Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 26 to 50 of 79

Thread: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

  1. #26
    God/dess threlayer's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Syracuse
    Posts
    5,921
    Thanks
    369
    Thanked 419 Times in 290 Posts
    My Mood
    Fine

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ...This is FAR below the standard of living enjoyed by American minimum wage / non-working social welfare benefit recipients today...
    It is not possible to translate wages in underdeveloped countries to wages in any developed country. The degrees of corruption, exploitation, incompetence, and lack of resources are just too different. These are not just poor versions of developed countries; tremendous amounts of governmental and social change are needed to make any comparisons remotely valid. There is no minimun wage in these countries; generally it is either survival or exploitation of those in survival mode.

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ...the ability of unskilled Americans to generate true 'added value' is no different than their unskilled Global counterparts. However, that level of 'added value' is vastly insufficient to maintain the above described 'poor American' standard of living....
    Those 'unskilled' Americans were the clay from which skilled workers were molded. These are the people that built America. The corporate and political leaders were not the workers that transformed this country from an almost entirely agrarian one into the most powerful industrial country that ever existed. However, through their incompetence and corruption those wealthy corporate and political leaders are the ones who can destroy the country.

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ....The difference of course is being made up for by wealth transfers from higher skilled higher earning Americans / American businesses, and by the gov't borrowing huge amounts of money from foreign lenders that will have to be paid back by our children and grandchildren.
    While the rest of wonder where government of, by, and for the people went.

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ....In a sustainable global economy, by some means or another, this artificial, heavily subsidized standard of living for 'poor Americans' is going to have to be reduced to a level that is more in line with their Global counterparts. This will either mean that all poor people around the world must be subsidized to the point of having a car, air conditioning, and color TV's, or will mean that 'poor Americans' must lose the subsidies that make their own cars, air conditioning and color TV's possible.
    So you anticipate that the USA will revert to an 1890s ecomony because "we" have opened our economy and workforce to foreign countries, so that US capitalists can expand their corporations by exploiting those undeveloped countries where workers and government can be controlled with the money the capitalists are transferring from the US.

    Good plan, that.
    I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.

    Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.

    NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.

  2. #27
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    So you anticipate that the USA will revert to an 1890s ecomony because "we" have opened our economy and workforce to foreign countries, so that US capitalists can expand their corporations by exploiting those undeveloped countries where workers and government can be controlled with the money the capitalists are transferring from the US.
    That's where the numbers / projections are pointing !

  3. #28
    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
    Joined
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    5,493
    Thanks
    120
    Thanked 50 Times in 35 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by eagle2 View Post
    No it doesn't. Poor people are entitled to a decent living. In a sustainable economy, people need money to buy products. Conservatives are unable to understand this.

    Your article is from 1999, before conservatives gained complete control of the government. After six years of having conservatives in control, I would bet the poor are worse off now then they were in 1999.
    Yea if an economic system doesn't work for the populace, then there should be no surprise the populace demands change to it.

    The conservative financial policy has been fucking people out of a lot of stuff for years throwing out every rational they can why it has to be so - but it does not matter if people say ENOUGH.

  4. #29
    God/dess threlayer's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Syracuse
    Posts
    5,921
    Thanks
    369
    Thanked 419 Times in 290 Posts
    My Mood
    Fine

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    These are the things that revolutions are made of. It happened to the Colonies in the 1770s. And probably every other country on Earth. There are always despots exploiting others.

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by threlayer View Post
    So you anticipate that the USA will revert to an 1890s ecomony because "we" have opened our economy and workforce to foreign countries, so that US capitalists can expand their corporations by exploiting those undeveloped countries where workers and government can be controlled with the money the capitalists are transferring from the US.
    That's where the numbers / projections are pointing !
    And maybe that's why we have to change it.
    I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.

    Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.

    NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.

  5. #30
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Yea if an economic system doesn't work for the populace, then there should be no surprise the populace demands change to it
    True in theory, but in practice you run into the 'bread and circuses' syndrome. Even if a majority of the population demand that the gov't provide ever increasing benefits (including raising the minimum wage), at some point economic reality trumps a voting majority and the gov't finds itself without the means to deliver. If the Roman Empire doesn't serve as an adequate example, I suggest you keep a very close eye on the states of California, New York, and New Jersey over the next couple of years.

  6. #31
    God/dess
    Joined
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    7,964
    Thanks
    6,155
    Thanked 10,183 Times in 4,602 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    I don't see the public demanding ever increasing benefits, other than maybe universal healthcare, which every other industrial nation is able to afford. The biggest problem I see in this country are the anti-tax, anti-government conservative ideologues, whose one answer to everything is cut taxes and cut regulations. They're the ones most responsible for running up our 11 trillion dollar debt.

    Having good wages benefits our country. If we don't have people making good wages, there's not going to be anyone to buy products. Conservatives don't understand, without buyers, there can't be sellers.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to eagle2 For This Useful Post:


  8. #32
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Having good wages benefits our country. If we don't have people making good wages, there's not going to be anyone to buy products. Conservatives don't understand, without buyers, there can't be sellers.
    So what you are advocating is the US gov't printing up money to subsidize 'good wages', when world market pricing makes it impossible for US industries to pay 'good wages' and still earn enough profit margin to keep their business viable ? Hey it worked with GM and Chrysler ... at least until the $30 billion loan goes into default and US taxpayers are stuck with the loss !

  9. #33
    God/dess threlayer's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Syracuse
    Posts
    5,921
    Thanks
    369
    Thanked 419 Times in 290 Posts
    My Mood
    Fine

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    The purpose of the populace is to buy products, according to capitalists. If funds to buy products are spread overseas (or inflated), soon there will not be funds where it should be for the populace to buy products.

    Perhaps the US automakers will find their financial niche and begin to make profits in time. Since the USA is a stockholder in 2 of them, maybe the US will benefit too. In spite of the cheap junk cars brought over in the future by people who do NOT understand our market; Hell, they don't even understand theirs.
    I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.

    Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.

    NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.

  10. #34
    God/dess
    Joined
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    7,964
    Thanks
    6,155
    Thanked 10,183 Times in 4,602 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    So what you are advocating is the US gov't printing up money to subsidize 'good wages', when world market pricing makes it impossible for US industries to pay 'good wages' and still earn enough profit margin to keep their business viable ? Hey it worked with GM and Chrysler ... at least until the $30 billion loan goes into default and US taxpayers are stuck with the loss !
    That's not true. There are many industries where the US is very competitive and workers are well paid. You have this mistaken idea that the only thing that matters in everything is the cost of labor and the cost of electricity. There are many factors which determine the success of a product and the success of a business, not just how cheaply their cost of labor or electricity is. According to your logic, Mercedes and BMW should be going bankrupt. Why would anyone spend $50,000 on an Mercedes or BMW when they could buy a Hyundai for $10,000?
    Last edited by eagle2; 07-22-2009 at 09:37 PM.

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to eagle2 For This Useful Post:


  12. #35
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    ^^^ in point of fact, US workers at BMW are nowhere near as 'well paid' as the US workers at Ford / GM / Chrysler if one counts the cost/ cash value of benefits as well as the cost of labor. In point of fact, the reason there are US workers at a BMW plant in Carolina at all is 'American content' laws / tariffs on imported vehicles - as well as huge state and local gov't subsidies granted to BMW that are paid for by state and local taxpayers. And BMW is supplied coal fired power in Carolina which is literally 1/2 the price of many other areas in the US where Ford / GM / Chrysler have production facilities - coal fired power that will likely increase in cost by 50% when the carbon tax is enacted (with yet to be determined future effects on the profitability of BMW or the future outlook for the Carolina production operations).

    Had BMW persisted in importing vehicles manufactured in western europe ( and thus preserved high paying western european auto worker jobs) they arguably WOULD be bankrupt by now ! The US is merely one step behind the western europeans in this regard i.e. moving production 'offshore' to maintain profit margins.

    Again, the media version doesn't match up with reality !

    ~
    Last edited by Melonie; 07-23-2009 at 03:56 AM.

  13. #36
    God/dess
    Joined
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    7,964
    Thanks
    6,155
    Thanked 10,183 Times in 4,602 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    No, BMW does import a significant number of automobiles from Europe. Only certain models are manufactured in the US. The rest are imported from Europe. BMW produces more than 10 times as many vehicles in Europe as they do in the US. They produce more than a million vehicles in Germany, UK, and Austria, compared to approximately 100,000 in the US.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW#Production

    BMW has preserved most of their high paying western European auto worker jobs and they have not gone bankrupt. BMW is the most profitable auto-manufacturer in the world.

    You're also wrong about power coming from coal in Carolina. Over half of the power in South Carolina comes from nuclear power compared to 40% from coal.

    http://www.ors2.state.sc.us/abstract.../energy_g1.php
    Last edited by eagle2; 07-23-2009 at 09:54 PM.

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to eagle2 For This Useful Post:


  15. #37
    Banned
    Joined
    Sep 2008
    Location
    With the luggage NJ
    Posts
    2,995
    Thanks
    80
    Thanked 115 Times in 98 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ^^^ in point of fact, US workers at BMW are nowhere near as 'well paid' as the US workers at Ford / GM / Chrysler if one counts the cost/ cash value of benefits as well as the cost of labor.
    You are of course not counting medical as a benefit as the UAW is now responsible for the medical care of members and their children.

    Now if we could only do away with those pesky child labor laws business can once again bloom in the US of A.

  16. #38
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    You are of course not counting medical as a benefit as the UAW is now responsible for the medical care of members and their children.
    Yes but ultimately it was GM and Chrysler ( or more precisely their stockholders, bondholders and lenders ) who 'paid for' these benefits right up to the recent bankruptcy filings. Agreed that under the union 'concessions' now in effect, it remains to be seen how these medical benefits will be funded in the future after the lump sum of money given to the union for this purpose by GM and Chrysler is exhausted.

    BMW does import a significant number of automobiles from Europe. Only certain models are manufactured in the US. The rest are imported from Europe
    I never said they didn't ! But the fact remains that the 'all-in' cost of labor for BMW in Carolina is significantly lower than the 'all-in' cost of labor for GM in Michigan ... at least up to the point of bankruptcy filing and union 'concessions'. I also said that BMW needs to produce (certain models of) cars in Carolina in order to remain profitable selling into the US market. This is in fact true, since the models produced in Carolina are BMW's comparatively low end high volume models. BMW can obviously afford to produce high end models in Europe, and export them to the rest of the world, because the 'elite' customer base for BMW's $80,000+ 750 luxury sedan or $67,000 X6 luxury SUV are not going to quibble about a couple of thousand dollars of European labor premium in the same way that a middle class buyer of BMW's bare bones $29,400 model 128 would.

    You're also wrong about power coming from coal in Carolina. Over half of the power in South Carolina comes from nuclear power compared to 40% from coal
    be that as it may, the 'marginal price' of electricity in Carolina is set by the coal fired power plants ... and according to Duke Energy comes in at just over 5 cents/kWh for industrial sized customers. On the east and west coasts, the 'marginal price' of elecricity is set by gas / oil fired power plants, and for industrial sized customers typically comes in above 10 cents/kWh. For a large industrial plant, this cost difference can add up to millions of dollars per year.


    Perhaps the US automakers will find their financial niche and begin to make profits in time. Since the USA is a stockholder in 2 of them, maybe the US will benefit too
    For the forseeable future, US taxpayers first need to worry about taking losses as a result of the grants / loans handed out to GM and Chrysler. And by sheer coincidence, this point actually ties back to the topic of this thread i.e. the minimum wage. In effect, the UAW contract sets de-facto minimum wages for various skill level employees of GM, Chrysler, Ford, and other subsidiaries ... whereas the non-unionized workers at BMW in Carolina have no such de-facto minimum wage protection. Thus in many ways, an analogy applies to GM versus BMW Carolina in the same vein as unskilled minimum wage workers at any US business versus $2 an hour workers at foreign industries producing equivalent products. In both cases the former have priced their own jobs out of existance, while the latter are thriving.

    ~
    Last edited by Melonie; 07-25-2009 at 06:01 AM.

  17. #39
    Banned
    Joined
    Sep 2008
    Location
    With the luggage NJ
    Posts
    2,995
    Thanks
    80
    Thanked 115 Times in 98 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    Agreed that under the union 'concessions' now in effect, it remains to be seen how these medical benefits will be funded in the future after the lump sum of money given to the union for this purpose by GM and Chrysler is exhausted.
    If the fund can't remain solvent with investments, benefits will have to be reduced and/or monthly contribution increased and/or higher deductibles.

    Remember the companies importing cars into the US don't have to worry about medical benefits for employees much less retirees.

  18. #40
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Remember the companies importing cars into the US don't have to worry about medical benefits for employees much less retirees
    This is somewhat of a red herring where Western Europe is concerned, because the auto manufacturer and its employees are still 'paying the cost' of medical benefits. However, because those 'payments' are embedded in corporate and individual tax rates used to fund national health care, they don't directly appear on auto company books in the same way they would for a US auto company. But this in turn creates pressure for higher wage rates being paid to cover the higher tax rates being collected. Ultimately the 'cost' of employee medical care and retirement IS included in the sale price of a European manufactured automobile.

    But this is in fact true where newcomer auto imports from Korea, and soon India and China are concerned. Home country employees of these companies do NOT receive significant health care or retirement benefits from either the car company or the home government. As such, essentially NO significant health care or retirement benefit costs are included in the sale price of Korean or Indian or Chinese manufactured vehicles. Of course this point has not been lost on General Motors either ... as they have used US Taxpayer backed TARP loans to oursource the manufacture of new small fuel efficient Chevrolet models to India, South America etc. to take advantage of the much lower labor costs, energy costs, environmental compliance costs etc. !!!

    Last edited by Melonie; 07-25-2009 at 04:44 PM.

  19. #41
    Banned
    Joined
    Sep 2008
    Location
    With the luggage NJ
    Posts
    2,995
    Thanks
    80
    Thanked 115 Times in 98 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    Western Europe, Korea, India and China
    Do they build cars; real cars?

    Ford does.


    Smoke if you got'em.
    Helped by a lightened debt load, Ford Motor Co. posted a surprise second-quarter profit of $2.8 billion Thursday, following the worst loss in company history a year earlier. Shares gained 60 cents and closed Thursday at $6.98 per share.

  20. #42
    God/dess hockeybobby's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    4,969
    Thanks
    1,811
    Thanked 597 Times in 382 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Damn that's a badass pony.

  21. #43
    Banned
    Joined
    Sep 2008
    Location
    With the luggage NJ
    Posts
    2,995
    Thanks
    80
    Thanked 115 Times in 98 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by hockeybobby View Post
    Damn that's a badass pony.
    I like to think my buying a Mustang put Ford in the black; it was my patriotic duty. That is what I'm going to tell the judge in traffic court.

  22. #44
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    ^^^ hopefully Obama and the US congress won't enact a new 'gas guzzler tax' on your highly politically incorrect Mustang on top of the $1000 gas guzzler tax you already had to pay !

    Actually, my little brother's Ford franchise in New York just took delivery of the one and only one Shelby Cobra GT500 Mustang they could manage to get 'allocated' to their dealership this year. The number of these vehicles being produced is being very tightly controlled in order to avoid disrupting Ford's compliance with CAFE standards. This is 'good news' if you already own one or can somehow get your hands on one.



    I can't wait to come back to the states for a visit soon just to test drive this 540hp monster. However, CAFE standards ultimately limits Ford's profitability since the projected potential Mustang GT500 buyer demand FAR exceeds the number of actual vehicles Ford is allowed to produce and still remain in compliance with CAFE average gas mileage mandates.

    In order to try and 'open the door' for increased sales of vehicles like the new Mustang that has long lines of potential buyers, Ford has been forced to begin importing extremely high mileage 'shitbox' subcompact cars to offset the Mustang's negative effect on CAFE average gas mileage restrictions. Ford's chosen course of action, unlike GM's, does NOT involve China. Instead, Ford has invested in a subcompact production plant in Brazil ... where the 'slave wages' aren't quite as low and the environmental restrictions aren't totally absent, but which are still vastly lower than those in effect in the USA.

    (snip)"Ford has chosen its Sao Bernardo Assembly plant in the state of Sao Paulo as the source for the critical small car, according to officials at Ford and two automotive consulting firms – Global Insight and CSM Worldwide – that were briefed on the issue. The vehicle is set to launch in the 2009 to 2010 timeframe, said the officials who requested anonymity because Ford hasn't publicly disclosed the plan.

    The subcompact sedan to be built in Brazil is one of the future products seen as essential to the struggling automaker's turnaround hopes. Ford is one of the only major automakers not selling a subcompact car in the United States. The segment is growing at about a 90 per cent rate as high gasoline prices continue to pressure consumers and new subcompacts lure new buyers into what had previously been a dying segment.

    The Dearborn, Mich., automaker's decision to import from Brazil follows moves by its domestic competitors to build similarly sized cars overseas and import them to the United States. The General Motors Corp. subcompact Chevrolet Aveo is assembled in South Korea and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group has struck a deal with a Chinese automaker to build similarly sized cars in China.

    Ballooning labour costs are pressuring U.S. automakers to invest in manufacturing sites outside North America for several categories of vehicles that will be sold in the United States. Big Three executives are expected to reference their growing importing activities as a negotiating tactic during labour contract talks slated to begin in July, people at each of the automakers said. The companies say they will continue to import more and more cars to the United States if they are unable to cut U.S. labour costs"(snip)

    from

    Hopefully Ford will be able to sell enough of these Brazilian 'shitboxes' to American car buyers in the future to allow them to continue producing the legendary Mustangs !




    ^^^ CAFE Standards require that Ford must sell 3 of these future sub-compacts in order to sell ONE Mustang or ONE SUV. While not directly related to the minimum wage ( other than pointing to outsourcing of production to Brazil / Korea / China by US Big 3 automakers ) , it IS an example of additional gov't meddling in the US automotive 'free market' to the detriment of a US automaker and its US franchised dealers.

    ~
    Last edited by Melonie; 07-26-2009 at 12:21 PM.

  23. #45
    God/dess hockeybobby's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    4,969
    Thanks
    1,811
    Thanked 597 Times in 382 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    Hopefully Ford will be able to sell enough of these Brazilian 'shitboxes' to American car buyers in the future to allow them to continue producing the legendary Mustangs !


    This car is one of several hatchback subcompacts I am considering buying when my lease expires next year. They are perfect for my needs. My 67 ragtop stays in the garage most of the time, and only comes out to play in fair weather.

    I have no problem with CAFE standards, and government "meddling" in general. Unfettered capitalism however, is another matter. Excellent fuel consumption is worth striving for, in the interest of the greater good, and profits needn't be affected by that. Take a look at Ford's stock price lately...apparently the market agrees.

  24. #46
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Excellent fuel consumption is worth striving for, in the interest of the greater good, and profits needn't be affected by that
    That's true as long as those excellent fuel consumption vehicles are being produced using $3 an hour labor in Brazil or Korea or China, instead of $33 an hour labor in the US or Canada ! However, CAW / UAW workers may take issue with your concept of 'greater good'.

  25. #47
    God/dess hockeybobby's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    4,969
    Thanks
    1,811
    Thanked 597 Times in 382 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    That's true as long as those excellent fuel consumption vehicles are being produced using $3 an hour labor in Brazil or Korea or China, instead of $33 an hour labor in the US or Canada ! However, CAW / UAW workers may take issue with your concept of 'greater good'.
    The Brazilians will get their fair share eventually too...they've all got some catching up to do you know. The greater good includes them as well. I'm sure it doesn't bother you much if those "fat cat" union workers, who every card carrying conservative knows were responsible for destroying GM and Chrysler get their comeuppance.

  26. #48
    Banned
    Joined
    Sep 2008
    Location
    With the luggage NJ
    Posts
    2,995
    Thanks
    80
    Thanked 115 Times in 98 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ^^^ hopefully Obama and the US congress won't enact a new 'gas guzzler tax' on your highly politically incorrect Mustang on top of the $1000 gas guzzler tax you already had to pay !
    I have a Mustang GT no guzzler tax; Ford detuned them to avoid the tax and run on regular gas. An electronic tune can unlock up to 40 more horse power with 93 octane gas. One can also have the dealer install a super charger, race tuned suspension and summer tires for about $10,000 at time of purchase and retain full factory warranty. Ford knows how to play the game; perhaps that is why they are in the black.

    The only way a dealer can get twice the sticker price for the GT500 is by limited production. They ask and get $80,000 for them; way over priced. I gave my Ford dealer $24,000 for my brand new 2009 $6,000 below sticker.

    Mine is still bone stock and is quite enough as is; as my insurance policy states, "This is a non standard performance vehicle".

  27. #49
    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
    Joined
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    5,493
    Thanks
    120
    Thanked 50 Times in 35 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by hockeybobby View Post
    The Brazilians will get their fair share eventually too...they've all got some catching up to do you know. The greater good includes them as well. I'm sure it doesn't bother you much if those "fat cat" union workers, who every card carrying conservative knows were responsible for destroying GM and Chrysler get their comeuppance.
    Long enough the catching up doesn't continue to spur the destruction of half a million American jobs a month.

  28. #50
    God/dess
    Joined
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    7,964
    Thanks
    6,155
    Thanked 10,183 Times in 4,602 Posts

    Default Re: July 24th new min wage laws take effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    ^^^ hopefully Obama and the US congress won't enact a new 'gas guzzler tax' on your highly politically incorrect Mustang on top of the $1000 gas guzzler tax you already had to pay !

    Actually, my little brother's Ford franchise in New York just took delivery of the one and only one Shelby Cobra GT500 Mustang they could manage to get 'allocated' to their dealership this year. The number of these vehicles being produced is being very tightly controlled in order to avoid disrupting Ford's compliance with CAFE standards. This is 'good news' if you already own one or can somehow get your hands on one.



    I can't wait to come back to the states for a visit soon just to test drive this 540hp monster. However, CAFE standards ultimately limits Ford's profitability since the projected potential Mustang GT500 buyer demand FAR exceeds the number of actual vehicles Ford is allowed to produce and still remain in compliance with CAFE average gas mileage mandates.

    In order to try and 'open the door' for increased sales of vehicles like the new Mustang that has long lines of potential buyers, Ford has been forced to begin importing extremely high mileage 'shitbox' subcompact cars to offset the Mustang's negative effect on CAFE average gas mileage restrictions. Ford's chosen course of action, unlike GM's, does NOT involve China. Instead, Ford has invested in a subcompact production plant in Brazil ... where the 'slave wages' aren't quite as low and the environmental restrictions aren't totally absent, but which are still vastly lower than those in effect in the USA.

    (snip)"Ford has chosen its Sao Bernardo Assembly plant in the state of Sao Paulo as the source for the critical small car, according to officials at Ford and two automotive consulting firms – Global Insight and CSM Worldwide – that were briefed on the issue. The vehicle is set to launch in the 2009 to 2010 timeframe, said the officials who requested anonymity because Ford hasn't publicly disclosed the plan.

    The subcompact sedan to be built in Brazil is one of the future products seen as essential to the struggling automaker's turnaround hopes. Ford is one of the only major automakers not selling a subcompact car in the United States. The segment is growing at about a 90 per cent rate as high gasoline prices continue to pressure consumers and new subcompacts lure new buyers into what had previously been a dying segment.

    The Dearborn, Mich., automaker's decision to import from Brazil follows moves by its domestic competitors to build similarly sized cars overseas and import them to the United States. The General Motors Corp. subcompact Chevrolet Aveo is assembled in South Korea and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group has struck a deal with a Chinese automaker to build similarly sized cars in China.

    Ballooning labour costs are pressuring U.S. automakers to invest in manufacturing sites outside North America for several categories of vehicles that will be sold in the United States. Big Three executives are expected to reference their growing importing activities as a negotiating tactic during labour contract talks slated to begin in July, people at each of the automakers said. The companies say they will continue to import more and more cars to the United States if they are unable to cut U.S. labour costs"(snip)

    from http://www.wheels.ca/article/28475

    Hopefully Ford will be able to sell enough of these Brazilian 'shitboxes' to American car buyers in the future to allow them to continue producing the legendary Mustangs !




    ^^^ CAFE Standards require that Ford must sell 3 of these future sub-compacts in order to sell ONE Mustang or ONE SUV. While not directly related to the minimum wage ( other than pointing to outsourcing of production to Brazil / Korea / China by US Big 3 automakers ) , it IS an example of additional gov't meddling in the US automotive 'free market' to the detriment of a US automaker and its US franchised dealers.

    ~
    The previous CAFE standards that went into effect in the 1980's inspired Ford to produce "shitboxes" like the Taurus, one of the most successful models ever, and made Ford the most profitable auto-manufacturer on the planet. Then Ford decided instead to concentrate on gas-guzzling trucks and SUV's for bigger short-term profits. That turned out to be a brilliant decision if your goal was to lose billions of dollars. Honda continued to concentrate on small and mid-size fuel efficient vehicles and continued to remain profitable.

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Under $3 a min!!!
    By Camgirltee in forum Camming Connection
    Replies: 60
    Last Post: 11-19-2011, 08:45 PM
  2. Min Payout
    By BuffyFlame in forum Other Work
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 03-26-2011, 05:11 AM
  3. LOST - April 24th
    By xdamage in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-22-2008, 06:33 PM
  4. new laws taking effect - keep this one in mind !
    By Melonie in forum Dollar Den
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 01-03-2007, 04:49 PM
  5. Replies: 25
    Last Post: 08-02-2005, 02:29 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •