You want to know what killing jobs, killing manufacturing in America?...Then read this....The bailout was nothing more than a pizzing contest...one hand washing the other.....


One of the greatest threats facing our country today doesn't come from outside our borders. It's not the possibility of a terrorist attack. It is not the continually increasing illegal immigration across our southern border. It's not even the likelihood of a disrupted oil supply.
The greatest problem we face is the self-imposed cost and regulatory burden placed on the development of manufacturing businesses. America, at least the America I grew up in, was the land of the free and the home of the innovator. We used to celebrate entrepreneurs and reward those willing to take a risk. America, the "can do" America of my early years, allowed it's innovators to operate with relatively little restraint or restriction. If you wanted to start and operate a business, "have at it, we wish you success" was the motto of our great nation. If you had an idea for a "better mouse trap" build your plant, install your equipment, hire your people and good luck.
In the '60s we had a positive balance of trade and it was growing faster than anywhere else in the world. Japan, the second most industrialized country, produced goods that were considered inferior to those produced by our great American factories. China, South Korea, Mexico? Not even on the map! Today our balance of trade is negative by a long shot and the quality of our manufactured goods is inferior to that of many other countries. Much of what we consider manufacturing in the U.S. today is really the assembly of components manufactured in other countries. Manufacturing profits go to businesses outside America because we regulate manufacturing facilities into oblivion.
Today the environment for starting and operating a manufacturing plant is not good. Gone are the days of "Great, go to it, do the best you can." Replaced by, "NIMBY" -- Not In My Back Yard. The government has imposed itself as our costly overseer, placing environmental, zoning, and wage/benefit restrictions so burdensome in time and cost that businesses are left barely competitive if not impossible to begin.
Have a great idea? See a viable opportunity? Want to build a product or establish a manufacturing plant? Go see your local government officials. You will find the "go for it" attitude replaced with, Manufacturing??? Why do you want to consider such a dirty business? Why would you want to put your fellow citizens at risk? What would we do if someone were to get hurt? How could we possibly live with ourselves if, God forbid, some kind of particle escaped into the air or blew into a river? How could you live with yourself if your employees weren't all being treated equally and being supplied with incredibly attractive wages and benefits?
I would like to relate my recent experience trying to start a Carbon Fibre manufacturing company in a Northeastern U.S. State. After meeting for three weeks with the economic development offices of the State and City, it was determined that after I located and acquired a facility, at my cost and risk, even if it were properly zoned, it would have to be approved for a special use exception. Thereafter we were told to budget in excess of $300K for pre-approval EPA, environmental, and other studies. The studies would take about 6 months at minimum -- with no guarantee of a successful outcome. Even if we were approved, and in spite of the fact that at opening we would be hiring approximately 25 technically competent people in a high unemployment region, we would have to go to the Union hall and negotiate a trades contract before hiring the first employee. I would be forced to unionize and hire more expensive, "senior union members." I am not allowed to go to Craigslist and hire younger, entry level trainees. My cost of operation becomes higher before even opening my doors and I have no choice in this matter. Unbelievable!!!
Even if I am willing to take the time, spend the money, and successfully navigate the bureaucratic hurdles, what additional risks do I face? How about this: OSHA arbitrarily decides I'm not in compliance with one clause in their multi-thousand page regulatory bible. Or, an employee-union member decides he is not being treated fairly or that the benefits package is not equal to that of federal or state employees, and files a grievance How about the EPA deciding, retroactively, that in the event of a power outage there is a chance my factory might leak a "toxic" substance? I will be sued, shut down and possibly prosecuted criminally.
Now, consider my experience the last time I visited China. I was escorted by the governor of Tianjin State to one of his new cities and shown the process to open a manufacturing facility. I was led into a room with a series of desks. You start at the first desk where you present your plan. Thereafter you proceed from one to the next obtaining approvals or agree to modifications on the spot until at the last table where you are shown what lots and buildings are available that best suit your needs and the price of each. The total timeline for permits, from beginning to approval, takes about 3 hours.
At the end of the line you pay your fee, get your permit, and choose your construction manager if a new building is necessary. The city designates the building team to come the following day and begin construction. Generally you are guaranteed that you will be able to move your equipment in within 5 months.
There are no restrictions on importation of equipment, state officials help with marketing and sales inside the country and do not restrict exportation of the manufactured goods or profits. Now, this is China so the government and the state share 30% of your business, but considering the ease of entry, increased in-country sales and helpful attitude, this is a small price to pay, especially considering America's 35% plus corporate tax rates. Also, if the price of the lot or building seems high, and they like your project, they will negotiate the price and terms.
This is why our balance of trade is so out of whack. This is why many companies move out of the United States for foreign environs. This is why the United States is losing its position as the greatest manufacturing country in the world.
The greatest threat to our American future doesn't come from other nations, it comes from within. We have become our own worst enemy.

As written by a greedy inconsiderate whatever.

First, cover why the regulatory agencies were created. Because people were being killed by their employment unjustly. People were being killed/maimed by bad products. Then what they do that is so important. They are in place to try to make it\ a safer work evironment. They are there to make the products/services safe for people.

So yea a greedy non caring sob is gonna bytch like a little baby about making it safe for his workers and for his customers. But it sure don't make him right.

I wonder what sound fiscal policy others would have offered up to deal with a failing BANKING, Housing, and crumbling AUTO industry in america,,,,,

I suppose people actually believe letting them FAIL would be sound and reasonable,,,,all while complaining how large the unemployment rate is,,,,

interesting,,,

The time to think of sound fiscal policy was back a few presidents.

Politicians were all so busy passing things needed for their investments they forgot who they worked for.

and as far as fixing it now.

Mr. Obama is part of the problem.

Perhaps not as an individual...

Rather as a proponent of the side he represents.

If we had let the banks and bad investers fail the recovery would be done by now and prosperity well on its way.

One does not normally attach oneself to a falling rock...

unfortunately for new business, people without money dont spend it

its a vicious circle



letting the small people (employees) in the auto industry, banking industry,,etc,,, lose their jobs would make it pretty sad for even new businesses who wouldnt have the consumer base to stay afloat,,

Given the way Americans do things letting the auto industry fail would have created hundreds of little 'Tucker' car companies...

Probably with a far better end product then the 'giants'.

and everybody would have benefited.

Cept for the Unions.

Too funny anyone seriously think in this age of class agitation the crooked dirty money romeny will win? Its going to be an Obama landslide, unfortunatly we do not have a real liberal or progesive on the t icket too choose from. Two wings of the capitlaistic party or 1% if you choose.

if we only had a travel back in time machine

we could test/verify some of our opinions/theories,,,

The time to think of sound fiscal policy was back a few presidents.

Politicians were all so busy passing things needed for their investments they forgot who they worked for.

and as far as fixing it now.

Mr. Obama is part of the problem.

Perhaps not as an individual...

Rather as a proponent of the side he represents.

If we had let the banks and bad investers fail the recovery would be done by now and prosperity well on its way.

One does not normally attach oneself to a falling rock...

As written by a greedy inconsiderate whatever.

First, cover why the regulatory agencies were created. Because people were being killed by their employment unjustly. People were being killed/maimed by bad products. Then what they do that is so important. They are in place to try to make it\ a safer work evironment. They are there to make the products/services safe for people.

So yea a greedy non caring sob is gonna bytch like a little baby about making it safe for his workers and for his customers. But it sure don't make him right.

Since when do day care centers, state of the art break rooms, workout facilities, and scented toilet paper in the mens room constitute life saving "safety" regs...Government took, and continues to take, regs to a whole new level...A level that has completely blurred their purpose and destroyed the incentive to produce on American soil...Get real...

As written by a greedy inconsiderate whatever.

First, cover why the regulatory agencies were created. Because people were being killed by their employment unjustly. People were being killed/maimed by bad products. Then what they do that is so important. They are in place to try to make it\ a safer work evironment. They are there to make the products/services safe for people.

So yea a greedy non caring sob is gonna bytch like a little baby about making it safe for his workers and for his customers. But it sure don't make him right.

Given the way Americans do things letting the auto industry fail would have created hundreds of little 'Tucker' car companies...

Probably with a far better end product then the 'giants'.

and everybody would have benefited.

Cept for the Unions.

Hundreds of little "Tucker like" car companies??
Are you kidding me? Do you know what it takes to build an
automobile from scratch? Tucker went belly up. So did Saturn.
Hyndai and KIA are supported by the Korean government. Telsas list
price for an electric car is over one hundred thousand dollars, and
Telsa is supported by a multi millionaire.
Where do you folks get these ideas from?

Tucker, Saturn would not have gone "belly up" with less regs and more gov't support...also competition is good for product quality so he wins a point there...Unions, antiquated, another point....AND last, the bailout money could have traveled miles in setting new, better, more cost effective, plants FROM SCRATCH......

Saturn went belly up because their cars were crap.
Tucker went cause he didn't have funding.
Government support?? I thought that's what you were railing against.
Unions did not kill Detroit. Piss poor management did.
The bailout money? I thought you were against that too.
Where would this bailout money have come from and to whom would
it have traveled?
And again, do you know what it would take to start up an entirely new auto company from scratch?

Good thing is you readi posts...bad thing is your apply selective meaning...to mine anyway....Funding and Tucker.....see the connect....crap product due to cost cutting to satisfy overhead, see the connect....Unions are corrupt, see the connect....The bailout money, I was, I am against how/why it was "used", see the connect..Where it should have traveled (bailout $) is what I have been talking about, see the connect....And Yes, as a matter of fact I do...I googled it!

Good thing is you readi posts...bad thing is your apply selective meaning...to mine anyway....Funding and Tucker.....see the connect....crap product due to cost cutting to satisfy overhead, see the connect....Unions are corrupt, see the connect....The bailout money, I was, I am against how/why it was "used", see the connect..Where it should have traveled (bailout $) is what I have been talking about, see the connect....And Yes, as a matter of fact I do...I googled it!

By overhead I assume you mean wages.
Back in the early part of the twentieth century Henry Ford started
paying his workers the then unheard of wage of five dollars a day.
His reasoning was that people who built his cars should be able to afford to buy one. Ford by the way is still in business and didn't
take any bail out money.
Saturns were crap from the ground up because the bean counters were
more interested in making beans than quality cars.
The unions had nothing to do with it.
Yes unions are corrupt, but only because they no longer work as a union but as a division of management. Where would wages and working conditions be today if it wasn't for the union battles of
the thirties fourties and fifties?

The biggest reason for the economic collapse of 08 was that too much control of the wealth of this county was in the hands of too
few interconnected and unregulated banks and brokerage houses who
went wild with risky investment practices in order to fill their pockets. When one fell the rest crumbled like a house of cards.