The iPad is taking away American Jobs! Jesse Jackson Jr.

[dandbj13]

The iPad is taking away American jobs, Jesse Jackson Junior's sanity (video) -- Engadget

When I saw this, I couldn't believe it was serious, yet it was. JJJ made an impassioned plea to congress to do something about the unemployment caused by the iPad. Of course, he began his remarks by acknowledging that he had one. You must watch this for yourself. Enjoy.

 

[jared]

He isn't as crazy as he sounds. His concept is legitimate. He just could have made his case better.

It is a bit disheartening that Apple, one of the most successful companies in America, has about 30,000 American employees, but over a million employees working for their contractors in China. There was a day when an American company came up with a brilliant idea, and then actually produced it in this country. That is essentially how we became such a successful nation in a relatively short period of time. Outsourcing, which is now practiced by nearly every large American corporation, is destroying our middle class. It is the 21st century's version of slavery. It would be nice to just say we should boycott companies that create more jobs overseas than they do here, but you would basically have to live in a tent to do that, and you would probably have to build that tent yourself completely from scratch.

 

[gvndeb60]

He isn't as crazy as he sounds. His concept is legitimate. He just could have made his case better.

It is a bit disheartening that Apple, one of the most successful companies in America, has about 30,000 American employees, but over a million employees working for their contractors in China. There was a day when an American company came up with a brilliant idea, and then actually produced it in this country. That is essentially how we became such a successful nation in a relatively short period of time. Outsourcing, which is now practiced by nearly every large American corporation, is destroying our middle class. It is the 21st century's version of slavery. It would be nice to just say we should boycott companies that create more jobs overseas than they do here, but you would basically have to live in a tent to do that, and you would probably have to build that tent yourself completely from scratch.

Well said......

 

[Alli]

When we get rid of welfare and make it worthwhile taking back the "menial" jobs we are outsourcing, things will improve. Currently, it's a better living to get welfare. Why work on a production line when you can sit back and collect a check?

Solves all the problems - do away with welfare and bring back the jobs to this country to the people who will now be forced to work or starve.

 

[jared]

When we get rid of welfare and make it worthwhile taking back the "menial" jobs we are outsourcing, things will improve. Currently, it's a better living to get welfare. Why work on a production line when you can sit back and collect a check?

Solves all the problems - do away with welfare and bring back the jobs to this country to the people who will now be forced to work or starve.

Well I do share your disdain for entitlement programs like welfare, however, corporations have to pay a fair wage to their employees. As it stands now, even people who work full time have to apply for state's assistance just to make ends meet. It is common for Wal-Mart to direct their employees to Medicaid to supplement their healthcare. I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about my tax dollars going to subsidize Wal-Mart's employee benefit system while Wal-Mart rakes in billions in profit every year. Greed has consumed corporate America and Wall Street. I have no problem with people making a ton of money, that's Capitalism, but CEOs should realize that their success is directly tied to their employee's success. Henry Ford used to take a lot of heat for "overpaying" his assembly line workers. His response was that he wanted his employees to be able to afford to buy his vehicles. He realized there was a symbiotic relationship between employee compensation and his company's success. Of course that was before our new "global economy". China and India combined have more than ten times the population of the US. I firmly believe that corporate America is enriching foreign markets at the expense of the American market because in the long run they will have 10 times the customer base. Politicians stress the importance of education to compete in the "new economy". While education is important, not everyone has the financial or mental capacity to obtain advanced degrees. Without manufacturing and other low-skill jobs there won't be anywhere for these people to go.

I don't mean to get too political on an iPad forum, but I am saddened at the direction of our country. My late grandfather was able to support a family of six working in a steel mill after coming home from WWII. It certainly wasn't a glamorous job, and it was hard work, but it provided a middle class lifestyle to his family and a pension for his retirement. Those days are long gone.

 

[spark032207#WN]

It's not as simple as he makes it sound like. The iPad has probably created many jobs in the App sector (if such a sector exists), and other related industries. People that are hired in those industries will go out and spend money on whatever they spend. Etc, etc.

Maybe at the end the Americans do lose. But it's way too simplistic a view to say it so quickly.