Posted by Jim/Orange Goex has had production problems, fewer people are actually burning blackpowder, and production costs have increased, meaning we will all pay more per pound since the manufacturers can't make their money on more volume, they must make more money on less volume. I would agree that everything costs more money, but still consider the price of blackpowder to be fair. I still see evidence of an affluent consumer economy.Certain industries are softer than others, but people are still spending luxuriously. One of the more obvious side effects of unchecked, illegal immigration, is that foreign workers have depressed wages. Construction used to attract many American workers, because it offered high paying jobs. Practically speaking, construction wages are going down, because the abundance of immigrants depress wages. I don't know a single sheet rocker that speaks English as a first language, and I don't know a framer or roofer who doesn't employ a largely Mexican crew. Generally the builders, and job supers are English speakers and the labor is usually Mexican. Our economy has largely become a service rather than industrial economy. Outside of construction, we don't make a lot of products anymore. The global economy has largely destroyed American industry. The American industrial economy of the 19th and 20th centuries was protectionist. We produced goods largely for an American rather than global market, and protected our industry against foreign competition. Tariffs built American industry. American textiles were substantially more expensive than imported English textiles, for which reason we imposed a tarrif to safegaurd American industries. We no longer imposes tariffs, which is the simple reason for the huge trade deficit. With few exceptions it is difficult to buy American made products, at best we might have the chance to purchase an American asembled product. I suppose I'm lucky to design products that American workers actually build. When the one of the manufacturers of my designs discovers an economical means of having it's produced in China, I'm sure it will export those jobs, and the other manufacturers will follow suit or go out of business. For the moment it is simply more cost effective to build it here, rather than overseas. I hasten to add however that the people making the products in this country are Mexican immigrants, thus while we haven't exported any jobs, we have imported a work force that will work for far less than American workers. To any young person preparing for their future I would advocate aquiring the best education they can afford. I would disuade them from following their fathers into construction, or employment in what remains of manufacturing, since they will have to compete against resident alien workers who are at once more productive and less expensive than native born labor. Native born, English speaking Americans of European descent will be a minority in this country within two more generations. If these Americans try and compete with immigrants, they will be struggling hard for low paying jobs. By making efforts to eductate themselves the minority Americans of Europeam descent should be in a leadership position and will still control a country they are no longer the majority component of. America's future is brown, make sure you've got enough green.
on 9/11/2007, 8:24 pm, in reply to "Re: An interesting afternoon"
74.32.59.36
In 2000 I paid $1.49 per gallon of gas. Today I paid $2.96. Gas has just about doubled in 6 years, and so has my income. I don't know what I paid for powder in 2000, but I'm guessing I was paying about $8.00 per pound. Powder may have increased 50% in 6 years.
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