wages VS cost of living VS value of the dollar

Why does the price of every commodity change every day with inflation EXCEPT the price of human labor?

My water bill has tripled - so obviously they decided water was valuable enough to keep pace with inflation. Gold and oil have gone through the roof to keep pace with the value of the US dollar and then some. They even change the rate on our credit cards to keep pace with the value of the dollar.

and yet, very few Americans are getting raises that keep up with the dollar. Obviously they think we are next to worthless. Why the hell we don't all band together and go kick them in the balls is beyond me. The one good avenue we had, unions, has been allowed to be ineffective at best and corrupt at worst.

When will we stand up for ourselves?

People are scared that if they stand up for themselves, they will be fired and replaced by others willing to work for the same salary--or less. Ask any person who has had their job outsourced if they would be willing to go on strike. Unless they are members of a union, the answer would probably be no. And then there are the small businesses struggling to keep afloat--even if they wanted to give their employees more money, they can't afford it.

I've worked for the same company for 7 years, and I KNOW I'm the reason it is still going, because I instituted programs and protocols to keep customers wanting our services, and I keep coming up with innovative ideas to expand our customer base. I don't think anyone who replaced me would do a tenth of what I do. Yet I haven't had a raise of any sort in 3 years. But I won't ask for a raise because in this very small company (two employees and the boss)we're just getting by. It's tied to housing and construction, and is suffering because of it. If the economy keeps in its downturn, I wouldn't be surprised if the company goes out of business before the end of this year.

By making US exports relatively less expensive a 'weak' dollar increases exports. Right now we are exporting agricultural products and the farmers who produce them are enjoying increased profits.

Other than that, if you really care, we are being helped enormously by the fact that China has tied its currency to the dollar's value and as a consequence all that plastic Chinese junk at Wal Mart has remained relatively stable in price. If that all-important junk went up in price this country would look like Bangladesh.

Do you think farmers do the dangerous work they do to improve international relations or out of some moral need to feed the hungry? Hell no, they do it to make a living and they will sell their products to whoever pays the highest price.

The repukes don't want anyone but the current crop of lazy uber rich to get wealthy. In order for someone in the poor or middle class to get wealthy they have to sell their labor. If they can't sell it high enough, they can't save and can't move up the ladder. The uber wealthy don't need to sell their labor, they use their wealth to get more wealth.

If you are lucky you could invent something and sell it but the odds of doing that get smaller as you have less money to develop your idea.

So every time wages began to rise, Greenspan raised interest rates. He wanted to keep the American workforce insecure, keeping them from demanding more for their labor.

The Fed is an unelected, unaccountable, private corporation. The Fed is actively trying to lower wages and increase unemployment and has done so since Raygun got into office.

"Greenspan wasn't exactly blunt about his intentions. Here's what he said, word for word: "The action was taken in light of persisting strength in demand, which is progressively increasing the risk of inflationary imbalances developing in the economy that would eventually undermine the long expansion."

A word smith he ain't. But note the term "inflationary imbalances." What does that mean? In Greenspan's language, it means that workers' wages might be going up. Perish the thought!

In testimony before Congress on March 20, Greenspan was more blunt. He said that if unemployment dipped lower than 5.3 percent, it "would heighten the risk of additional upward pressure on wage costs, and ultimately prices." There you have it."

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-19371119.html

Keeping your wages low by manipulating interest rates was Greenspan's plan.

We'd still have overt slavery if it wasn't for cheap non-human energy.

The reason we're cheap is because there are a lot of us, relative to the number it takes to get the job done these days. Most people, other than to consume, aren't needed...economically speaking. The cost of consumption goes down because of mass production. Then when we massively consume, the cost of living goes up, since we're consuming our habitat on ever larger scales.

:shrug:

"Why the hell we don't all band together and go kick them in the balls is beyond me."

Ah... I did protest NAFTA. I didn't see you there.

I was the one in the fright wig holding a sign that said "John 3:16". LOL

Breeze - you crack me up. "I didn't see you there." As if you'd even know it was me if I was standing right next to you. LOL

online threads no longer satisfy us as a vent for our angst. :)