exploitation of workers

Capitalism is good for increasing the wages of those who are in the government, and the corporations in which they protect.

i knew i could count on you rebel4ever37

unfortunately educating yourself cost a lot of money these days going to college in particular cost as much $100.000 for 4 years, i think alot of the blame does go to the government because the deck is stacked against people that aren't financially stable. I've seen plenty of people want it bad enough....but there was just no way to achieve. The government even gives tax breaks to companies that send their work overseas and these people that work for companies there are defintely being exploited, some of the companies stay here but the wage that they pay is ridiculous but some people have to work these places to survive. Too Achieve today it cost...everything cost.

"YOU decide what you are going to be NOT the government! Dont be ridiculous!!"

Wrong: "Army, Be All Your Told to Be"

You wanna talk about America?

Congress has given themselves raises quite frequently over the years, yet they have denied (until more than a decade later) the very people who put them office a raise...

Our government has no problem passing resolutions for war and international aid, in fact our we now suffer from a consistent trade deficit, and a declining value of the coveted U.S. dollar. They also don't have a problem passing "pork barrel" spending or pet projects that build bridges to nowhere and provides homeland security, in the millions, in places that have a population of 100 and no immediate or probable threat from anyone except the weather.

Yeah, the "American Dream" is and was a great thing to want. If you honestly think the government has no say in our dreams, you are wrong. Try researching inflation + real wages + cost of living and see which ones increase, while the others lag behind. And I think I can blame corporations all day long, when they CEO's practice unethical business policies and pocket million dollar bonuses, while acting as if they very people who work for them don't deserve a thing.

Of course, there are opportunities and other jobs if you aren't happy with your own, but sometimes that is more easily said than done. Don't tell me it's fair for an educated single mother or anyone who works hard to get paid a laughable minimum wage, while the government and the economy demands higher prices on consumer goods without providing higher wages to afford them.

not really sure of the world that some people are living in...don't understand why some people seemingly don't see whats truly going on with the government and big business.

There have been two ads in the paper in recent days (I think one was still there in Monday's paper) offering as little as $8/hour for jobs in Murfreesboro. With the price of gas as it is now, you wouldn't make much more than enough to cover your gas bill there and back in a week's time.

Insurance costs for the general workers are rising higher and higher meaning less take home pay to go along with the rising prices of food, rent/house payments, electricity, gas, taxes, etc.

How can anyone think that all I have to do is get a better job or educate myself and better my current job situation in the company I am with and be able to keep up? How many college grads are working in our local fast food restaurants, convience stores, and factories, making those big bucks that education will bring you?

Change jobs and you are probably not going to get the full benefits, pitiful that they may be in some places, that you are recieving now- at least to start out with. You loose what little senority status that you may have and become low man on the totem pole should there be a lay-off. As someone also mentioned, most of these places are hiring through temp services with no guarantee that you will ever be made a permanant employee. Thus someone else is getting rich off of your labor and you never have any benefits such as insurance so you have to carry your own, taking more money out of your pocket.

I am a SAHM at the moment( worked for 19 years before though), my husband works 6 and 7 days a week most weeks for around $13/hour plus overtime and double time. We are still living pay check to pay check, have no savings to fall back on, and struggle just about every week. Yet should I get a job, the daycare bill would take most of my check. Would we really be any better off?

I feel for the single parents out there who have to try to make ends meet each and every week. Go to school and become something- Right?!. Pay for school,living expenses, babysitters and/or daycare, plus work at a low paying job while you are trying to make better and still raise your kids- when would you see them, much less raise them?

Until the wages keep up with the minimal needed to cover the cost of living, it won't be getting any better!

very well spoken eastside mom

That's nice... Well when the government isn't there for you when your house is destroyed by a natural disaster or government sponsored terrorism... And they allow the corporations, in this case insurance to decide you're not worthy of anything you've paid to be protected form in the last few years, you have a reason to be upset.

"Live and let live" is fine, so long as you aren't affected by the governments corrupt practices... That is why we rely on government and corporations, because most of us are not billionaires and can rebuild without the assistance of those who give us jobs.. and regardless if we are living the "American Dreams" we are still taxed to death and we get nothing in return. By the way it is the government who can't get social security right.... And yet again, that isn't the people who have worked for 30 and 40 years fault... NOW IS IT? So "live and let live" and watch everything YOU have aspired to be and do, go down in flames because the GOVERNMENT could care less...

P. S. You don't have to be so hateful all the time.

-- Posted by neena on Tue, Sep 25, 2007, at 5:19 PM

EXPLAIN... Of course the government provided subsidies for agriculture... Agriculture is one of the largest recipients of government subsidies. But that in now way, refutes my point about the government protecting your inheritances, your jobs, etc...

I am not hateful neena. You read into it too deeply. I am no more intelligent than most people on these blogs, but I do consider myself more educated.

I think I have heard this type of discussion at least once a year my entire life.

The government will not, cannot, should not ensure your achievement of the American dream (fill in your own dream here). Otherwise it would be called the American birthright. Politicians will not save us from low wages, the market and our own ingenuity will. Government cannot assure your financial independence, that's your job. Yes, there are people in large corporations who make ridiculous sums of money even when they're terrible CEOs (see Home Depot). Yes they exert influence on government. Guess what, it has happened since the beginning of the Republic and continues in every modern country on the planet. But here, you have the OPPORTUNITY (note, not a guarantee) to not only make yourself into one of those CEOs, you have they OBLIGATION to vote and make the government more in line with your vision.

That's it, I've hit the wall. Gotta get to sleep.

the problem is with most of the people that feel they are being "exploited" is that they spend to much time "researching" government projects and not enough time WORKING. Researching bridges built to nowhere will never further YOUR future. the only thing you can be sure of is this, tree huggers get ready...if you are not what you want to be, or at least on the way to what you want to be, ITS YOUR OWN FAULT. O say it isnt so, be responsible for our own actions? But...but... what about the government are they going to help me? No get your butt to work, that is the ONLY thing that will help you achieve who you want to become.

our government was setup to help people that are less fortunate, but that help now is seldom seen, some of us have a problem facing reality or they just look at their own reality. There is no doubt in my mind that America is definitely exploiting all workers in society. It cost so much now to get a good education to try to bring yourself up that its not attainable to people that are less fortunate, sad but a very truthful fact.

Sure life can be rough and not everyone has all they want or all they always need. Some are in need of help. Only in America can we sympathize with those in need. Let's lay the ground work here. When I worked in my early life I only made a little money. My wife and I would say about someone who made a lot more, "They are rich!" Later in life I made as much or more than those other people and now we don't consider ourselves rich. Looking at the big picture, we have to look at ourselves from some third world point of view. We have to fairly judge ourselves from what the rest of the world has. I'm thinking of this because I just talked with some people who recently returned from rural Brazil.

They spoke of small huts for large families; having only a couple of changes of clothes; only successful people may have a tv; and towns where only the most prosperous have a window A/C. From that point of view we are rich. Are we lucky?

NO! We are blessed. Blessed by God. This country was founded by Christians looking for freedom to worship and Capitalist looking for ways to make money. Both wanted freedom and our forefathers worked it out where each could survive. Yes, you can be both a capitalist and a Christian and they can work together. You can be honest and hard working and God fearing and successful. God can bless you with riches.

For years He blessed this nation and we reaped great rewards for hard work. As a nation there is more wealth in the hands of a larger percentage of the population than in any other nation. Only in America have we seen such success. Our poor when compared to the rest of the world do well. My job takes me to homes of rich and poor. Many of our poorest have an abundance of clothes, food enough not to starve, houses that would look like mansions to many of the world, and tvs and electronic toys. We are still reaping the blessings of our forefathers success.

We need to return to the values that put us here: the faith of our fathers - hard work - limited government. We need to get back the values that put us in the place we are today. Too many people have forgotten the God who blesses. Many have forgotten the work it takes to be successful. Many want to see what they can get instead of seeing what they can give to make our nation prosperous.

Only in America are we blessed as greatly as any nation that ever existed. I realize that certain people will never be able to see how truly blessed they or this great nation is. Seems that somebody always owes them something for their lack of motivation or initiative to better themselves. How dare we insist that you be free!!!

The government should not have to set laws to improve or correct our principles or our work ethic. It is the responsibility of the people to teach and act out the proper morals. If we cannot control ourselves and need the government to set laws governing how much we may achieve or to take away from those that do to give to those that refuse, then our individual liberties are useless.

It is about personal responsibility and where individuals contribute to their communities to make them stronger. This makes the states stronger, which makes our country a stronger unit. We need to depend more on each other than on the government.

As long as a person takes responsibility for his or her actions, that person should have the personal liberty that accompanies that responsibility.

?????????????????????

Do you think that buying meds from Canada would help us? Really think about it before you answer.

You have been going to McGee's here in town for years (hypothetically), you stop going and now you order your meds from Canada...what happens when the people who have also been going there forever find out? They order the cheaper meds too. Eventually McGee's must close....somehow I do not see this as a good thing. I do not see how that would help out the "small" guys in America.

depends of what small guy you are talking about, it would help my "small guy" by putting money back in his pocket, maybe he can save just a little, pharmacy's like Mcgees are locally owned and in a sense are the small guy, but pharmacy chains llke, Eckerds, CVS, Walgreens, etc as you know are huge chains that are located nationwide, the owners of these chains could care less about the cost of medicines, are you saying that we are supposed to bow down to pharmacys so they can make money...keep spending ridiculous amounts of money for medicines that are priced here in the United States higher than in any other country...so business's can make money. Seems like the small company could get in the fight along with the "small guy" to demand lower prescription cost and other alternative methods in obtaining medicines. Its not that i don't want to support the small pharmacy its the fact that the medicines are just way too high and if there are medicines of the same quality elsewhere there should never be a law stopping american citizens from obtaining those medicines. The only reason there is a law stopping us from obtaining safe medicines from Canada is it might bankrupt these huge pharmaceutical companies here...and god forbid we do that.

I am very smart with my money TDC... thank you very much.

I am 21 and I have owned a 2000 Nissan Maxima, 2003 Nissan Murano and currently own a 2005 Nissan Altima SE-R, and I don't expect the government to send me a single check in the mail. I live with my parents, and we live in a 4500 sq ft house and I don't expect the government to send us a check... We don't ask the government for a single thing, but when they take MONEY out of OUR checks that is supposed to be for OUR retirement, down the road, WE have a right to be upset.

Minimum wage should RISE with inflation and every time the cost of living increases... Nobody is asking for a handout from government, just simply being appreciated and knowing that they are there when we DO need them. You can't tell me that the American dream is easily obtainable, anymore.

There are people who struggle on a daily basis and live slightly above the required minimum level in order to get college assistance (I am not included, as I have a full ride scholarship, thank you) so what does that leave them? LOANS, which have huge interest rates, which fatten the pockets of corporations while those who struggle to obtain the American dream are left to foot the bill..

Don't call people lazy when all they ask is for government to help them out when they need it, such as healthcare, higher wages, ETC... When Congress has the guts to give theirselves a raise and pass legislation that require Americans to pay off interest on the national debt, and for us to fund a war in a Foreign Country, and then people such as yourself don't want to see the middle class succeed, it is beyond my comprehension. I don't struggle, I have it made and I still don't think it's fair for those who try and try, only to be forgotten, because they not important enough... Exploitation of workers is happening and will continue to happen, but consider Americans lucky compared to the countries we outsource cheap labor to in order to feed our addictions...

just like i said darrick_04, instead of looking out for your own future,and interest.you are worried about what the government does. give them your taxes, take whats left and get going! stop looking for all the bad in society, think positive, get a goal in mind work as hard as you can to achieve it, and if you are good at it you WILL succeed!! THAT is the american way! One more thing, most people dont have a goal,do you know what they want darrick_04? To be rich! without having any way in mind to do it! DO NOT put a dollar amount on success! I guess thats the difference in people that think like me and people that think like you!

Somebody should start a new topic called-"How bad do you want it!"

do you want to be sucessfull bad enough that you will,

1) Put off having a family until you get settled in a career?

2) Go to college longer than you should,because you work a part time job to?

3) Work nights and weekends to put extra money back to start a buisiness you thought of?

4) Live a lesser lifestyle than most other people because you have a PLAN?

5) Most important, are you willing to outwork everyone else? Thats right work. whether its flipping burgers or mowing lawns, will YOU out work the other person?

Thats not all but you should be getting my point.

Darrick you are getting a full ride scholarship b/c you are an excellent student! I may have been capable of the same thing, except I didn't try as hard as you.....do you think I still get a full ride scholarship? Wouldn't that kinda make you wonder what difference it made to work hard?

You tried harder and did better than me and you got a reward for it....is it fair to give me that same reward?

.....mmm.... so let me see if I have this straight Darrick. You go to school free at a school regulated by the government and in part funded by OUR tax dollars, live in a monster home with all the modern trappings, drive a 500 dollar a month car that you can afford because mommie and daddy pay all the other bills,which by the way required a LOAN, which has a huge interest rate, which fattens the pockets of corporations while those who struggle to obtain the American dream are left to foot the bill..yet you signed the paperwork because it fulfilled a need. You sir are living the American dream albiet on someone elses dime for the most part. So tell me again just exactly what is your gripe man? And by the way, the American dream has never been easy to achieve. Some of us earned the right to enjoy the fruits of our hard work, while others want it handed to them because they are "entitled" to a better life. What a crock! I hope you save these blogs to look back on ten years after you earn your sheepskin. You won't be so quick to defend those that sat around smoking dope and watching cartoons while you busted your butt to educate yourself. I hope by then that you will have distanced yourself from those that would drag you down with them if you let them. You have the potential to be one of the leaders of tommorrow. I pray that you don't choose to waste our resources on those that won't help themselves so that other young people like you can continue to achieve.

darrick_04 with an attitide like you have, i dont care how much free education you get you will never be sucessful. because it starts with a good attitude and thinking that you can do something. if you continue to think that the government will not let you or people like you succeed then you should give up now and stop all that schooling stuff.

anyway here's a couple of quotes that i think make a lot of sense and are relevant to this conversation.

"WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO?"

- sean connery in THE UNTOUCHABLES

"YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU HAVE EARNED"

- my uncle jay

woops-

"YOU ONLY GET WHAT YOU HAVE EARNED"

Hey, I read something about social security today!

http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/24/news/eco...

Man I love our government!

Interesting article there...

I am going to class now, I rather enjoy my "free" education! That will obviously not make me successful. An education doesn't make anyone successful, it's what you do with it that makes you successful. I, tdc, plan to do a lot!

Yeah.

I just want to add that Social Security is taken out AGAINST our will, so it will be there to help us when we get older, that was the GOVERNMENTS idea, not ours. My Grandmother worked since she was 12, raised her brothers, raised her family, raised most of us, owned her own business for 20 years, and after the death of my grandfather and then losing her house to a flood, social security is no longer helping her out at all. She is nearing 80, working 60 hours a week, to pay for a new house (all that insurance she paid on her house, didn't help when the flood hit). SO I ask where is the government to help our elderly, both of my grandparents MORE than helped the government in times of War, My Grandfather serverd in 3 wars, her only son served in the Gulf War and now her grandson is serving in Iraq, she made her sacrifices.

According to most of you, if she wants to better herself, she should just go back to school, well I don't believe that to be an option for her. She thought that her money was safe with the government and she could live out her years enjoying life, not working herself into the grave for $7.00 an hour.

AND TO LAURA SFT:

And yes minimum wage should be raised, it hasn't been raised in years so Laura your points are useless and unintelligent to say the least. Even though minimum wage hasn't been raised, the prices of everything else keeps going up. Wonder what government assistant you get? Or are you paying for every cent of your college education? You say you have 2 kids, are any of those kids on TennCare? WIC? Minimum wage jobs are sometimes the only jobs that people have and they work hard, harder than most people and have to put up with all the jerks that come into those places.

Some of you think going to college is as easy as 1-2-3..but it's not, not for some. My sister has a $100,000 education (literally) and she earned every penny for it by scholarships, not one government loan. What the scholarships didn't cover, my parents did. But others aren't that lucky.

You talk about minimum wage workers but if not for them, who would check you out at Wal-Mart, Krogers, McDonald's, Burger King, etc?

Why does everyone have such a problem with raising minimum wage and helping out those that don't have such a bright future. When in reality the ones sucking the government assistance dry are the illegals that come here, not the hard working people.

Stolen-I am sorry to read about your grandmother. She is exactly the kind of folks that we should be helping. She embodies the American spirit. Working 60 hours a week at age 80 is an incredible feat. Your family has obviously contributed to the greater good of our country. It is criminal that it has not paid her back for her patriotism. Please write me at rebel4ever37@yahoo.com. I would like to help if indeed she would accept it. We could all learn a lesson from her struggle. Thank you and your family for their service to our country. She deserves better.

Thanks stolen..

And your grandmother doesn't deserve to be treated as if she's never contributed a dime to the government...

It is unfair, and THOSE are the people I am talking about! People who have lost everything, then where was the government (which is in place to protect the people)?

I don't understand how my "attitude" of helping those in need instead of the corporations who don't need it, is so bad. These people don't understand, so far I have not relied on the governmnent for much of anything in the form of extra income or "assistance", but I would like to think that if I NEED their assistance, it would be there, instead of pretending I can just do everything on my own!

And rebel, I understand our contrasting viewpoints on many issues, as well as what we agree on. Please just understand, I am in this for the good of the PEOPLE (who deserve it)!!! I don't like the idea of people sitting around all day in government assisted housing, and are completely capable of working and yet they receive checks to live on... However, it is equally devestating to see Katrina victims, Rita victims, etc etc etc in this great country of "live and let live" still suffer YEARS after the hurricane. It isn't fair that our great government, the supposed richest on earth, can't even make the insurance companies do what they were supposed to do. INSURE people! Not uninsure them. It should be (and probably is) ILLEGAL to change a policies coverage immediately after a storm, and cause people to live in those horrid "FEMA" trailers for this long. When does the madness end? Or do we just continue to not care?

The thing is people want the government to protect us from terrorism, and all other threats, but they aren't willing to sacrifice something of their own to see it happen. I sacrifice 12% of my income every paycheck to a fund that I will never see! You should hate that for your kids, your family, your friends, and yourself. The honest difference between people who "think like tdc" and those "think like me" is that we want to hold government accountable BEFORE and AFTER they are needed, and even when it doesn't affect ME! And when "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is simply a phrase of what SHOULD be the American way, not reality...

From a purely objective viewpoint, my hatred of government corruption isn't because it directly affects me, it is because it effects EVERYONE if we just "live and let live."

Keep your passion and fervor for your causes. I in turn, will continue to try to get you to think before you leap. I meant what I said about future leadership. No matter our differences, I would want you on my side in any battle that came my way.

-- Posted by rebel4ever37 on Thu, Sep 27, 2007, at 10:11 PM

You have no idea how much that means to me..

You have more of my respect than many of my own friends... Just the fact that you reached out to stolen and have encouraged me to not stop standing up for what I believe in. I dunno who you are, friend, but again, you have no clue how much that statement means. ;)

It has often been said to me that I should be a politician, but my response is always: "I am not crooked enough"...

I would hate to become the next victim of bribery and forget that it is people I am fighting for, not money!

Posted by stolen25 on Thu, Sep 27, 2007, at 6:45 PM

Stolen

I hope you come back and read this comment:

I just now am reading this blog and I saw this about your grandmother..is she not able to receive SSI or Social Security from your Grandfather's social security account?

This is what I do...I help elderly people find funds to help them live. So I also would be more than willing to help her if possible.

An 80 year old lady should not be working unless it is by choice not because she must work to live.

Oh so very Late I am NEVER up early