Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
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Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
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Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#2Globalization played a role but so did bad policy.
When the Obama administration didn’t respond to China dumping below-cost solar on the US, I know many technologists who lost their job and career in the US because they couldn’t compete with companies that didn’t have to follow environmental protection rules.
Americans are addicted to artificially low prices that put the burden of costs on future generations who have to clean up a huge mess.
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#3This article is standing out because it is about American politics and yet didn't make me want to throw up. Whatever this author is doing different is worth copying.
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#4Globalization played a role but so did bad policy. When the Obama administration didn’t respond to China dumping below-cost solar on the US, I know many technologists who lost their job and career in the US because they couldn’t compete with companies that didn’t have to follow environmental protection rules. Americans are addicted to artificially low prices that put the burden of costs on future generations who have…
The article's point isn't that globalization (or policy) didn't play a role, it's that the premise of middle class downfall is false to begin with. See the section under the header "The American middle class was never hollowed out".
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#5Globalization played a role but so did bad policy. When the Obama administration didn’t respond to China dumping below-cost solar on the US, I know many technologists who lost their job and career in the US because they couldn’t compete with companies that didn’t have to follow environmental protection rules. Americans are addicted to artificially low prices that put the burden of costs on future generations who have…
What exact job title was lost in the US because of Chinese solar manufacturing and mining?
By your logic, Tesla (equally dependent on Chinese pollution and mining) wouldn't employ any technologists.
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#6The first comment asks the important question: Why, "despite all of this prosperity, do so many Americans still feel angry, disillusioned and frankly, even cheated"?
One thing which can't be captured by these numbers (no matter how accurate) is when people end up settling for something perceived to be of lower value. So for instance, it might be that my income has gone up faster than the cost of the things I'm buying, but I'd rather buy a house (out of reach) than buy rent.
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#7and re-industrialization won't save it
we can't possibly compete with (much) cheaper overseas labor, tariffs will do nothing but exclude the US from this cheap labor while other countries continue to benefit from it
eventually more of it will be automated anyway, and areas that saw booms from cheap labor will face similar class crises
there's also this idea that maybe our standard of living needs to regress some ("2 dolls instead of 30"), but you're insane if you believe that this can happen without significant strife and political upheavals... we're already at a point where many young americans feel as though they'll never be able to buy a house
the only "clean" path I can see out of this is some form of universal basic income, which likely has many problems to figure out, but at least doesn't treat humans like fuel for operating machinery
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#8I find this kind of article hilarious. "Numbers go up! You're not allowed to feel poor or think that there's a problem! Our number is bigger so you must be rich!"
I saw this 10-20 years ago when economists were telling people that inflation is low despite their feelings about inflation. "Our math is correct and you ignorant folks should be grateful for how this economy is managed."
Just because you can produce equations like physicists doesn't mean it's the same field. Ground truth in economics is just as much people as it is anything else.
Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#9I find this kind of article hilarious. "Numbers go up! You're not allowed to feel poor or think that there's a problem! Our number is bigger so you must be rich!" I saw this 10-20 years ago when economists were telling people that inflation is low despite their feelings about inflation. "Our math is correct and you ignorant folks should be grateful for how this economy is managed." Just because you can produce equati…
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Re: Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class
#10I find this kind of article hilarious. "Numbers go up! You're not allowed to feel poor or think that there's a problem! Our number is bigger so you must be rich!" I saw this 10-20 years ago when economists were telling people that inflation is low despite their feelings about inflation. "Our math is correct and you ignorant folks should be grateful for how this economy is managed." Just because you can produce equati…
Do you consider it impossible for propaganda to impact public perception?