Recent Stuff
Due to some people's whining about no one posting recently, I figured I had better put something up, seeing as how I promised new and great things for this blog in the new year. Since I last posted, I have been pretty busy. Dwayne, Tim, and I have been working hard to realign Summit. I think we have it pretty well nailed down, and will be up and running again on the 18th. I also started school again. I am pretty psyched about school this term. Last term I pulled an A in writing, and a C in math. This term (or at least one class) represents the culmination of a whole bunch of strife and struggle over the last few years. I am finally in Math 111 (Pre-Calc)! Once I get through this class, I will officially be eligible to transfer to OSU, which I plan on doing next Fall. To say that this is both a very exciting and uncertain times for me would be an understatement. This term really will signify the last part of phase one, leading into phase two. I am also taking writing 123, which transfers to OSU as a 300 level college research writing class. We have to write one paper over the entire term. At this point, my topic will be "The Collapse of General Motors, and the Effect on the National and Global Economy, and the other automakers." If you have anything insightful and accurate, feel free to email me what you have. It has to be around 12 pages, but I think I can push it out to around 20. I wish that I had something a little deeper, and more entertaining to read, but at least I have a post now. I have a long weekend coming up, so maybe I will start a short story or something. Feel free to comment on some topic ideas that I can work with.
I figure I had better put some kind of picture up, at least you will have something to look at after reading.
posted by Gunslinger @ 23:30
1 comments
1 Comments:
Pretty crummy about GM folding up like it is. It's a shame it didn't happen sooner. The car industry really illustrates well a topic I feel very strongly about. It all started with Henry Ford offering to pay his workers double what other manufacturing jobs paid... but their wages didn't increase, they just got a big lump sum at the end of a set amount of time... which usually they turned around and used to purchase one of the vehicles they built. The system worked like clockwork.
Nowadays, however, the concept is a bit different on the whole delayed payment system. The idea now is, promise benefits and retirement plans, and then concerning when the money has to follow, "We'll be rolling in it by the time we have to actually pay out THAT..."
In the end, I say it's the fault of both the company management and the labor. Both want to avoid an oppressive tax system by exchanging "benefits" instead of circulating currency. Workers are looking at their long term future, willing to sacrifice the here and now, and companies are looking at their quarterly earnings, focused primarily on the here and now. The way everyone can get what they want? Pay in unrealistically optimistic IOUs. "We'll double your investment!" "Health insurance through us so you don't get taxed on it. Let us manage your money FOR YOU!"
One contributing problem comes from the women's lib movement, though. Too many working class people, generating not enough babies. We're turning into the second Europe, which is currently the world's biggest dedicated geriatric ward.
But there's another possible reason. A dirty little four letter word concerning trade: OPEN. Meaning unrestricted and oriented toward rewarding companies that are foreign, government subsidized, and have access to exploiting people with the least possible self esteem and economic bargaining power. Of course, the exploitable always love to be exploited, because it beats being ignored and discarded, which is what is happening to thousands of American GM employees.
May righteous indignation permeate your paper like sweet, sweet, polecat aroma,
SupermegaJalopytron
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