US corporations flush with profits

[pchang]

Stop worrying about the Deltas. Their too dumb to notice how bad they've got it anyway.

[One_more_turn]

If you are unskilled, too bad for you, because there are billions of people out there who want your job for much less. By what right do you deserve to earn a premium over them?

The supply and demand relationship doesn't favor unskilled labor in this country. The economic fundamentals work against them. The best solution, therefore, is get out of the unskilled status ASAP.

The society needs to encourage people to advance, not to drag everyone into the lowest common denominator.

[Whoha]

and that, Ladies and Gentlemen is the race to the bottom. It applies not just to unskilled labor though, as the NAM survey inadvertantly revealed, but to skilled labor as well.

It is at best a short term strategy, after all, who will businesses sell their goods to if not their workers?

I think Americans do have a right to American Prosperity, businesses don't just spring up out of the ground, or else they'd be evenly distributed across the globe, even in these areas currently being looked at as a source of cheap labor.

[One_more_turn]

Whoha, that's certainly a danger of completely unregulated capitalism. I also agree that such a system is inherently unstable and will lead to self-destructive results, such as the Great Depression.

On the other extreme, we have the dreaded communism that ruined lives of millions for many decades. The scelerotic European economy serves as a living example of what even socialism can do the hopes and dreams of people who want to excel.

Or can you still remember the 70s? Our economy was heavily regulated then, the power of labor unions was strong, and company profit margins were among the lowest of the last century. Do you think we should return to those glorious stagflation days?

[Whoha]

No, which is why the fed shouldn't run our money supply to infinity either or we will return to those days. The government is pumping in record shattering surplus for "reasonably ok" returns means that we may not be far off from those days.

I'm no friend of the Unions, and the communists and socialists just proclaim their support for workers, but don't actually mean it. There should be a federal right to work. workers should have to compete for jobs. But, and this is worthy of big bertha, Employers should have to compete for workers.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
If you are unskilled, too bad for you, because there are billions of people out there who want your job for much less. By what right do you deserve to earn a premium over them?

The supply and demand relationship doesn't favor unskilled labor in this country. The economic fundamentals work against them. The best solution, therefore, is get out of the unskilled status ASAP.

The society needs to encourage people to advance, not to drag everyone into the lowest common denominator.

and this is why people resort to crime and violence to equalize the disparity in resources. too bad for you? ill put a gun in your face and take your resources.

[One_more_turn]

Our crime rate has been dropping for the last 20 years. Homocide rate is among the lowest during the last 40+ years. That means fewer people are desperate enough to rob and kill each other.

On the other hand, crime rate has been ramping up dramatically in European welfare states. According to German magazine Spiegel, school violence has already reached epic proportions. Quite the irony, isn't it?

Maybe you should be a little bit more optimistic about the US society.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by DanS
Consistent optimism is a rational bet that I have made. The bet is a sure thing over the long run.

In the long run, we're all dead.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
Our crime rate has been dropping for the last 20 years. Homocide rate is among the lowest during the last 40+ years. That means fewer people are desperate enough to rob and kill each other.

On the other hand, crime rate has been ramping up dramatically in European welfare states. According to German magazine Spiegel, school violence has already reached epic proportions. Quite the irony, isn't it?

Maybe you should be a little bit more optimistic about the US society.

all im saying is, the way the poor equalize things is through violence. and you wouldnt want that now would you? thats why i believe in basic welfare. its a society stabalizing force.

i want to see a comparison between abortion rates and crime rates too.

[One_more_turn]

Ever since the revival of capitalism in the early 80s, the crime rate has almost gone down monotonically. Why change the system if the trend is still favorable?

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
Ever since the revival of capitalism in the early 80s, the crime rate has almost gone down monotonically. Why change the system if the trend is still favorable?

This has nothing to do with capitalism versus socialism whatsoever

The crime rate went up DRAMATICALLY in the 80s and then simmered down in the mid 90s

Why ? The main reason was because the crack epidemic subsided, relieving the pressure on inner city neighborhoods and police forces that were stretched to the brink.

Did economics play a role in reducing crime? Sure. But it's not the panacea you're making it out to be.

In the past 5 years, the poverty rate has gone up steadily

Yeah, great system

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
Our crime rate has been dropping for the last 20 years. Homocide rate is among the lowest during the last 40+ years. That means fewer people are desperate enough to rob and kill each other.

Steven Levitt, a professor of economics at the Chicago university, has interestingly demonstrated that the crime rate decreased from the beginning of the 90, mainly because of the generalization of abortion in 1973 ("Freakonomics" 2005).

http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/Papers/LevittUnderstandingWhyCrime2004.pdf

[DanS]

Originally posted by DAVOUT


Steven Levitt, a professor of economics at the Chicago university, has interestingly demonstrated that the crime rate decreased from the beginning of the 90, mainly because of the generalization of abortion in 1973 ("Freakonomics" 2005).


http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levi...yCrime2004.pdf

Levitt says in the article you linked that increased incarceration had a larger impact, at least among the worst crimes.

[One_more_turn]

Originally posted by Ted Striker


This has nothing to do with capitalism versus socialism whatsoever

The crime rate went up DRAMATICALLY in the 80s and then simmered down in the mid 90s

Why ? The main reason was because the crack epidemic subsided, relieving the pressure on inner city neighborhoods and police forces that were stretched to the brink.

Did economics play a role in reducing crime? Sure. But it's not the panacea you're making it out to be.

In the past 5 years, the poverty rate has gone up steadily

Yeah, great system

The homicide rate peaked in 1980.

The recession of 1990-1992 brought a brief spike in overall crime rate.

The crime rate PLUNGED during the 90s when the economy was booming, the stock market was rising, more industries were deregulated, and the welfare reform was initiated.

The crime rate bounced a little during the 2001-2002 recession, but is headed lower again. I wouldn't worry about poverty rate until we see a trend reversal in crime rates and increasingly frequent riots.

If you think economy is not one of the driving forces behind the crime rate, then you are out of your mind.

A good economy not only reduces the desperation of many to commit crime, it also fills government coffers with money to hire more cops. Low unemployment rate is important in the aspect as it keeps many occupied who would otherwise dream up nefarious schemes.

Look for facts, don't get bogged down in ideologies.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by DanS

Levitt says in the article you linked that increased incarceration had a larger impact, at least among the worst crimes.

Yes, incarceration influencing the decrease of crimes is a good new, but not really surprising, whereas I recognize that I was astonished by the influence of abortion.

Detailed figures (1991-2001) :
- Increase in the prison population : Homicide -12, Violent crime -12, Property -8
- Legalization abortion : -10,-10,-10
- Other : -14,-11.5, -11.5

Total : -36,-33.5,-31.5

2/3 of the decrease was due to incarceration and abortion.