a sense of urgency. For our very survival as a nation. We need to bring back manufacturing to America.
We have a strong and productive work force; access to a great number of raw materials; transportation systems including waterways, rail and roadways; and very importantly a huge market for consumption right here in our country. Very importantly we did have a great education system in support of manufacturing that included engineering, technology, research and development, quality and process control, manufacturing business related courses, and more...all in support. If one just looks around you see "things", and all of these "things" have to be manufactured. This will never go away, and those that pushed us into believing that we should accept just being a "service economy" have misled America and this has dramatically and negatively affected our entire country, including our economy, and every American.
When manufacturing is given up, much, much more goes with it. The obvious is the huge loss of jobs and the spiraling negative effect on our economy. Along with this, however, goes the loss of technology know how, the loss of manufacturing know how...the ability to make things and the associated process technology. We set ourselves up as a DEPENDENT NATION, relying almost entirely upon other countries to supply our basic needs. In addition it is a major detriment to our national defense since critical components of both offensive and defensive weapons, as well as technology come from outside the U.S. There is more, but the important point is that the loss of manufacturing greatly weakens the United States.
It is difficult to purchase anything today that isn't made in China. China also holds a huge portion of our national debt with our financial dependency on them expected to increase even more. It is well known that controlling the purse strings tends to control the entity that receives the funding. Yet China is a communist country that can hardly be considered friendly. They have a dictatorial regime that routinely abuses the human rights of their citizens and others. How possibly can we feel comfortable with this? Yet we sit here and not only allow it to continue, but continue at an ever increasing rate. Do we not care at all about America?
We don't have "trading partners", we seem to trade with countries where we are always at the disadvantage thanks to successive administrations and Congress. Our current annual trade deficit is running at a rate of $480 billion and approximately $216 billion of that is with China. Even more alarming is that China holds approximately $895 billion of our national debt and it is fast approaching $1 trillion! All of this is with a country who is unfriendly to the United States and whose ideology is that of a communist dictatorial regime. What in the world are we doing with the future of our country?
Looking at the facts, the manufacturing share of the economy has gone from 53% in 1965, to 39% in 1998, and was only 9% in 2004. We are well on our way of totally giving up our greatest strength as a nation. Why? Reported unemployment is at approximately 9.4% with the independent Financial Forecast Center predicting that it will be 9.9% in February of 2011. The real unemployment is around 15 to 16%. Our ability to competitively manufacture is waning fast. Over the last several years we have lost millions of manufacturing jobs; over 3 million of them since 1998.
Following manufacturing it is predicted that 3.4 million white collar jobs and $136 billion in wages will end up overseas by 2015 (Forrester Research, Inc.) . An even worse report by the University of California indicates that 14 million jobs may be lost overseas. By the end of this year Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 10% of the computer services and software jobs will be lost. Over the next 5 years Deloitte Reasearch has reported that 2 million jobs from our largest financial services firms will end up overseas. Princeton economist, Alan Blinder, has estimated that 42 to 56 million jobs could potentially be lost overseas! Is this not a crisis of major proportions?
Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel, the world's largest maker of computer chips, has warned that outsourcing is destroying Middle America and our economy. He is calling for the need to have manufacturing infrastructure here in the U.S. He has also indicated that when we don't participate in the first phases of some of the high tech development we may never catch up and participate. This is the eroding danger of giving up not only development, but the process and manufacturing know how.
The CEO's of manufacturing companies have allowed themselves to be driven by greed and simplistic approaches. They look at the lower wages of some foreign countries and by simple arithmetic begin counting the "apparent" profits for their company by manufacturing outside the U.S. What they don't look at enough is start up cost; the costs and tariffs of shipping in raw materials and finished products out to markets (one huge market is right here in America!); and they don't look at the REAL measure of manufacturing...the dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced...NOT wage per hour. Further, many manufacturing companies are material intensive where the yield of good quality product produced far exceeds labor cost considerations. For example, in one company the hourly labor cost was only 7% of the total cost of operating the company...or more clearly stated 93% of the costs were other than direct labor. Where would you look if you wished to reduce cost to increase profits?
There are further complications, and these complications cost money. For example there are complications with both U.S. and Chinese tax laws. There are issues of currency, and the manipulation of currency not necessarily in the best interests of the U.S. dollar and the companies involved. There are other laws that strongly favor China at the expense of U.S. companies. There have been a multitude of quality problems that have cost U.S. companies millions upon millions of dollars. There is a lack of a basic concern for health and safety issues in the production of products and the products themselves. Air pollution and environmental concerns exist and are essentially ignored.
Compare all of the above with manufacture in America with ready raw materials, a productive and quality oriented work force, and a huge market right here in America, with greater ease of exporting products overseas. Compare the ability to keep inventory under control, offer fast response time, and excellent customer service. There is no doubt whatsoever that quality and customer service have taken a back seat since American companies have started manufacturing in countries for the apparent benefit of a lower wage work force.
In answer to lower wages....what ever happened to manufacturing process technology improvements, automation, robotics, an emphasis on productivity improvements while keeping quality high? Again, manufacturing cost is NOT only about wages, it is about the amount of dollars expended per unit of good quality product produced in a time frame. Years ago there was a television program entitled Industry on Parade showing various manufacturing where automation and process technology was used and was a great strength of America. This was when our economy was booming, during a period of our manufacturing "heyday". We were second to none and took great pride in our manufacturing companies in America. Whatever happened to this? Were we sold down the river by lulling us into thinking that we are a "service economy"? It appears so.
The CEOs of manufacturing companies need to look at real and total costs in the direction of their companies. And how about patriotism? How about doing something for America and the American economy, while making a good profit for their shareholders? How about "made in America" by American workers for American markets? Do they realize how much people actually hate having no other alternative other than buying products made in China? Do they realize how the American people would flock toward buying good quality products made right here in America? It would be overwhelming and at the same time everyone would know that it is helping our economy. Have we not run the course of the fallacy and misdirection of "we are becoming a service economy"?
We are losing and will continue to lose millions upon millions of jobs. For realists, our economy is in a state of collapse. The greatest strength of our country and the rock solid pillar of our economy is manufacturing. Our federal government MUST offer incentives and direction to bring back manufacturing to America. CEO's of companies need to wake up, and wake up fast....for the good of their companies, for their shareholders, and, most importantly, for the good of and the survival of our country.
Without manufacturing we will become a 3rd world country with an economy in shambles with little chance of recovery. With a sense of urgency. For our very survival as a nation. We need to bring back manufacturing to America.
The Truth About the Arizona Immigration Law
The media has been complicit in reporting false propaganda on the Arizona Immigration Law.
Yet this is what the American people know, in spite of all the false information:
1) The Obama administration has been totally irresponsible in enforcing laws already on the books and in securing our borders. This is being done for some sort of a twisted political agenda, not for what is best for America.
2) Arizona is being overrun by illegal immigration. This includes not only those simply seeking work, but drug runners, gun runners, human traffickers, and other criminals. This also includes illegals from Mideastern countries known for terrorism.
3) Arizona has regions 80 miles from the border, and a short distance from Phoenix, where American people are warned not to go, and there is fear of not only physical harm, but murder. This is in America...total anarchy!
4) The Arizona immigration law is consistent with the federal law, only the Obama administration does not enforce the federal law. The judge was wrong.
5) The vast majority of Americans support the Arizona law.
6) Approximately 70% of those in Arizona support the law. This includes a high percentage of Mexican Americans.
7) The "protests" seen in Arizona are organized by far left groups and many are being bused into Arizona in order to create an impression of dissatisfaction with the Arizona law. These are organized protests, NOT spontaneous, grass roots protests.
8) The Obama administration is very hypocritical since they do nothing about the illegality of "sanctuary cities", yet attack the legal Arizona law and purposely distort what it says.
9) Contrary to what the media reports, many states support the Arizona law and many are planning similar laws in order to protect their state since the federal government is doing nothing. Misinformation on the law continues; the media can't be trusted.
The media is doing a great disservice to America and needs to return to factual, unbiased news reporting and true journalism. (But don't hold your breath, do your own fact finding and think with a clear head.)
Yet this is what the American people know, in spite of all the false information:
1) The Obama administration has been totally irresponsible in enforcing laws already on the books and in securing our borders. This is being done for some sort of a twisted political agenda, not for what is best for America.
2) Arizona is being overrun by illegal immigration. This includes not only those simply seeking work, but drug runners, gun runners, human traffickers, and other criminals. This also includes illegals from Mideastern countries known for terrorism.
3) Arizona has regions 80 miles from the border, and a short distance from Phoenix, where American people are warned not to go, and there is fear of not only physical harm, but murder. This is in America...total anarchy!
4) The Arizona immigration law is consistent with the federal law, only the Obama administration does not enforce the federal law. The judge was wrong.
5) The vast majority of Americans support the Arizona law.
6) Approximately 70% of those in Arizona support the law. This includes a high percentage of Mexican Americans.
7) The "protests" seen in Arizona are organized by far left groups and many are being bused into Arizona in order to create an impression of dissatisfaction with the Arizona law. These are organized protests, NOT spontaneous, grass roots protests.
8) The Obama administration is very hypocritical since they do nothing about the illegality of "sanctuary cities", yet attack the legal Arizona law and purposely distort what it says.
9) Contrary to what the media reports, many states support the Arizona law and many are planning similar laws in order to protect their state since the federal government is doing nothing. Misinformation on the law continues; the media can't be trusted.
The media is doing a great disservice to America and needs to return to factual, unbiased news reporting and true journalism. (But don't hold your breath, do your own fact finding and think with a clear head.)
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