"When in the course of human events..........." But where do we go from here? Frank Sobotka, a character on the series, "The Wire" said, "You know what the trouble is Brucey? We used to make shit in this country, build shit. Now we just put our hand in the next guy's pocket." I remember Biden saying that those jobs overseas aren't coming back, and I thought, "Why not?" Barbara Jo Krieger replied to my comment on Reich's essay, "Two big upcoming theatrical performances" the other day with a plan. It's a good plan and worth a try. It begins by focusing our efforts on D.C. and Puerto Rican statehood. Who is working on this and how do I join them?
Biden wasn’t exactly accurate when he said jobs aren’t coming back. Some will but manufacturing will comeback into the americas to certain degree. The pandemic showed in a crisis the supply side and shipping issues that destroyed costs for many businesses. It also highlighted the importance of having a strong local food chain. Add on that we’re entering into a detente period with China and manufacturing will flow back into this hemisphere. Early estimates figured 15ish% of manufacturing will flow back into the US. There’s prob another 15-20% min that will come back into central and South America.
Belvidere, Illinois just lost an auto manufacturing plant that has been here for over 50 years to Mexico. When is the exodus of manufacturing going to end? Mexico now has universal healthcare. How can the US compete with Mexico when the unions have to include healthcare in the contracts?
I saw that. There’s multiple issues going on there. The larger issue is lack of accountability and responsibility of individuals and industry. Govt and markets reward bad behavior and abuses. Allowing money to flow offshore costs the country billions in taxes. Labor rights have been peeled away in courts. Walmart gets rewarded for firing their best ppl, having full time employees who need state and federal assistance to survive. They aggressively prosecute for shoplifting when customers aren’t cashiers so they can demand civil fines. Expanding wage inequalities get rewarded. Market mechanisms are not working properly. Political interference is more toxic than beneficial. It shouldn’t be so easy for industry to pick up leave allow flight of capital and labor. It almost seemed the auto plant was intentionally ran into the ground to create a premise to move out of county. If institutions don’t do their jobs and hold ppl and entities accountable it will only get worse.
Don't begrudge Mexico for doing better for their people. Too many people are complaining about immigration, but then complain when jobs are offshored. Sorry, you cannot have it both ways. YES, businesses will often put their profits ahead of their employees and communities, and offshoring is one way to to that. It will improve the economy of those gaining countries, and wages and the standard of living will improve, and maybe, just maybe, the world benefits.
Govt of Mexico really didn’t enter into my thinking. The scope at the plant seemed so narrowed I wonder if it was doomed to fail. I’m very curious though if the new plant in Mexico will have the same scope or be expanded. They can’t protect Americans crossing the border purchasing goods and services or tourists staying at resorts (ppl are still mysteriously dying), so I’m not so sure how well they’ll protect corporate business interests. This is a Stellantis decision. They already have a plant in Mexico as does Tesla and gm. If anything, the question is if our govt should/can offer any temporary relief that can offset the rising material costs. They should try to find alternative manufacturing to takeover the old plant too
Let me remind you that "the government" IS the U.S. Taxpayer and any monetary benefit granted to a PRIVATE CORPORATION IS A SUBSIDY (SOCIALISM) for those who do NOT need it. Maybe the true answer is FINANCIAL PENALTIES for those corporations when they bring the products made with cheap labor in other countries back into the U.S. to be sold.
Who should be responsible for paying for health insurance? It’s part or should be part of an employees compensation. It’s in an employers best interest to have healthy labor. Even with national healthcare it needs to get funded. It’s a must have at this point. Between companies shenanigans over the past 20 years, too many states allowing the shenanigans and trying to kill Obamacare, and what the healthcare, big pharma and insurance industries are getting away with, there no alternative anymore to provide good affordable healthcare any other way. Employees can pay a share but the bulk of the money should come from corporate taxes. Budgets for Medicare. Medicaid and vets can cover the rest and then some. Small business definitely shouldn’t get crushed but the same way you need to carry workers comp, they can pay something reasonable for their employees too
That one thing that shouldn’t change. Medical expenses and salary would be paid through the comp insurance. Hospital groups won’t be able to play the hidden charge, obscene er bill for out of network games. Pharm companies won’t get away with ridiculous pricing and being buried under insurance company paperwork and red tape will disappear to name a few things that will change for the better
The company should pay an award to the injured employee and a fine for unsafe conditions, but the medical should not stay part of the insurance system that will fight you to say you weren't injured and that you are healed when you are not. They have their own paid off doctors who will lie for the company and their comp insurer.
The bulk should should come from the corporate world. We need to reboot accountability and responsibility and they should not benefit from this disaster they caused. Healthcare was far from perfect heading into the new the century but what we’ve seen happen the past 2 decades is indefensible and abhorrent. I’m sure executive level officers will keep their private insurance and defined benefits, politicians will keep their top notch medical and it shouldn’t be another abuse of power where “regular folk” get stuck with the tab.
Mark. We come into this world alone and leave it the same way. From the date of contraception health care is needed.
The best thing that has happened is universal health care. We are the only industrialized nation without it. I don't think you know jack about history.
The best thing that could ever happen to EMPLOYERS is Medicare for all. Medical expenses would no longer be business liabilities.
The HEALTHCARE professionals I have worked with have been great with a couple of "clunkers" It IS far and away the HEALTH(CARE?) INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT ARE THE GRIFTERS AND "DEATH PANELS" in the U.S. system. And that also includes the PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES and their, BEYOND ANY REASON, CONSUMER PRICES! If ANY industries are screaming out for REGULATION or a COMPLETE RETHINK, it would be those two. (The words that continue to come to mind when I think of those industries is ORGANIZED CRIME.) Healthcare Insurance adds NOTHING in the way of actually helping people. THEY do NOT take the Hippocratic Oath. Their ONLY allegiance is to the almighty dollar! The answers are to eliminate employers from the cost and burden of providing healthcare, replacing it with a Universal System that simply pays for your educated and trained doctors recommendations. NO GRIFTING MIDDLEMEN (Insurance Companies)! As far as pharmaceuticals, as MOST drugs research and development these days is PAID FOR BY THE U.S. TAXPAYERS BY WAY OF GRANTS TO THE UNIVERSITIES, when the resulting patents are assigned to a drug company it MUST have "strings attached". (Ex: Drug cannot be priced beyond a certain percentage of cost.). Patent protection is reduced to seven years with NO extensions. Another alternative is to take the medications that currently are selling with the largest mark-ups to the consumer and take over Purdue Pharma (as part of its settlement with the Sackler Family and their Oxycontin "killing spree" (That family made BILLIONS literally addicting people to their "pain medication")), and have the GOVERNMENT manufacture the drugs with a small mark-up that will be used for even more Research and Development for drugs to prevent new strains of disease. (This action would certainly be a "game changer" and you would immediately see the consumer prices at the large pharmaceutical companies fall rapidly because they would have REALL COMPETITION!) This current system is all about PROFIT and doctors I have spoken to about this says the current system is a "nightmare" for them to navigate primarily because of all of the different policies and, on top of that, arguing with these insurance companies about needed care. They DENY appropriate medical care at every chance they get. "Give him a drug! If he dies, then we do NOT have to give him the expensive needed surgery his doctor is recommending". It is as SICK as that!
Do you find it interesting that the conversation started with Robert Reich’s piece on the privileged health care system of unhealthy banks? The banks in the US have universal health care for all (the banks ). Preexisting conditions do not apply for banks.
Daniel - To your point. When GM was in discussions with the Ontario government about healthcare for workers, it urged the government to backstop and continue the Province's coverage. Why? Because it is less costly for GM to pay the employer contributions under the Canadian healthcare system than its payments for workers' healthcare in the U.S.
There are those who don't want manufacturing with all its pollution and toxicity returning to the US. There are those who don't want to live as many Chinese do: wearing masks everywhere including in their own homes. There is a downside--pollution plus others--to all these manufacturing jobs.
The technology exists for new construction to build environmentally friendly factories. Tech sector creates massive pollution. EV are still less environmentally friendly than gas engines. If it’s not one thing it’s another unless you deal with issues on a large scale. There was horrendous pollution in China before US manufacturing moved there and China has been much more aggressive than the US to reduce areas of high pollution. There can be benefits to force new sectors to deal with issues. Even if the manufacturing moves to central and South America it will increase transportation pollution. In the end there are products that are basic necessities that everyone needs. If it’s done properly it could spearhead innovation to reduce overall pollution.
I still think that guys like Dimon can be educated to a certain extent. They live and work in an echo chamber. Put him in the same room with people like Robert rather than people playing the game of monopoly and I think he will express some democratic goals. He has to reject the MAGA dog whistle, has to recognize that Russia and China are constant threats, that there is too much income inequality.
The problem with guys like him is they want to do all of the talking when they should be listening.
I ask, WHY is Dimon still the CEO of JPMorgan when his bank was directly involved in the financial crisis of 2008? He should be "behind the bars"! If not that, at least she should be REMOVED from his position for his companies involvement. He, as CEO, CANNOT claim ignorance!! Again, we have a "lack of accountability". Or, is it just the muscle of ORGANIZED CRIME?
Thank you for explaining all this, information most of us do not have. It seems there are no consequences for the really wicked these days.
"When in the course of human events..........." But where do we go from here? Frank Sobotka, a character on the series, "The Wire" said, "You know what the trouble is Brucey? We used to make shit in this country, build shit. Now we just put our hand in the next guy's pocket." I remember Biden saying that those jobs overseas aren't coming back, and I thought, "Why not?" Barbara Jo Krieger replied to my comment on Reich's essay, "Two big upcoming theatrical performances" the other day with a plan. It's a good plan and worth a try. It begins by focusing our efforts on D.C. and Puerto Rican statehood. Who is working on this and how do I join them?
Biden wasn’t exactly accurate when he said jobs aren’t coming back. Some will but manufacturing will comeback into the americas to certain degree. The pandemic showed in a crisis the supply side and shipping issues that destroyed costs for many businesses. It also highlighted the importance of having a strong local food chain. Add on that we’re entering into a detente period with China and manufacturing will flow back into this hemisphere. Early estimates figured 15ish% of manufacturing will flow back into the US. There’s prob another 15-20% min that will come back into central and South America.
Belvidere, Illinois just lost an auto manufacturing plant that has been here for over 50 years to Mexico. When is the exodus of manufacturing going to end? Mexico now has universal healthcare. How can the US compete with Mexico when the unions have to include healthcare in the contracts?
I saw that. There’s multiple issues going on there. The larger issue is lack of accountability and responsibility of individuals and industry. Govt and markets reward bad behavior and abuses. Allowing money to flow offshore costs the country billions in taxes. Labor rights have been peeled away in courts. Walmart gets rewarded for firing their best ppl, having full time employees who need state and federal assistance to survive. They aggressively prosecute for shoplifting when customers aren’t cashiers so they can demand civil fines. Expanding wage inequalities get rewarded. Market mechanisms are not working properly. Political interference is more toxic than beneficial. It shouldn’t be so easy for industry to pick up leave allow flight of capital and labor. It almost seemed the auto plant was intentionally ran into the ground to create a premise to move out of county. If institutions don’t do their jobs and hold ppl and entities accountable it will only get worse.
Don't begrudge Mexico for doing better for their people. Too many people are complaining about immigration, but then complain when jobs are offshored. Sorry, you cannot have it both ways. YES, businesses will often put their profits ahead of their employees and communities, and offshoring is one way to to that. It will improve the economy of those gaining countries, and wages and the standard of living will improve, and maybe, just maybe, the world benefits.
Govt of Mexico really didn’t enter into my thinking. The scope at the plant seemed so narrowed I wonder if it was doomed to fail. I’m very curious though if the new plant in Mexico will have the same scope or be expanded. They can’t protect Americans crossing the border purchasing goods and services or tourists staying at resorts (ppl are still mysteriously dying), so I’m not so sure how well they’ll protect corporate business interests. This is a Stellantis decision. They already have a plant in Mexico as does Tesla and gm. If anything, the question is if our govt should/can offer any temporary relief that can offset the rising material costs. They should try to find alternative manufacturing to takeover the old plant too
Let me remind you that "the government" IS the U.S. Taxpayer and any monetary benefit granted to a PRIVATE CORPORATION IS A SUBSIDY (SOCIALISM) for those who do NOT need it. Maybe the true answer is FINANCIAL PENALTIES for those corporations when they bring the products made with cheap labor in other countries back into the U.S. to be sold.
Who should be responsible for paying for health insurance? It’s part or should be part of an employees compensation. It’s in an employers best interest to have healthy labor. Even with national healthcare it needs to get funded. It’s a must have at this point. Between companies shenanigans over the past 20 years, too many states allowing the shenanigans and trying to kill Obamacare, and what the healthcare, big pharma and insurance industries are getting away with, there no alternative anymore to provide good affordable healthcare any other way. Employees can pay a share but the bulk of the money should come from corporate taxes. Budgets for Medicare. Medicaid and vets can cover the rest and then some. Small business definitely shouldn’t get crushed but the same way you need to carry workers comp, they can pay something reasonable for their employees too
Worker's comp should be much cheaper with the medical expenses paid by UHC. Worker's comp lawyers won't like that.
That one thing that shouldn’t change. Medical expenses and salary would be paid through the comp insurance. Hospital groups won’t be able to play the hidden charge, obscene er bill for out of network games. Pharm companies won’t get away with ridiculous pricing and being buried under insurance company paperwork and red tape will disappear to name a few things that will change for the better
The company should pay an award to the injured employee and a fine for unsafe conditions, but the medical should not stay part of the insurance system that will fight you to say you weren't injured and that you are healed when you are not. They have their own paid off doctors who will lie for the company and their comp insurer.
The bulk should should come from the corporate world. We need to reboot accountability and responsibility and they should not benefit from this disaster they caused. Healthcare was far from perfect heading into the new the century but what we’ve seen happen the past 2 decades is indefensible and abhorrent. I’m sure executive level officers will keep their private insurance and defined benefits, politicians will keep their top notch medical and it shouldn’t be another abuse of power where “regular folk” get stuck with the tab.
Mark. We come into this world alone and leave it the same way. From the date of contraception health care is needed.
The best thing that has happened is universal health care. We are the only industrialized nation without it. I don't think you know jack about history.
The best thing that could ever happen to EMPLOYERS is Medicare for all. Medical expenses would no longer be business liabilities.
Thank you Daniel. IMHO the day they allowed healthcare to become a for profit industry is the day the care of our health began to deteriorate.
The HEALTHCARE professionals I have worked with have been great with a couple of "clunkers" It IS far and away the HEALTH(CARE?) INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT ARE THE GRIFTERS AND "DEATH PANELS" in the U.S. system. And that also includes the PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES and their, BEYOND ANY REASON, CONSUMER PRICES! If ANY industries are screaming out for REGULATION or a COMPLETE RETHINK, it would be those two. (The words that continue to come to mind when I think of those industries is ORGANIZED CRIME.) Healthcare Insurance adds NOTHING in the way of actually helping people. THEY do NOT take the Hippocratic Oath. Their ONLY allegiance is to the almighty dollar! The answers are to eliminate employers from the cost and burden of providing healthcare, replacing it with a Universal System that simply pays for your educated and trained doctors recommendations. NO GRIFTING MIDDLEMEN (Insurance Companies)! As far as pharmaceuticals, as MOST drugs research and development these days is PAID FOR BY THE U.S. TAXPAYERS BY WAY OF GRANTS TO THE UNIVERSITIES, when the resulting patents are assigned to a drug company it MUST have "strings attached". (Ex: Drug cannot be priced beyond a certain percentage of cost.). Patent protection is reduced to seven years with NO extensions. Another alternative is to take the medications that currently are selling with the largest mark-ups to the consumer and take over Purdue Pharma (as part of its settlement with the Sackler Family and their Oxycontin "killing spree" (That family made BILLIONS literally addicting people to their "pain medication")), and have the GOVERNMENT manufacture the drugs with a small mark-up that will be used for even more Research and Development for drugs to prevent new strains of disease. (This action would certainly be a "game changer" and you would immediately see the consumer prices at the large pharmaceutical companies fall rapidly because they would have REALL COMPETITION!) This current system is all about PROFIT and doctors I have spoken to about this says the current system is a "nightmare" for them to navigate primarily because of all of the different policies and, on top of that, arguing with these insurance companies about needed care. They DENY appropriate medical care at every chance they get. "Give him a drug! If he dies, then we do NOT have to give him the expensive needed surgery his doctor is recommending". It is as SICK as that!
Do you find it interesting that the conversation started with Robert Reich’s piece on the privileged health care system of unhealthy banks? The banks in the US have universal health care for all (the banks ). Preexisting conditions do not apply for banks.
Daniel - To your point. When GM was in discussions with the Ontario government about healthcare for workers, it urged the government to backstop and continue the Province's coverage. Why? Because it is less costly for GM to pay the employer contributions under the Canadian healthcare system than its payments for workers' healthcare in the U.S.
There are those who don't want manufacturing with all its pollution and toxicity returning to the US. There are those who don't want to live as many Chinese do: wearing masks everywhere including in their own homes. There is a downside--pollution plus others--to all these manufacturing jobs.
The technology exists for new construction to build environmentally friendly factories. Tech sector creates massive pollution. EV are still less environmentally friendly than gas engines. If it’s not one thing it’s another unless you deal with issues on a large scale. There was horrendous pollution in China before US manufacturing moved there and China has been much more aggressive than the US to reduce areas of high pollution. There can be benefits to force new sectors to deal with issues. Even if the manufacturing moves to central and South America it will increase transportation pollution. In the end there are products that are basic necessities that everyone needs. If it’s done properly it could spearhead innovation to reduce overall pollution.
I can't help noticing how J P Morgan has loomed large in financial chaos for well over a century:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_of_1907
https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/1798/did-jp-morgan-mitigate-the-effects-of-the-great-depression#1799
Just sayin'.
As a general, global update:
https://youtu.be/zyZUM0jYJpw
That slimy Dimon is making out like the robber baron that he is. Infuriating as he probably won’t be held accountable
I still think that guys like Dimon can be educated to a certain extent. They live and work in an echo chamber. Put him in the same room with people like Robert rather than people playing the game of monopoly and I think he will express some democratic goals. He has to reject the MAGA dog whistle, has to recognize that Russia and China are constant threats, that there is too much income inequality.
The problem with guys like him is they want to do all of the talking when they should be listening.
Irrelevant nonsense! The necessary systemic change will not come about through polite discourse with the mob captains or the godfather. Get real!
Robespierre?
Obama? Hope and Change?
He is a MAGAt who did a deal with the Saudis while he was supposed to be working for the government.
Here's the real Thieve Mnuchin [ Thorry, I have a Lithp]https://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-treasury-foreclosed-homes-mnuchin-232038
That's BS. He's a guy who admits that the system needs to be rebalanced. Comes from a family of immigrants. https://fortune.com/2022/05/12/jamie-dimon-gets-brutally-honest-about-trump-democrats-and-corporate-executives-who-refuse-to-take-a-stand/
No evidence that he's a narcissist like Musk or Thiel. Speaking of Thiel, he led the run on the bank. Know thy enemy.
I ask, WHY is Dimon still the CEO of JPMorgan when his bank was directly involved in the financial crisis of 2008? He should be "behind the bars"! If not that, at least she should be REMOVED from his position for his companies involvement. He, as CEO, CANNOT claim ignorance!! Again, we have a "lack of accountability". Or, is it just the muscle of ORGANIZED CRIME?