Republicans The GOP's Presidential Candidates

Discussion in 'Free Speech Alley' started by LaSalleAve, Jan 28, 2015.

  1. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    It still is.

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    People are still producing widgets, they have just seen old tools replaced by computer tools. There can be little doubt that computers have dramatically increased the efficiency of many processes. Indeed, businesses that did not make the jump to computer technology have largely dropped out of the business.

    I don't think it is the tools, the internet or computers at all. It is the people. Gen-X and Millennials have grown up in the lap of luxury and demonstrate much lower productivity than earlier generations. They have extended childhood, stay in school longer, prefer teamwork over individual accomplishment, require more "mentoring", and they change jobs and entire careers more frequently.

    Boomers have different expectations of productivity than do their younger counterparts. For example, Millennials inherently mix work and outside life. They more team oriented and are prone to break off into groups to socialize and to date. As employees, they are four times more likely to waste time at work than the oldest Boomers, and most don't see that as problematic.

    Group / Time Wasted At Work (per day)
    • Baby Boomers / 41 minutes
    • Gen X'ers / 1.6 hours
    • Millennials / 2 hours
    And it is going to get worse with post-millennials. The Kaiser Family Foundation shows that kids today spend over 7.5 hours per day on average using digital devices. If you take out time spent sleeping and time at school, that's practically all day.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russ-warner/who-wastes-more-time-at-w_b_2618279.html

    http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/05/23/Could-Millennials-Spawn-a-Productivity-Crisis
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2015
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  2. LaSalleAve

    LaSalleAve when in doubt, mumble

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    Americans are working longer hours, producing more goods, and corporations are seeing record profits. So why haven't wages gone up? Why is it that everytime a corporation thinks they won't out profit the year before they cut labor? America is already a CEO and large corporation owner's wet fucking dream. Why do we need to disband unions and destroy workers rights?
     
  3. uscvball

    uscvball Founding Member

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    Unions and workers rights are often smack dab in the middle of productivity bullshit. They (not all) are notorious for keeping production low so they don't have to work harder. They are also known for fighting process improvements and digitization that will both increase productivity and limit further labor needs. Unions always press for more labor to do the job because obviously that serves their purpose of more union dues. The idea that union processes force unskilled or non-productive workers out is funny. I've seen it first-hand in a union shop that made tools for a large aerospace company. Workers that got caught drunk, high, sleeping on the job would get sent home to think about their job for a few days and would then come back with no problems.

    One of the higher skilled jobs was a jig and fixture builder. Almost all were British, temporary worker visa types. They worked harder, got in zero trouble, and were far more respectful.

    Not all unions or union workers are bad or non-productive. Union management is still management....their goal is the same as a corporate CEO.
     
  4. LaSalleAve

    LaSalleAve when in doubt, mumble

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    I don't disagree with you. They have a history of being corrupt, but so do state governments, and CEO's. And they only care about themselves and their shareholders. The pursuit of profit shouldn't ethically trump workers. However I think the playing field should be equal.
     
  5. LSUpride123

    LSUpride123 PureBlood

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    Here is the problem. The entire concept of a free market and the US financial system is one in which the Shareholder comes 1st.

    The more I study into it, the more I like a model where not only the Shareholder is considered, but also the stakeholders, customers, and employees are all equal. Very close to what Japan does.
     
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  6. Winston1

    Winston1 Founding Member

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    And Germany. However if you remember Japan's economy has been moribund for decades and has significant long term issues. Germany has done pretty well as the strong man of Europe. I work for Siemens and they are pretty impressive but no more so than GE our number 1 competitor.
    Both are much more homogenous societies as well.
     
  7. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    It's very clear.

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    [​IMG]
     
  8. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    In recent decades, executive compensation comes first. Shareholder profits trail significantly.

    [​IMG]

    Several things are apparent . . .

    1. Executive compensation is way out of line with owner profits and obscenely out of line with worker salaries.

    2. The best way for any of us who are not corporate executives to get ahead is to buy S&P index funds and try to get a piece of the action.

    3. Salaries have been stagnant for decades while corporations, investors, and executives grow at high rates.

    4. A minimum wage job is working for nothing. This is why almost nobody pays them that little. Nobody can survive long at minimum wage.
     
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  9. Winston1

    Winston1 Founding Member

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    Good points @red55 so what would you recommend? Not a shot but honest question.
     
  10. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    Way complex. The best thing would be for owners to reign in executives. But the system is stacked against them. Shareholders are individually too small to make a difference. Only the biggest pension funds and megawealthy individuals can force a corporate board to do anything. And the executives stack the boards with . . . you guessed it . . . executives of other boards. And they all take each other to that bank.

    I don't know how to do it but executive compensation should be tied directly to the profits that they generate. they should not make more than the owners. And no golden parachutes that are not available to any employee. Employee wages should reflect economic prosperity as well as the shareholders and not just the executives. Other countries do better at this than we do.

    And with profits steadily rising, productivity up, an expanding economy, corporate salaries rising as well as inflation, it is foolish to expect minimum wage to remain static this long. It has to go up from time to time as well.

    It is bad for the nation to have so much wealth concentrated in the hands of a super-influential few, especially now that The Supremes say that an election can simply be bought.
     
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