I agree with you in part, however,

America still produces by the way. Look at Caterpillar for example or companies such as ADM and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). What America is getting away from is expensive labor in manufacturing. I agree that everyone every where is looking for the bargain no matter were they live..it's a fact of life. But how can we justify paying a wage of $25-$30 an hour to someone who puts lug nuts on a pick-up truck assembly line and then complain that the truck cost $45k or more. We can't have it both ways. Either pay more in wages and pay more for the ticket price of goods and services, or cut wages and cut prices to satisfy the frugal consumer.

This is why companies are constantly searching for ways to trim costs. Like replacing older rigs with more fuel efficient and more aerodynamic trucks. Instructing the drivers to progressive shift and driving at a reasonable speed to save fuel. Cutting wages only goes so far, they are working out the best way to hit an equilibrium between equipment costs, wages, customer satisfaction ect. Not all companies are out to screw their employees, come on let's get real. You won't last in today's market unless you adapt to the changes. The companies have done so, why can't their employees?

The US is just one player (not the major player like back in the 50's-60's) on the world's market like it or not. Competition for market share is the name of the game. Sam Walton knew this years ago and required his vendors to conform to this as well. If you didn't, Walton wouldn't buy. We have to work with the economy instead of fighting it. There is always money to be made somewhere, you just have to be part of the best and brightest to recognize and exploit that opportunity, that's all.

How many of you have relatives who moved to the west during the depression? California back in the 1930's was the land of opportunity for those who were willing to work. And for those who don't have a clue to what I am talking about, read Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath and that sums up the way people had to do in order to survive. I guarantee that those went through the Great Depression and made it are looking at all of those who are whining and complaining about the present circumstances are saying to themselves "What a bunch of babies". They went through much worse than we could ever go through. That same generation went through WWII sacrificed for the greater good. We should all try to be at least half of what those people were. What makes Americans different from everyone else is that though they may lament their poor circumstances, they get out their rut and get on with their lives.

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The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so
- Mark Twain

Are Obama, Reid, and Pelosi CARB Compliant?

???

Is it just me or was that a lot of noise for nothing? Hot dogs, bottled water, Grand Tetons?

Sheeesh, get a grip there lugnut.

Yeh,ME2..Throw a Bone to the unhappygal..Keep'On-Truckin..

Also..When your learnin bout women in the workplace,notice how the get all nutty round Valentines Day?......Bad Company...

While your arguement and reasoning is sound. It is flawed, and here's why.

The Dept of Labor does not list truck driving as a skilled job, like Doctors, Lawyers, etc.

"Skilled" labor requires special permits and sponsors to be allowed into the country on a work Visa.

So what if 100,000 US truck drivers walk off the job tommorrow. They will allow just as many through the borders to take thise jobs within 48 hours. Afterall, trucks keep America moving...even if they are driven by foreigners.

It has to be done piece meal. 1 or 2 companies at a time. With drivers walking a picket line.

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Team Players.....
It's hard for me to play professional team sports. On a minor league salary.

Wonder if anyone remembers the flick NORMA RAE starring Sally Field. People have been brainwashed to hate unions, and they have all kinds of flaws, as we all probably know. BUT labor needs muscle. Do you realize that without the unions in America to stand up for the autoworkers, the whole US economy would have tanked more than a decade ago? The fact that it is so sick now cannot be blamed on the unions, but on the fact that the manufacturing sector, run my profiteering CEO's who play musical chairs in the executive suite, wreck one company after another, with not a drop of patriotism in their veins, and not an ounce of compassion for working families. All these RUGGED INDIVIDUALIST truck drivers just get picked off, one by one. Also, may I add that I resent being lied about, as I have called for no boycott of anything previously on this board. Just to close, the reason we don't have powerful unions now defending workers' rights is because most of them have 'sold out'. Crusader Rabbit, where are you?

Never saw the movie but I still dislike the unions in their present form. How is it that the UAW "Saved" the industry more than a drcade ago? Here's a clue they didn't. Americans and their love of SUV saved the big Three. The companies survived not because of the UAW rather despite it. The reason they are in trouble now is their inability to read the writing on the wall that was gas prices. When the Russian Govt. seized the oil companies and began a systematic raising of the prices GM didn't have a good high mileage vehicle to sell. When China and India began their meteoric rise Ford was dreaming up the Excursion the largest truck to come down the pike. The UAW did nothing to help their own situation and still sits idle and without any ideas. Personally I think its a shame that one day the Big Three will become the middlin' two. Don't worry though Toyota and Honda are cranking out decent vehicles right here in America. The worst part about you however is your lack of doing anything useful to help the situation. Instead of talking about "Bankrupting them all" which near as I can figure would put people out of work, why don't you start a business. Why you are the sort to tell others how they should manage affairs,why I bet you'd be great at it. You could call it The really swell happy place! Maybe you can pay your people one hundred dollars an hour to drive trucks. You of course could offer full coverage, not that your people would need it cause of you being so swell and all. Get a grip lug nut, you were funnier when you were babbling about hot dogs and the Tetons.