The Prosperity of Big Business has Become Disconnected to the Well-Being of Most Americans -R Reich
http://www.nationofchange.org/problem-isn-t-outsourcing-it-s-prosperity-big-business-has-become-disconnected-well-being-most-ameri
The American economy has moved way beyond outsourcing abroad or even “in-sourcing.” Most big companies headquartered in America don’t send jobs overseas and don’t bring jobs here from abroad.
That’s because most are no longer really “American” companies. They’ve become global networks that design, make, buy, and sell things wherever around the world it’s most profitable for them to do so.
As an Apple executive told the New York Times, “we don’t have an obligation to solve America’s problems. Our only obligation is making the best product possible.” He might have added “and showing profits big enough to continually increase our share price.”
Forget the debate over outsourcing. The real question is how to make Americans so competitive that all global companies — whether or not headquartered in the United States — will create good jobs in America.
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they want to sell. As long as the greatest segment of the population, the middle class, is overtaxed to keep taxes lower for the struggling high income brackets, sales will remain weak and businesses will have no reason to add personnel.
Now, the Republicans showing over and over a willingness to force U.S. default, or force Government shutdowns ... this only makes businesses much more wary about the economy. Businesses do not want to add full-time people only to lay them off six months or ayear later. Costs them money to do that. That's why they are using over-time and lots of part-time people to meet their current needs. as long as the Republicans are constantly showing a willingness to sabotage the economy to get their way, then businesses will remain understandably gun shy about adding full-time people and the recovery will continue to be painfully slow..but then again, that's what the GOP wants. ... and with the help of their minions in Corporate media (who are loath to bring up the many ways the Republicans have sabotaged the recovery - filibuster is a taboo word in Corporate media circles since Obama entered the WH) it's working: The Republicans fight the Democrats efforts to stimulate a recovery and campaign saying: "Look how Obama can't manage the economy!!"
Misrepresentations, Regulations and Jobs - Bruce Bartlett
Evidence supporting Mr. Cantor’s contention that deregulation would increase unemployment is very weak. For some years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has had a program that tracks mass layoffs. In 2007, the program was expanded, and businesses were asked their reasons for laying off workers. Among the reasons offered was “government regulations/intervention.” There is only partial data for 2007, but we have data since then through the second quarter of this year.
The table below presents the bureau’s data. As one can see, the number of layoffs nationwide caused by government regulation is minuscule and shows no evidence of getting worse during the Obama administration. Lack of demand for business products and services is vastly more important.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
These results are supported by surveys. During June and July, Small Business Majority asked 1,257 small-business owners to name the two biggest problems they face. Only 13 percent listed government regulation as one of them. Almost half said their biggest problem was uncertainty about the future course of the economy — another way of saying a lack of customers and sales.
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In my opinion, regulatory uncertainty is a canard invented by Republicans that allows them to use current economic problems to pursue an agenda supported by the business community year in and year out. In other words, it is a simple case of political opportunism, not a serious effort to deal with high unemployment.
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Bruce Bartlett, BTW was a senior advisor to Pres. Ronald Reagan
