Trump Administration Predictions (2 Viewers)

[AccessBlaster]

The people willing to work for the lowest wages. Who else? What happened to the American workers who used to take those jobs? I wonder if they became programmers? Everyone can learn to code according to certain exceptionally dumb members of Congress. So, all you novices out there who are afraid to code need to get on board

Agreed. There used to be many African Americans working in the trades, painters, drywallers, carpenters, and so on. But over time, they've largely been replaced by people willing to work for less. We’re often told that migrants are doing the jobs Americans won’t, but the truth is, we’ve been outbid by what amounts to slave wages. After a few years, many of these workers join unions, wages go up, and the cycle repeats: rising costs lead someone to claim we need a new wave of cheap labor.

 

[RogerCooper]

The people willing to work for the lowest wages. Who else? What happened to the American workers who used to take those jobs? I wonder if they became programmers? Everyone can learn to code according to certain exceptionally dumb members of Congress. So, all you novices out there who are afraid to code need to get on board

For the most part, the Americans who did these jobs (and their children) have moved on to other higher paying work. My mother was a garment worker in the 1940's and was very happy to move to secretarial work. My wife's cousin's husband started as a bricklayer but ended up as a contractor with team of bricklayers working for him.

If you prefer statistics, see https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.e...s-of-immigration-on-the-united-states-economy

There is a lot of work that is dirty, dangerous and unskilled which the native-born won't do. I noticed when visiting my wife's rural home town that food-processing plants mostly employ Africans, because Mexicans don't want to take those jobs.

 

[RogerCooper]

Agreed. There used to be many African Americans working in the trades, painters, drywallers, carpenters, and so on. But over time, they've largely been replaced by people willing to work for less. We’re often told that migrants are doing the jobs Americans won’t, but the truth is, we’ve been outbid by what amounts to slave wages. After a few years, many of these workers join unions, wages go up, and the cycle repeats: rising costs lead someone to claim we need a new wave of cheap labor.

You seem very interested in income redistribution. Are you becoming a Bernie bro?

There is no evidence of the cycle you described occurring. The native born generally move to other better-paying work.

 

[Pat Hartman]

However, Pat Hartmann thinks the government should decide what we should buy.

Not sure how you came to that conclusion. Given my Libertarian bent,

I think the free market should decide what people buy.

The higher price of washing machines was caused directly by a Trump tariff.

And how many washers and dryers did you purchase during that period? Tariffs have the worst effect on people when they are applied to our daily necessities such as food and drugs. Trump is after fair/reciprocal tariffs. The war will settle down and we will be looking at a more level playing field for our manufactured goods.

 

[RogerCooper]

Not sure how you came to that conclusion. Given my Libertarian bent,

I think the free market should decide what people buy.

And how many washers and dryers did you purchase during that period? Tariffs have the worst effect on people when they are applied to our daily necessities such as food and drugs. Trump is after fair/reciprocal tariffs. The war will settle down and we will be looking at a more level playing field for our manufactured goods.

I had to buy a new dryer a few years ago.

It seems hard to reconcile your "libertarian" bent with your support for Trump's tariffs. A "fair" tariff is very un-libertarian concept. The "fair" tariff is a zero tariff, as there is no economic reason to discriminate against imports. It would be better if other nations adopted sound policies of free trade (and most nations are fairly free) but if they don't it is unfair to punish Americans.

 

[AccessBlaster]

There is no evidence of the cycle you described occurring. The native born generally move to other better-paying work.

Their wages were undercut, forcing them to seek work elsewhere. Construction trades were well paying jobs in the 1960s and '70s. It's a slow erosion of American values.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I had to buy a new dryer a few years ago.

So did I.

 

[Pat Hartman]

A "fair" tariff is very un-libertarian concept.

So we should lay down and play dead while other countries prevent the importing of our goods into their markets? Near as I can tell, the Constitution isn't a suicide pact.

 

[RogerCooper]

Their wages were undercut, forcing them to seek work elsewhere. Construction trades were well paying jobs in the 1960s and '70s. It's a slow erosion of American values.

In New York City, the building trades were very heavily unionized and violence was used to prevent non-union competition. The unions only admitted white men. The unions were finally forced to admit non-whites. Non-union companies can get permits for any significant construction because the local city councilman needs to approve construction projects in their districts.

Are racism, sexism, corruption and high prices American values that wish to uphold.

 

[RogerCooper]

So we should lay down and play dead while other countries prevent the importing of our goods into their markets? Near as I can tell, the Constitution isn't a suicide pact.

How is that committing suicide? Exports are the price we pay for imports. Exports only contribute to our standard of living indirectly. Other countries trade barriers lower than standard of living more than ours.

 

[moke123]

US immigration raid of Omaha meat plant cuts staff, fuels food production worries

CHICAGO (Reuters) -U.S. meat producer Glenn Valley Foods was operating an Omaha, Nebraska, facility with about 30% of its staff on Wednesday after federal agents detained workers in an immigration raid the previous day, slashing the output of products it sells to grocery stores and restaurants...

www.yahoo.com

So we should lay down and play dead while other countries prevent the importing of our goods into their markets?

Trump tariffs: Why won't countries buy US meat products? – DW – 04/09/2025

Several countries don't import US chicken rinsed in chlorine or beef products containing growth hormones. The Trump administration has used the bans to justify higher trade tariffs. Is US meat safe to eat?

www.dw.com

 

[Pat Hartman]

We dug this tariff hole for ourselves after WWII when we were the only country left standing with any heavy manufacturing capability. We handicapped ourselves by allowing unfair trade barriers from pretty much every country in the world. It's time for them to fend for themselves and stop leaning on us.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I don't blame other countries for refusing to buy our food products. The FDA has been bought and paid for and is allowing "big food" to poison us. JFK, Jr. Seems to be making progress on that front by getting them to remove the most dangerous dyes.

 

[RogerCooper]

We dug this tariff hole for ourselves after WWII when we were the only country left standing with any heavy manufacturing capability. We handicapped ourselves by allowing unfair trade barriers from pretty much every country in the world. It's time for them to fend for themselves and stop leaning on us.

What heavy trade barriers? The US negotiated successfully the lowering of most trade barriers through GATT.

If they have trade barriers, that is the opposite of "leaning on us".

 

[Pat Hartman]

If they have trade barriers, that is the opposite of "leaning on us".

No. Think about it again. Why don't we export cars to the EU? Why don't we export wine to the EU? Why don't we export washing machines anywhere?

Why can China buy any property it wants to in the US but we can't buy property there? Why can't American's buy homes in many countries around the world and yet we erect no such barriers here. Miami isn't a US city any more we have so many foreign home owners.

 

[RogerCooper]

No. Think about it again. Why don't we export cars to the EU? Why don't we export wine to the EU? Why don't we export washing machines anywhere?

Because they make these things themselves (or import them from the Far East). Europeans imported $370 billion from the US last year and invested $276 billion in the US.

Why can China buy any property it wants to in the US but we can't buy property there? Why can't American's buy homes in many countries around the world and yet we erect no such barriers here. Miami isn't a US city any more we have so many foreign home owners.

If a foreign country has a stupid law, should we adopt same law?

 

[NauticalGent]

The main point of government is improving our standard of living.

 

[Pat Hartman]

f a foreign country has a stupid law, should we adopt same law?

In this case - YES. Your positions are so anti-American, maybe you should go back to wherever your ancestors came from.

 

[Thales750]

The people willing to work for the lowest wages. Who else? What happened to the American workers who used to take those jobs? I wonder if they became programmers? Everyone can learn to code according to certain exceptionally dumb members of Congress. So, all you novices out there who are afraid to code need to get on board

As incorrect as humanly possible.

 

[Isaac]

Because they make these things themselves (or import them from the Far East). Europeans imported $370 billion from the US last year and invested $276 billion in the US.

If a foreign country has a stupid law, should we adopt same law?

it's not a stupid law, it's a smart law. I don't want a foreign country to buy up American real estate