Save a Job Buy American

[H3.007]

I grew up in a Union family so I have seen the pros and cons. My family always had health insurance and decent wages for blue collar laborers. Recently, the plant went to private ownership, non-union ownership. The wages dropped slightly and the costs of health care were passed onto employees. Earned benefits for retirees also were cut! However, I have a non-Union job and I make much more than my folks ever did. But, I also see where people get more easily screwed in non-bargaining positions (i.e. in my current employer), because they don't "kiss the right cheeks", "lick the right gumball", attend the right parties, or have the right set of genitals- and this regardless of education, experience, or proven on-the-job ability and potential. And to think that I had to go into education debt for life just to have a job where I could pay it back and get screwed out of promotions because of my gender, my chosen manner of socialization, and the vehicle I drive (oh - he drives a Hummer 3 - so he is rich, single, without kids, thus he doesn't deserve the promotion; let's give it to the poor, twice divorced, single-mother valley girl who has half the education and proven track record). Yeah - ok - I have issues- only in Pennsylvania.

Having said that, the major problem with our economy is that we, as a country and government, have not forced reciprocation of our trade policies.
Until we do, we will be forced to compete with countries that treat their people like commodities in order to under-cut us. I agree with the quality and competitiveness issues, but again, they will ultimately be meaningless unelss we can equalize our foreign trade practices.

I believe that is the bottom line.