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| Economy |
| Factory wages too low to generate Rust Belt renaissance promised by POTUS, study finds |
| 2017-05-16 |
| [Wash Times] President Trump made boosting manufacturing the centerpiece of his economic agenda, vowing to revitalize blue-collar America, but factories just aren’t what they used to be, and the notion of "good-paying" manufacturing jobs that connect high school graduates to the middle class is quickly becoming a myth. Instead, rank-and-file production workers now lag behind much of the rest of the economy in terms of paychecks, forcing economists to wonder whether the push for more factories is desirable in the first place. Factory workers may indeed need factories. But what do I know ? Even the service industry, long dismissed as second-tier employment, averages higher wages than factory laborers, according to a study by the Congressional Research Service that casts doubt on Mr. Trump’s promise of a Rust Belt renaissance. "The strong middle-class entree that the manufacturing industry offered two generations ago is no longer really there," said Michael J. Hicks, an economics professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Blinding flash of the obvious Hicks, blinding flash. "Manufacturing jobs are increasingly bifurcated," said Mr. Hicks, who wasn’t involved in the study. "For well-educated people, they are good-paying jobs, and for poorly educated people, they are fairly poor-paying jobs." |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #10 Per McMaster, Trump wasn't informed Israel gave us the intel, but whoever leaked it to the NYT did Posted by Frank Klingons would have been immediately back-briefed on the RU meeting at the WH. They were obviously aware of the 'sources.' My money is on a Klingon leaker. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-05-16 21:44 |
| #9 Econ101: When demand for something declines, prices decline. When demand increases, prices increase. More manufacturing jobs will result in higher wages. As of course will restricting illegal immigrants who drive down wages. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2017-05-16 20:42 |
| #8 Per McMaster, Trump wasn't informed Israel gave us the intel, but whoever leaked it to the NYT did |
| Posted by: Frank G 2017-05-16 19:41 |
| #7 Re #5, It was actually Trump who met with Russian officials in the WH. According to the NYTs (Oft-maligned and oft accurately maligned): The classified intelligence that President Trump disclosed in a meeting last week with Russian officials at the White House was provided by Israel. However, there is still no story here and the left is still trying to avoid having the criminality of the Hilldabeest investigated. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-05-16 15:54 |
| #6 You get paid what you're worth and in a global economy that might not be as much as you'd hoped. Do you want to give up and go back to being unemployed or do you want to roll up your sleeves and compete? |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-05-16 12:04 |
| #5 Trump has only been in office 115 days. The MSM has ignored his accomplishments and they have created unrealistic expectations for him. If Trump walked on the water, the media would criticize Trump for not being able to swim. Trump sent Tillerson to meet with Russian foreign minister Lavrov five days ago. WAPO in another posting at R-burg questioned whether Rex Tillerson was talking to the Russians "inappropriately" during the meeting. WAPO decided to spin-up their "unnamed sources" in a made-up story about "someone" who said "something" in the completely appropriate meeting. The MSM would criticize Trump for not doing his job if one thing or another was not discussed in the meeting. For crying-out-loud, WWII would never have been won in today's political climate if playing by the left's made up rules. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-05-16 11:10 |
| #4 Exactly what I said. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-05-16 07:52 |
| #3 Depends on what 'education' you are referring to, g(r)om. 'Installation' typically requires process, technical skills, math, social skills (i.e. working with others) and critical thinking. True Trade Apprenticeships last from 3-5 years in the US and Canada, depending on the trade. You work and attend required trade-specific classes for the duration. There are consequences (like losing your apprenticeship and your job) if you choose not to. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard OTR 2017-05-16 07:40 |
| #2 Most factory jobs can be automated. On the other hand, does somebody who learned, say installation, as an apprentice has less education than an average college graduate? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-05-16 05:52 |
| #1 Per their website: "The CRS provides ....tailored confidential memoranda, briefings and consultations." Emphasis added. I doubt there's anything else we need to know, unless it could possibly be the specific requester of the study. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-05-16 03:17 |