AFL-CIO: Look at the Figures
The trade deficit is a record $725.8 billion, but it is not disquieting for the reasons you'd think. Unemployment is at 4.7% and falling, so to blame importing for the lack of jobs in America is just plain silly.
AP journalist Martin Crutsinger quotes Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, as saying:
"Such a huge trade gap undercuts domestic manufacturing and destroys good U.S. jobs," said Richard Trumka, secretary-treasuer of labor's AFL-CIO. "America's gargantuan trade deficit is a weight around American workers' necks that is pulling them into a cycle of debt, bankruptcy and low-wage service jobs." (U.S. Trade Deficit Hits All-Time High, Breitbart.com, 4/10/06.)
[Thanks to body-tone.com for the photo.]
I've rarely read a more striking non-sequitur. Since when does a trade deficit force someone to buy more than he can afford? And if those service jobs pay less than the old manufacturing jobs -- which may be true given the unbelievable wages some union workers were making -- then those workers should face up to the fact that they were living high off the hog.
For example, a checker at our local supermarket was making something like $18 an hour plus full health coverage and retirement benefits. That's incredible. And the Long Beach dock workers were on strike when their take-home pay was between $80,000 and $100,000 a year plus all the freebies. Are these people out of touch with reality or what? That's more than a good attorney makes after 7 years of college.
I see nothing wrong with manufacturing workers changing job descriptions, on the contrary. If the change in the economy got me out of a factory and into a service job, I'd be thankful.
It sounds like Mr. Trumka is more worried about losing his own job than he is those of his members.
AP journalist Martin Crutsinger quotes Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, as saying:
"Such a huge trade gap undercuts domestic manufacturing and destroys good U.S. jobs," said Richard Trumka, secretary-treasuer of labor's AFL-CIO. "America's gargantuan trade deficit is a weight around American workers' necks that is pulling them into a cycle of debt, bankruptcy and low-wage service jobs." (U.S. Trade Deficit Hits All-Time High, Breitbart.com, 4/10/06.)
[Thanks to body-tone.com for the photo.]
I've rarely read a more striking non-sequitur. Since when does a trade deficit force someone to buy more than he can afford? And if those service jobs pay less than the old manufacturing jobs -- which may be true given the unbelievable wages some union workers were making -- then those workers should face up to the fact that they were living high off the hog.
For example, a checker at our local supermarket was making something like $18 an hour plus full health coverage and retirement benefits. That's incredible. And the Long Beach dock workers were on strike when their take-home pay was between $80,000 and $100,000 a year plus all the freebies. Are these people out of touch with reality or what? That's more than a good attorney makes after 7 years of college.
I see nothing wrong with manufacturing workers changing job descriptions, on the contrary. If the change in the economy got me out of a factory and into a service job, I'd be thankful.
It sounds like Mr. Trumka is more worried about losing his own job than he is those of his members.
posted by Katy Delay at 11:56 AM
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