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Forum Post: A shortage of jobs

Posted 11 years ago on Sept. 16, 2012, 4:52 p.m. EST by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Despite Record profits, "the job makers" of this society have been unable to crate enough jobs for the people living within it. A simple method for creating more jobs would be for those who are working to work less hours. Their by increasing the labore value and workforce. But then the "job makers" wouldn't be making record profits. Its time for the corporate monarchies to receive the justice of a free nation.

116 Comments

116 Comments


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[-] 3 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

Greedy corporations are making profits at an all time high right now. Those profits are earned on the backs of the workers, but the workers don't see the value of the product of their labor. No. They're being hired at low wage rates, with little to no benefits, and often in mere temp jobs. Wages have been decreasing for the past 40 years in relation to profits. This is one big giant area where things need to change. Workers need to demand a fair wage and our economic system needs to be overhauled in such a way that it works for the people and not against them.

[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

Nick Hanauer, self-described "super-rich" entrepreneur, gave a pretty compelling TED Talk about how the middle class—not the super-rich—are the real job creators. But TED, which has released over 100 different political videos in the past, thought this one was too partisan and chose not to release it. We didn't notice any flaming partisanship in it. We normally love TED, and were surprised they didn't think this talk was TEDworthy.

Under pressure from the Internets, TED finally relented and released the video. Watch it and decide for yourself if it's really all that controversial to say that the "super-rich are not job creators." Then share it like crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBx2Y5HhplI&feature=player_embedded

[-] 2 points by Shubee (119) 11 years ago

I read recently that 300,000 teachers were laid off. That means that a great number of school classrooms got unmanageably larger. However, I think it’s obvious that students learn better when student to teacher ratios are smaller. So we should probably be hiring at least 700,000 teachers.

[-] 1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

States can just keep teachers they have working now because they are so broke.

[-] 1 points by tangential (33) 11 years ago

The "real wages" of Americans have been on a steady decline since the 1970's. I wonder which party will take the blame... The jobs that do exist are part-time, contract workers, and under-paying in many areas than before.

[-] 1 points by thesungiveslife (41) 11 years ago

While some of you say its greedy corporations that are causing unemployment, that is not the case. There are many studies out now that show longterm unemployment to have always been caused by advances in the scientific and technical realities of our world. Back in 1840, 60% of the American population was involved in Agriculture, in 2002 that number dropped to 2%, due to automation of most of the work, such as using tractors to till the land, mix the seeds, spread the fertilizer, and to harvest the product. And the water is automatically applied using sprinkler systems. Back in 1950, 40% of the American employment sector was taken up by Manufacturing, now due to automation, less than 10% of people work in the Manufacturing. An interesting note, while numbers of people working dropped in staggering numbers, the actual metal produced went up from 70mTons to 130m Tons. It makes one wonder if its "Jobs" we need, or actually more advocation of automation for possibly all physical work, and have people work in the existing and potentially created sectors related to ecology, engineering, mechanics, biology, etc. realize this, efficiency, sustainability, and abundance are the greatest enemies to the Market System. However without the market system, we could use all our knowledge and technology to make a hell of alot better world than what we got now.

[-] 1 points by thesungiveslife (41) 11 years ago

I know Im gonna get alot of unwarranted heat for stating the obvious, but basically in order for us to keep the Market system going, we would have to create more problems, or reduce scientific progression, and also halt technological development, which in my view is asinine. Why would we want to halt the development of methods that make life much easier for everyone on earth? Why do people have to toil their lives away mostly at jobs they hate, or that only reward them with a selfish desire to obtain material wealth? This is NOT the way to live life, the human mind is being wasted. Think about it. What is the only thing that has made life better on this earth and hence should be the main focus of us creating a more humane, abundant, and sustainable world? Technology and Science, obviously, using the empirical understandings we have today, as well as an updated social system that realizes the need for people to work together, and for everyone to contribute to society.

[-] 1 points by thesungiveslife (41) 11 years ago

I already can see the judgements coming, but just think about what I mentioned before. Its Automation thats causing unemployment. Do you want to halt that? Just think of your life, what is it that t ruly makes you happy? Is it working a job 9-5 basically wasting your life away, or having the freedom to experience all that life has to give. And that doesnt mean just leizure activities, but being able to relate to the environment, and being capable of solving problems.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

whats really interesting is that all of that automation hasn't made life easier on working people as it should. It has only enabled the growth of these fat pigs called CEO's.

[-] 2 points by thesungiveslife (41) 11 years ago

well yea, because....ding ding ding. The Market system! The fat CEO's dont create ANYTHING! They know nothing! However, since they have the money, they own shares or tell people what to do. They do not invent or create. So the automation puts people out of work and they cannot purchase due to their lowered purchasing power. And thats why we need to get rid of the market and free humanity

[-] 1 points by VanessaLLB (1) 11 years ago

Although the unemployment level is still rather high, there are jobs available depending on your sector. A quick search on Granted.com reveals that there are a number of jobs available in various hot sectors. According to recently released data, there are more than 550,000 healthcare positions open nationwide as well as more than 300,000 engineering positions open nationwide. Visit www.granted.com today! Don't get discouraged, take a look at Granted.com.

[-] 1 points by TechJunkie (3029) from Miami Beach, FL 11 years ago

But for an unemployed person to take one of those engineering or health care jobs, they would have to do training and learn new skills. Most people can't do that. I was informed of that repeatedly when I tried to push for job training here a year ago when people were complaining about unemployment. I'm a software developer and it's ridiculously easy to get a job if you have any kind of software development skills. But I understand now, after many Occupiers explaining it to me, that anybody who is not currently an engineer is not going to learn to be one in order to get a job.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

I'm right here for many people

[-] 1 points by Wallgeist (8) from East Orange, NJ 11 years ago

How about abolishing the need for women to serve an employer for loan by making women labour illegal. That would create the jobs and drive up salaries.

[-] 1 points by notaneoliberal (2269) 11 years ago

So let's see. Work less hours. The rate of pay remains the same. So, essentially, you share a job with some one else. Guess you will be sharing a hamburger off the dollar menu as well.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Take a basic economy class. If people work less hours the demand for labor goes up(ie. labor value). Its the Idea that enabled the middle class in this country. Beware of the corporate masters who are afraid of losing their slaves.

[-] 1 points by notaneoliberal (2269) 11 years ago

No,labor goes offshore. You cannot create a bigger pie by slicing it in smaller pieces. Take a course in logic.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

It's the corporations who are shipping jobs over seas. Family run small businesses are by definition within the states. All imports should be taxed so that an american small buisnes can compete while paying their emploies a fair middle class income.

[-] 2 points by notaneoliberal (2269) 11 years ago

Bravo. Now I can agree with you. All imports should be taxed.(At least on manufactured goods.}

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[-] 1 points by notaneoliberal (2269) 11 years ago

This is a very naive' suggestion.

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 11 years ago

Why would someone with a full time job give up some hours so he and someone else can both have part time jobs?

[-] 1 points by Shubee (119) 11 years ago

I hate working 40 hours a week. I would love to work just 20 hours weekly.

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 11 years ago

I would love to not work at all. I also love my paycheck though.

[-] 0 points by Kirby101 (-5) 11 years ago

There is not a shortage of jobs, there is a shortage of jobs you assholes are qualified for.

[-] 0 points by 1sealyon (434) 11 years ago

The goal of a for-profit corporation is to make profits. Job creation is incidental.

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[-] -1 points by freewriterguy (882) 11 years ago

I got plenty of work, but ill never hire again, because ill be penalized by the government if I do. My trade is learned in house, and so it just comes right out of my profit anyways.

[-] -1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Jobs are created by small business. If you haven't noticed, the economy is in a downward tailspin and has been for the last 4 years.

Nothing has been done since then to encourage small business to invest in itselt to create more jobs. Why - because of "uncertaity" and lack of leadership.

Banks are sitting on billions of dollars, the Fed is going to create QE3 thinking that it will stimulate the economy. It hasn't happened in the past and it isn't going to happen now.

Ever wonder why there are no jobs - it's because this Administration continually criticizes success. There is an ongoing attempt to "divide and conquer" by continually saying the rich need to pay their fair share.

If I owned a business, I would not make any attempt to increase employment because I would be worried about the future and made sure I have enough money on had to keep what business I have going.

So, if you are one of those unfortunate ones who are out looking for a job don't expect to find one anytime soon should our present "Jobs Advisor" Mr Obama gets re-elected.

You never hear Romney criticize people who own businesses nor do you year him try to "divide and conquer" like Obama does.

Romney wants "everyone to succede" not just the middle class but everyone. We are not a nation of just the middle class as Obama would like you to believe.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

wake up. With the growth of wall-marts, home-depots and other corporate mogopolies, the small business is a dying bread. If you want to save small businesses, break up these corporate monarchies and give job creation back to the best "job makers' in the world...the people.

[-] 0 points by podman73 (-652) 11 years ago

people want more for their money and wal-mart gets that. dont spend your money there. if no one went to wal-marth they wouldnt be around. people love their prices.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

How many people do you know who like working there? What kind of choice do people have to shop els ware when they drive out all the small businesses?

[-] -1 points by podman73 (-652) 11 years ago

It's up to people where they spend their money, it's tuff if you don't like the choice you cant force people to shop where you want. Of no o e went to Elmer try would go out of business

[-] -1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Justin, there are thousands of small business out there who have people working for them. Thousands of other businesses went out of business because of the economy - not because of wallyworld, home depot and other corporate monopolies.

How many people do you think wallyworld, home depot and other corporate monopolies have working for them compared to the small businesses in this company? Want to take a guess?

[-] 3 points by Buttercup (1067) 11 years ago

Upwards of 80% of Walmart product is made overseas on the backs of people making slave wages. As is the case with many large corporations that have moved their production and manufacturing to China. Displacing millions of US jobs and the ability for millions of people here to make a living wage. And when those that are struggling to make ends meet because of globalization, find it necessary to be as thrifty as possible, they shop at Walmart. This is the business model Walmart has helped to create and takes advantage of. It works very well for them. Should these people be thankful they have Walmart? And I'm not just picking on Walmart. Just using them as an example. It's about globalization in general.

[-] -2 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Well, if the economy was as good as Obama says it is then people should have a "choice" where they can work. But because it isn't they don't and as a result they have to work for Wallyworld for minimum wage. .

Romney wants to put everyone back to work and not by expecting the government to do it.

[-] 3 points by Buttercup (1067) 11 years ago

Cut the crap. Pres. Obama was talking about private industry. Record corporate profit levels and record highs in the stock market.

Oh thats right! Yes, Romney wants to put everyone back to work! And clearly Pres. Obama doesn't. Of course Pres. Obama wants everyone on welfare! Lay off the right wing propaganda crack pipe.

Tell me how Romney is going to put everyone back to work? Is he going to pull 20 or 30 million jobs out of his ass? As a result of his budget plan that will increase military spending and cut taxes? His and Paul Ryan's budget plan - that has already been destroyed as pure economic catastophe/fantasy by the vast majority of every serious economist. On the planet! lmao.

The same right wing fuckshitup-onomics that has been going on the past 40 years. Increase the military, don't pay for it! Instead - cut taxes! Yeah, because that makes so much fucking sense. The brilliant right wing economic supply side bullshit that put us into debt. We need more of that. lol. And oh yeah, on top of that - lets reduce the debt on the backs of the poor and working poor. Quite possibly the most batshit crazy, unserious, morally bankrupt economic plan in the history of the world.

There are serious structural problems in the economy. Much of which has to do with the affects of globalization, exasperated by the recession, and the economic shift of a manufacturing based economy to a knowledge/information based economy.

It sure as hell won't happen in 4 years. Or overnight, as Romney suggests -

'if we win on November 6th there will be a great deal of optimism about the future of this country. We'll see capital come back, and we'll see—without actually doing anything—we'll actually get a boost in the economy'.

Without actually doing anything! The structural employment problems will melt away overnight just by Mitt Romney being in the White House. lmao. What a fucking joke.

[-] -1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Tell me if Obama was such a great job creator why are 47% of Americans receiving government assistance?

Obama didn't hesitate to bail out Wall Street and in doing so he screwed the working class.

5 trillion spent and boasting about 4 million jobs - thats quit a return on 5 trillion I would say.

Go and ask thost 47%ers who are receiving government assistance if they are better of now then they were 3.5 years ago. Go ask those 47%ers who are receiving government assistance if the job they have pays what they used to make.

Obama is a real job creator - he has no problem spending other peoples money to bail out wall street but he doesn't give a damm about the working class.

He could have given every working American in this country $50,000 and this country would have been a lot better off now then it is because he mismanged 5 trillion putting this country deeper into debt.

Right now he is allowing the fed to print more money to give to the bankers by buying secured mortgages so they can in turn take that money and invest it in wall street.

Where are the jobs?

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Your absolutely right about the wall street bailouts, not to mention the gifts of intrest free loans to the top corporations. Do you know what interest free means? It means you never have to pay it back! For these transgressions alone he should have been impeached. But you should really do some research on that 47% number...you republicans say the stupidest things.

[-] -2 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Well you tell me about the 47%ers - tell me that there aren't people who are receiving government assistance wanting to get off the dole but they can't find a decent paying job.

Tell me I am wrong about making that statement.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

First of all counting retired people is just wrong. They've paid there income tax, and are still paying plenty of other taxes. Second if you start trying to convince us that people on the poverty line should pay more taxes so that Romney and his buddys can have more money to play with. Your not going to make many friends. You might find yourself in a gated community. Although your probably already in one.

[-] 1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

First off I said othing about people who are retired and I did not say anything about people on poverty paying more taxes.

What I did say is ask any of those 47% who are working for minimum wages if they want to have a good paying job so they can pay all their bills instead of feeling puny by having to receive government assistance.

You may not believe this but there are people out there who want to succede - they can't because there are no good paying jobs - just minimum wage jobs

The middle class has shrunk, wages have dropped and Obama thinks that having the fed print more money is going to solve the problem.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

great then we want the same thing. But Romney sure wont give it to us ether.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

why are we even talking about him?

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Steve, your logic is terribly flawed(if your using any). But I don't think Obama is much better.

[-] 0 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Apparently you haven't listened to any of Romneys campaign speeches.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

If you new anything about what the buying power of large corporations do to the ability for small businesses to compete, you would know that the growth of corporations are directly responsable for the decline of the american dream in this country.

[-] 1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

If you knew anything about how a small business is managed and run you would understand that it's the owners of that business that determines if the doors stays open or closed - not "large corporations" as you state.

Do you know anything about buying "wholesale"?

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Wholesale is were buying power starts. Again, an education is essential to a free nation. That is why corporations are doing there best to take it from the people.

[-] 1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

So let me ask - is a small businesses buying power affected by another small businesses buying power of the same type?

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Competition between small businesses is healthy. Its only when you start dealing with these national corporatocracies which no small business can compete with that there becomes a problem.

[-] 0 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Small businesses don't compete with national corporations - they compete with other businesses on a local level. Those are the businesses that create jobs and make the economy grow - not the national corporations.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Are you kidding me? We've got a family run hardware store in town that has been open hear for generations. It has been holding out against the home depot and other national chains but recently announced it will have to sell. A few weeks ago we lost our locally ownd lumber yard. These are just the most resent casualties. If you think that small businesses will ever win back the market share that these corporations have took then you are truly ill informed.

[-] 0 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Well, I have also been involved in running small businesses - you pick your nitch in the market. Owning a lumber yard when HD is around the corner is not a very smart thing to do.

I have been involved with working with companies in the electral contracting business, home improvement business, A/C business, and a vast array of other business that are doing just fine.

In addition to that there are small restraunts, small retail stores, small groceries stores and a great amount of other retail businesses in operation all across the country.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

that lumber yard was in business before I was born and long before HD got there. Thats exactly my point. Corporations are destroying the American dream.

[-] 1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

I understand where you are coming from with regard to the lumber mill. I have seen it happen where I live -

There are still a few lumber yards around here along with hardware stores - their location is what keeps their doors open and the locals make it a point to buy from them instead of the HD's.

I do the same - I support the locals whenever I can.

But there are still thousands of small businesses in this country that are doing ok. Around the big cities - not so many but lots of small retailers.

[-] 0 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Haha...ya right!

All the mom and pop stores are being screwed by multinationals. The local hardware store is in direct competition with Home Depot.

Walmart has put lord only knows how many out of business.

Grocery stores that arent huge boxes with packaged crap are harder and harder to find.

Electronics? BestBuy runs that sector.

Energy? One choice per city.

Its a massive consolidation going on everywhere right now. The playing field is not level, its totally skewed due to decades of D/R scams.

[-] -1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Hey Obama was supposed to be a job creater. Where are the jobs - why do people have to take low paying jobs to survive.

Obama promised change when he was elected. He speakes out of both sides of his mouth. His change is called "bait and switch". He baited people into believing he could do something for them but instead made the switch to put 47% of them on the governmnet dole.

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[-] -1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

28 Billion to bail out the Auto Industry - their stocks are half of what they were when we bailed them out. It would have been better to let them "reorganize" under chapter 11 without a bail out.

They would be much better off today - as of today they pay no federal taxes, the volt is no longer in production and the ones they produced they lost $45,000 on each vehicle.

Bedsides - Obama had no choice but to bail them out because there weren't any jobs for them to go to should they be laid off.

Obama hasn't created any jobs, he just shored up the exisiting jobs and GM is going to be in bankrupcy within the next year - and we will be holding the 28 billion dollar bill that has to be paid.

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[-] 0 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

So tell me how many businesses went out of business since Obama was in office? No one ever mentions that lets see if you know?

[-] 1 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Obama is a fraud, just like McCain would have been. You wont catch me defending his record. And you also wont catch me living in this fairy tale of Mitt Romney either.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Nether candidate represents the interests of the people. They are both openly paid for by corporations to do there bidding. Wake Up already.

[-] -1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

Is English a second language for you?

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

is that all you've got alva? A racial stab stab at wight guy? Or a trite reference to your supposedly superior intellect?

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

Not everyone that learns English as a second language is "wite" ( white). Race has nothing to do with my comment on your post. Why would you inject it? In case you didn't know, Wal-Mart started off as a small family run business .Home Depot was started in 1978 by 4 men in Atlanta, Georgia.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

I don't have a problem with how they started, only with what they've become.

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

What's wrong with success? Do you think that people risk their money and spend their lives to create a failure?

[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

There's a difference between succeeding by providing a good product for a fair price and becoming a predator. Swallowing up competition by greater efficiency is proper. But when efficiency is gained at the expense of it's employees, the workers become another source of food the predator thrives on.

Real success should be determined by how well all of the people benefit from a companies existence. If a few thrive at the expense of the many, then it doesn't matter how many billions of dollars in revenue they receive. The greatest company can still be a failure.

Looking at the following graph it becomes apparent that the overall benefit is flowing in one direction only. To the top. Clearly, many of the businesses we consider successful are in fact failures.

http://stateofworkingamerica.org/who-gains/#/?start=1968&end=2008

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

tax the pools were money collects ad redistribute it to the people

[-] 1 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Lobbying for more regulations that drown out start ups is a huge problem as well.

It is no accident that every city has ONE choice in energy.

[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

Yes. As the corporate waistline expands, so does their ability to change restraining laws to allow them to expand further.

[-] 0 points by GNAT (150) 11 years ago

Good call. State regs could use a rollback. People seldom talk about how fucked up local regs are and it's almost always about making fees from you.

[-] 0 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

union pension money is invested in companies that make money.

[-] 1 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

Your point?

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

it is measured by winners which means other lose

it's about the individual

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

the constitution guarantees equal opportunity , not equal outcome.Not everyone has the same drive or ambition or is willing to take a risk. not everyone is capable running a company, of being creative and innovative. large companies employ millions of people.

[-] 1 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

"large companies employ millions of people"

Walmart employs 1.4 million. What are the other companies?

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

target, sears, kroger, mcdonalds

[-] 1 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

Target 355,000

Sears 355,000 (2006)

Kroger 339,000

McDonalds with 1.5 million, mostly employees of the individual franchises.

[-] 1 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

"the constitution guarantees equal opportunity"

Where?

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

in the preamble to the constitution "secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity" . while not the constitution the declaration of independence says,....."We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienble rights, that among these are life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness"

[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

"secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity" and "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" applied to all of the people, not just the current 1%.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

what of property ?

[-] 1 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

Property is one of the blessings of liberty.

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

who said it applies to 1%?

[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

"all that graph shows"

Even the people who are responsible for those innovations, the college educated, the degreed professionals, the designers and creators, didn't receive a fair share of the 80% increase in productivity their educations helped provide. They only averaged 10% to 30%.

http://www.newsbatch.com/econ-hourlychange.gif

[-] 0 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

gates, a college dropout, does well, steve jobs dropped out after 1 semester. he did o.k.

[-] 2 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

"gates, a college dropout, does well"

We aren't talking about exceptions to the rule.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

":The Poker Room in Currier House at Harvard University, in which Bill Gates and Paul Allen formed Microsoft. In his sophomore year, Gates devised an algorithm ..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates

[-] 0 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

what about steve jobs?, michael dell, barry diller,rachael ray, frank lloyd wright,dustin moskovitz ( facebook) sean parker( napster), carl bernstein,larry ellison, hyman golden ( founder of snapple) ralph lauren, david oreck, jack taylor ( founder of enterprise rent a car) wozniak?

[-] 2 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

"you cant compare 1917 $ to 2008 $"

Sure you can. Those numbers are already adjusted for inflation. It's like comparing apples to apples.

[-] 0 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

all that graph shows is that there are people that innovate, invent and take personal risk to make a success of their talents and ambitions.

[-] 2 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

Looking at this graph it's quite clear the 1% have decided that the "the blessings of others labor" belongs to them also.

http://stateofworkingamerica.org/who-gains/#/?start=1968&end=2008

[-] -1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

you cant compare 1917 $ to 2008 $ . and , nothing stops you from starting your own business.(except govt regulations)

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

I heard the word "chance" in the democrat nomination acceptance piece

[-] -1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

you make your own " chance".

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

most fail

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

there is no success without failure. the people that keep trying are the ones that can succeed.

[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

ofcourse, there can be success without failure

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

yep

gave up on my self

cuff me and ship me away

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

yes, but not usually. it took edison over 1000 attempts to get the incandescent bulb to work and be viable for commercial use. the wright brothers ( bicycle makers)didnt get it their plane to fly on their first attempt. how many writers had their work rejected over and over again, ( quite a lot) but they didnt give up. when you give up on your dream , you give up on yourself.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

The greatest succes someone can have is raising a family, whats wrong with that?

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

Nothing, but your original post was about business.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

Your only considering the wellbeing of those at the top, i'm considering the other 99%. Free market capitalism is the best system I'm aware of. I just wish we had it hear in the states. In order for it to work we need to get rid of these mega monopolise.

[-] 1 points by SteveKJR1 (8) 11 years ago

Justin, take a drive across this country and take a count of how many small businesses you see compared to "mega monolopies". You don't have any idea as to how many small businesses there are operating in the United States.

You have been brainwashed into thinking that big corporations control small business - you are very wrong.

Small businesses are run by individuals (propritorships) and most of them are doing ok - not great but ok because of the economy.

[-] 1 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

I never said corporations control small businesses. The problem is, small businesses cannot compete with the buying power of corporations, not to mention the slave labor that they employ. I dont need to drive across country, all I have to do is go down town and count the number of corporate business fronts and compare that with the number of privately owned ones. Or try to buy any thing that is both made in America and sold by a small busnes.

[-] 0 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

Small companies get bought out either by choice ( the original owners make a personal profit) or the cant compete. Thats capitalism.

[-] 2 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

capitalism canot operate without limits on growth. Otherwise it always ends in one controlling them all. These mega corps are the start to that end. Education is essential to a free society. Again I urge everyone to take a basic economy class.

[-] 1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

you ( your company, business) go as far as you can go. education k-12 is free, you can work to put yourself through college, or you can learn a trade and open your own business.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

or since not everyone is need in the economy

ditch dying is also an alternative

[-] 0 points by JustinDM (251) from Atascadero, CA 11 years ago

I'll tell you who aren't needed in the economy. All the wight hats.(a term for people on a construction sight who sit in a trailer trying to feel important)

[-] 1 points by Buttercup (1067) 11 years ago

Clearly you're ignorant. We don't have anything near capitalism.

Start here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy

[-] -1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

wikipedia is not a recognized source for anything.

[-] 2 points by Buttercup (1067) 11 years ago

I said it's a starting point. Especially for the ignorant and ill informed. The sources are fully documented and verified for accuracy you moron.

Corporations are running the joint now. A government ruled by the corporations and the wealthy. Of and for the wealthy. Can hardly be called a democracy anymore. With policies that favor corporations and the wealthy. Rules tilted in their favor because of a political system distorted by money. Based on legalized bribery to the highest bidder. The wealthy don't have to vote. They buy their legislation. Rationalized by some, based on the absurd notion that every action by corporations and the wealthy will benefit all, or are aligned with the social good.

Trickle-down theory is the twisted economic lie they feed the masses to enact their wealth grab. Try to educate yourself about neo-liberal economics and the corrosive effect it has had on the economy and democracy for the past 30 years. Read about the Powell Memorandum and Buckley v. Valeo. That was just the beginning of big business takeover of the government. The coup d'etat was Citizens United.

Look at the history of tax rates over the past 100 years. We have the lowest tax rates in over 100 years since the Gilded Age. Which was the period of the highest level of wealth inequality in our history. Which preceeded the Great Depression. Wealth inequality very similar to the level of wealth inequality we have today.

Which brings me to todays Republicans. Who want a government small enough just to own a woman's uterus. Aside from a woman's uterus - it's all hands off. Corporations and the wealthy love this set up they've created. Because when government is weakend, the power of corporations and the wealthy grows. Fucking sociopaths.

"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, 1916- 1939

http://stateofworkingamerica.org/who-gains/#/?start=1942&end=2008

http://visualizingeconomics.com/2008/07/13/income-gap-and-marginal-tax-rate-1917-2006

http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-tax-rates?op=1

[-] 1 points by Buttercup (1067) 11 years ago

Oh for fucks sake. Read and learn. At least try to educate yourself.

[-] -1 points by alva (-442) 11 years ago

wikipedia is a worthless " source". anyone can write for it.