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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sam Citron who wrote (46403)	5/8/2001 7:50:44 AM
From: norm chin	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 70976

"I am not nostalgic for the glory days of Big Labor 50 years ago when 36% of the American work force belonged to a union and GM factory jobs were some of the best paid jobs around. It was the consumer who footed the bill as high protective tariffs kept out imports of everything from steel to automobiles." An excellent, objective view, Sam, one of the best I have seen for a while. Granted, unions provide a useful function but it may not worth the cost (I would not be surprised if I get some heat for saying it). In addition to consumers "subsidizing" unions, non-union members are short-changed (relative to their unionized brethrens). Perhaps a better way to view this is that non-union workers receive competitive wages while their union counterparts get preferential treatments.

To: Sam Citron who wrote (46403)	5/8/2001 8:17:32 PM
From: Cary Salsberg	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 70976

Do you wear glasses? ROSE COLORED GLASSES! (1) My MA in Anthropology causes me to view the word "species" differently from most. Unlike other species, human competition has little effect on the gene pool and hence does not improve the species; (2) Unfortunately, minimum wage rates pretty much eliminate almost all the benefits available to more affluent consumers and capitalists. (Editors note:I am very surprised at and disappointed with this argument.) (3) The constituency and voice of labor has been shrinking. What is "sizable" and does labor have an effective "voice", today? I recall that people of modest means 50 years ago could afford most consumer goods. My parents, a teacher and a bookkeeper, had a house, car, TV, radios, washer, dryer, power lawn mower, and no debt but the mortgage. Medical care was also not the expensive proposition it is today. Your "innovation" for some and low paying, benefitless service jobs for the rest is elitist. I have a suggestion that reflects my feeling that America is more than just an economic system. I believe that the family of any American serviceman killed in action should be given a "reparation" equal to the salary of the President of the United States. I think "reparation" should be given for other types of injury and loss.