13
Jan
2004
Mr. Aeschliman states the obvious in his "Business Insighter" column (see "Globalization Trend Means Change in Job Types," River Cities' Reader Issue 458, January 7-13, 2004). He summarizes the symptoms and partial effects of the current runaway globalization. The bigger question, left unanswered, is what to do about the loss of manufacturing and service employment that is the foundation of the U.S. economy. Simply stating that the jobs are lost forever, due to unchangeable forces, is defeatist and displays a basic lack of understanding.
What will support the current U.S. standard of living, without bread-and-butter manufacturing? Will jobs at Wal-Mart fund heath care, Social Security, and national defense? Those remaining 14 million manufacturing jobs are all that is left between us and national disaster. How long do you think we can support ourselves without any value-added manufacturing? I don't see much new coming out of America, while the Chinese put men into space and develop their nation at a breakneck speed. They don't seem to have any trouble building new roads, buildings, and factories to benefit China.
Major research has always been performed to further product development, resulting in new things that could be sold at profit. Today this research is being done overseas, benefiting those "low value added" manufacturers that make millions off American consumers.
America is losing more than just the jobs. Without the manufacturing, there is little reason to perform the research. The knowledge base America possesses is being melted away, as the aging workforce retires, dies, or finds other work. Mr. Aeschliman, being involved in sales and marketing, clearly has little knowledge of what technical innovation is and how critical it is to the success of any company. America has built up a technical "critical mass" of scientists, researchers, engineers, and technologists over the years. This body of knowledge enabled us to develop wonders like electricity, air travel, space travel, and computers. The list goes on and on. Each innovation spawned profitable products and good-paying jobs, which in turn provided the money to innovate again.
This cycle is broken in America. Americans may innovate, but the ideas are realized in China, India, and other overseas locations. With rampant globalization of corporations, America is marginalized and increasingly denied the opportunity to innovate.
That's globalization. Is it good or bad? It is interesting to note that populations most affected never were asked. Globalization has been decided in the boardrooms of powerful corporations and funneled into national policy. Organizations such as the WTO and FTAA have stepped in to de-emphasize national purpose and sovereignty. Why have nations anyway?
Nations and government must provide the citizens with more than justice and representation. The elected officials must protect the population from attack and provide the means to build a good life. Without these items, a government is useless and will be abandoned. Again, Mr. Aeschliman displays his smug ignorance by stating that politics does not matter.
It is the roll of government to temper the runaway capitalism we now suffer under. It is the responsibility of government to rule over fair, not free, trade. The government needs to look out for the interests of the population, not just the CEOs of AT&T and General Motors.
The question is: How do you create a sustainable economy that offers a good life for the working-class American? Don't expect the global corporations such as General Electric to give a hoot about America. If our current batch of elected officials can't provide any help, then boot them out.
Don't expect this to run along party lines either. The current Democrats, supposedly for the working class, have kept an eerie silence when it comes to globalization. Ask them and others why they are allowing your job to shipped overseas.
Mr. Aeschliman also stated that "Buy American" will do no good. He is correct that 90 percent of electronics, 80 percent of toys, and 95 percent of textiles are manufactured overseas. Mr. Aeschliman mentions automobiles, which are about the only American heavy industry and the least of our troubles. How do you reverse the trend in the vast majority of daily items?
I submit a few suggestions:
• Point-of-origin labeling. If it is made in China, USA, or wherever, the product requires a large label stating the primary source. Many people are unaware of the magnitude of the problems. Many companies sell products using American sounding names that rob the consumer of the truth.
• Enforce trade laws. Existing trade laws are ignored by many foreign manufacturers. Asian countries in particular routinely fail to enforce American patent and copyright laws. Software, music, and patented ideas are used and sold without any compensation to the creator.
• Establish fair trade. Chinese manufacturers do not have environmental laws to worry about. They outlaw trade unions. They do not have to test their products to American standards. If any foreign product was made in violation of existing environmental laws or labor laws, either refuse entry or impose a large tax. Really, what good is it to any American to purchase a CD player for under $50 when the money goes directly out of the country to support the most oppressive government since Soviet Russia? China is clearly no friend of mine, or the USA.
• Change the way corporations are judged. Short-term stock value is a horrible measure to judge how "good" a company is. How about environmental performance, people employed, established factories, and installed base, along with profit margin? Start taxing outfits that have no manufacturing in America, but sell lots of product. Remember, it is our jobs and life standard at stake.
Globalization without control only benefits the few wealthy at the expense of the working stiff. Very little forethought was given before the cry for open trade was raised by Democrats and Republicans alike. The current situation is crushing America. Without immediate attention, all we can look forward to is a lower standard of living, loss of technical competence, and insignificance in the world.
For more information on globalization, see the International Forum on Globalization at (http://www.ifg.org/index.htm). Information on MAD in the USA can be found at (http://www.madinusa.org).
Ken Kozol of Eldridge is an electrical engineer who has worked in various heavy industries for more than 20 years.
What will support the current U.S. standard of living, without bread-and-butter manufacturing? Will jobs at Wal-Mart fund heath care, Social Security, and national defense? Those remaining 14 million manufacturing jobs are all that is left between us and national disaster. How long do you think we can support ourselves without any value-added manufacturing? I don't see much new coming out of America, while the Chinese put men into space and develop their nation at a breakneck speed. They don't seem to have any trouble building new roads, buildings, and factories to benefit China.
Major research has always been performed to further product development, resulting in new things that could be sold at profit. Today this research is being done overseas, benefiting those "low value added" manufacturers that make millions off American consumers.
America is losing more than just the jobs. Without the manufacturing, there is little reason to perform the research. The knowledge base America possesses is being melted away, as the aging workforce retires, dies, or finds other work. Mr. Aeschliman, being involved in sales and marketing, clearly has little knowledge of what technical innovation is and how critical it is to the success of any company. America has built up a technical "critical mass" of scientists, researchers, engineers, and technologists over the years. This body of knowledge enabled us to develop wonders like electricity, air travel, space travel, and computers. The list goes on and on. Each innovation spawned profitable products and good-paying jobs, which in turn provided the money to innovate again.
This cycle is broken in America. Americans may innovate, but the ideas are realized in China, India, and other overseas locations. With rampant globalization of corporations, America is marginalized and increasingly denied the opportunity to innovate.
That's globalization. Is it good or bad? It is interesting to note that populations most affected never were asked. Globalization has been decided in the boardrooms of powerful corporations and funneled into national policy. Organizations such as the WTO and FTAA have stepped in to de-emphasize national purpose and sovereignty. Why have nations anyway?
Nations and government must provide the citizens with more than justice and representation. The elected officials must protect the population from attack and provide the means to build a good life. Without these items, a government is useless and will be abandoned. Again, Mr. Aeschliman displays his smug ignorance by stating that politics does not matter.
It is the roll of government to temper the runaway capitalism we now suffer under. It is the responsibility of government to rule over fair, not free, trade. The government needs to look out for the interests of the population, not just the CEOs of AT&T and General Motors.
The question is: How do you create a sustainable economy that offers a good life for the working-class American? Don't expect the global corporations such as General Electric to give a hoot about America. If our current batch of elected officials can't provide any help, then boot them out.
Don't expect this to run along party lines either. The current Democrats, supposedly for the working class, have kept an eerie silence when it comes to globalization. Ask them and others why they are allowing your job to shipped overseas.
Mr. Aeschliman also stated that "Buy American" will do no good. He is correct that 90 percent of electronics, 80 percent of toys, and 95 percent of textiles are manufactured overseas. Mr. Aeschliman mentions automobiles, which are about the only American heavy industry and the least of our troubles. How do you reverse the trend in the vast majority of daily items?
I submit a few suggestions:
• Point-of-origin labeling. If it is made in China, USA, or wherever, the product requires a large label stating the primary source. Many people are unaware of the magnitude of the problems. Many companies sell products using American sounding names that rob the consumer of the truth.
• Enforce trade laws. Existing trade laws are ignored by many foreign manufacturers. Asian countries in particular routinely fail to enforce American patent and copyright laws. Software, music, and patented ideas are used and sold without any compensation to the creator.
• Establish fair trade. Chinese manufacturers do not have environmental laws to worry about. They outlaw trade unions. They do not have to test their products to American standards. If any foreign product was made in violation of existing environmental laws or labor laws, either refuse entry or impose a large tax. Really, what good is it to any American to purchase a CD player for under $50 when the money goes directly out of the country to support the most oppressive government since Soviet Russia? China is clearly no friend of mine, or the USA.
• Change the way corporations are judged. Short-term stock value is a horrible measure to judge how "good" a company is. How about environmental performance, people employed, established factories, and installed base, along with profit margin? Start taxing outfits that have no manufacturing in America, but sell lots of product. Remember, it is our jobs and life standard at stake.
Globalization without control only benefits the few wealthy at the expense of the working stiff. Very little forethought was given before the cry for open trade was raised by Democrats and Republicans alike. The current situation is crushing America. Without immediate attention, all we can look forward to is a lower standard of living, loss of technical competence, and insignificance in the world.
For more information on globalization, see the International Forum on Globalization at (http://www.ifg.org/index.htm). Information on MAD in the USA can be found at (http://www.madinusa.org).
Ken Kozol of Eldridge is an electrical engineer who has worked in various heavy industries for more than 20 years.
