6 comments

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  Thomas_James

  8 months ago

  (Yawn) spoken like a true inhabitant of the ivory towers...
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  benito_a

  8 months ago

  Thomas_James, your frequent, rather shallow comments often incite many yawns. Do you ever bring anything to the table... other than an occasional, less than witty rant about being "independent" (ie. conservative not willing to identify with the GOP)
  
  After reading the above article that pertains to economic justice for blue collar workers of America... I'm at a loss as to how it could invoke, "(Yawn) spoken like a true inhabitant of the ivory towers..."
  
  What exactly in the article hints at an academic disconnect from lower wage, labor intensive jobs? Was something in the article not real enough for you? Are members of academia not allowed to speak on such matters because they are employed at a University? I would encourage you to ask an out of work construction worker if they appreciate people bringing up their plight in a public forum.
  
  I see that you take the time to put down your welding torch throughout the day to comment on these articles online... perhaps you can illuminate us as to the trials of the working class... try not to send it in from your blackberry.
  
  If you're gonna critique a great article, please bring some substance to the table.
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  Thomas_James

  8 months ago

  The only thing shallow around is the liberal intellect pool. Academia has long been disconnected from the blue collar world. As person who has labored in the minimum wage end of the spectrum with a shovel for the majority of my life I can state with certainty that the Ivory Towers have no connection with working people of this country and the majority of professorial types like VB lack even a scintilla of common sense.
  
  I don't have a blackberry and yes I have commonly used a welding torch. This article is wrong and the substance of this great article if implemented would do little more than keep the working man down.
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  benito_a

  8 months ago

  "Academia has long been disconnected from the blue collar world."... any evidence or point of reference with this vast generalization?
  
  Its "Ivory Tower", singular, and if you actually talked to those that you seemingly despise, you'd be surprised to find out how many people in academia have actually been blue collar workers at some point, or many points in their lives.
  
  "This article is wrong and the substance of this great article if implemented would do little more than keep the working man down."...
  
  Now I'm just wondering if you actually read the piece. Please cite something in the article that is "wrong". If what was implemented? The author does not offer a plan or a solution, he's merely pointing out the glaring injustice with the current economic situation. The article is on the "working man's" side... do you not see that.
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  Thomas_James

  8 months ago

  Just the everyday normal kind of evidence that I experienced first hand in my transition between those two different worlds and across several universities or "Ivory Towers" (plural)
  
  Benito I did talk with them or sat through their lectures, a good majority never rolled up their sleeves or if they did their elitist personalities overrode what common sense they acquired.
  
  No bones about it, I am generalizing, hence the broad brush of the term "Ivory Tower," that does not mean that everybody in academia suffers from this ignorance concerning the working people, rather only the majority do!
  
  The author advocates for unions, or rather he defends them. As a non-joiner let me point out that Big Labor no longer really cares about the working man. They really only care about Big Labor and power.
  
  And Benito my problem is mainly with VB he frequently rails for the Dems. Well the dems have turned their back on the working people of this Country too. Its not just your rich republicans. The Dems are just as beholden to Corrupt Corporate and Special Interests as the Republicans. But VB is snake oil peddler spouting that the evil republicans are responsible for the plight of good hard working americans and that voting for the corrupt dems will solve their problems. Well "BS" that is deception, it is shameful partisan deception of the American people. It is a cover for the social engineering perpetrated like Ivory Tower types like VB and yes Obama as well as McCain. You want to do whats best for the working man, then give back the power of self governance to the working people of this country let them decide how to spend their money and stopping taxing them to death.
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  surfer87501

  8 months ago

  The two national corporate parties are really all about CHEAP LABOR.
  
  The price of labor is directly impacted by supply and demand. On the supply side, you have the native-born citizens of the USA, and you have three modifying factors: trade agreements (NAFTA / WTO), offshoring of production, and immigration.
  
  The North American Free Trade agreement allows US corporate agriculture to flood Mexico with cheap grains, devastating Mexican farmers who become part of a huge unemployed pool that heads north into the US, willing to work for less than Americans.
  
  Offshoring allows "American" multinational corporations to move their manufacturing and headquarters outside the US where they benefit from less taxes and cheaper labor, allowing them to sell their products as "made in America" yet avoiding taxes. and weakening America by reducing our manufacturing capacity, yet giving them unfettered access to our market.
  
  And immigration policy, or the lack of it, makes it possible for foreigners, legal and illegal, to grow the labor supply and drive down the price of labor within the US.
  
  It's basically a question of our government deciding how they want to modify the labor factors. However, our elected officials are more or less selected by expensive elections run by corporate money.
  
  The corporate entities seem to only be driven by making profits for their management teams and their shareholders. They do not seem to have the best interests of their host nation as a concern.
  
  American workers seem to not understand this, but accept hook, line and sinker the information fed to them by the corporate press. 95 percent of the media is owned by 5 major corporations. Surprise, surprise.
  
  Two key issues that should concern American voters are media reform and campaign finance reform.
  
  Instead of discussing these issues, the two corporate parties treat us to popularity contests.
  
  Citizens are treated like cattle in a giant feedlot.
  The big question is: Will the cattle wake up, and if so when?
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