"Who Will Tell the People?"

[benebob]

Originally Posted by lhopp77

REASON for TRADE DEFICIT???

Just look around your house and do an inventory. How many things are produced in the USA by American companies??? Probably less than 10-15 percent. Much of that you can blame on aggressive unions in years past and the quality of American goods. US automakers (and many other companies for that matter) can't compete with foreign companies because of unions and our lawyer driven "sue'em" mentality. The litigation environment is also most of the reason we pay much higher prices for medical treatment and medications than do people in other countries for the same things. Yes, I am aware that other countries have unions and Europe is beginning to have significant problems. The Japanese unions are organized differently and have fewer constraining impacts on their companies.

Nader and the boys would be a total nonsolution. Remember its our Congress that passes laws and controls the money. It will still be controlled by one of the two current major parties.

We DO need to continue drilling and exploration of our own oil and natural gas resources---BUT--the emphasis on alternative energy needs to be increased exponentially. We need to start building nuclear power plants NOW and continue the search for other alternatives. We see now it was dumb as h3ll to ever think about using a food source for fuel. Blame that on both parties--Ally Gori bragged about forcing the corn ethanol production, but we now see the impact on food prices worldwide.

Our two parties won't get together and pass a comprehensive energy bill because they are afraid only one of them will get the credit. The Democrats are afraid to push nuclear power plant construction because of some of the nutty support base. The Republicans insist on drilling in all areas which may or may not be realistic. ANWAR is damn sure realistic.

Lee

Sure it must be the unions fault that the average Japanese autoworker makes more than a union US autoworker does and has for nearly 25 years though not by much when you take cost of living into the equation. Unions have done more for you and your generation than you seem to remember. There are plenty of downsides to unionization just as there are upsides. Easiest solution is to require that any good shipped here meet minimum standards for enviromental, working conditions and living wages otherwise those products face a huge tarriff. The result will be a world which if they want to sell here needs to play by our rules and treat their workers and the world with respect. In turn this would lessen the ablility of fanatics the world over to recruit the young, dumb and underemployeed and also allow the US to keep the ability to at the very least built our own tanks and missles instead of farming that off to the Chinese as well.

Last time I checked (have to ask the guy who spend much of his life building plants) not a single plant was built by the government. The policies from the past 30 years have been too favorable to burning dead animals to building plants, however, he's gotten a ton of calls in recent months about going back to work in the nuke industry since he's one of the few knowledgable about their construction still alive or of working age. Also of the 5 applications to the Republican controlled EPA and Nuc reg. industry for expansion of existing plants have sat idle since Bush took power. These applications were the first of any kind aside from extensions of existing plants since 1979. Long term though the jury is still out on the true cost of Nuke power, though it only takes 5 years to pay for the construction of a plant since the operators aren't responsible for waste... Taxpayers are (the only industry in the country that doesn't have to pay for its waste!)

So again how would a 3rd party not be a solution compared to the inaction that is taking place now? Sure congress controls money but that's what a check and balance system is for and why it really doesn't matter if you elect a Muslim, a Jew, a Catholic, an alien or a racist to the oval office as even with the recent errosion of congress's power there is still 3 seperate branches which could at any moment hold the other hostage. An Allen Keyes presidency for instance wouldn't stop all pork barrel spending and realize the merits of a strong dollar and balanced budget but it would force congress to override his veto by coming darn close to it otherwise no budget would be passed and they wouldn't get paid. That would piss a lot of 'em off now wouldn't it!

Besides, if a 3rd party got enough votes for the oval office don't you think both the a$$es and fat a$$es would be quite keen on winning back the confidence of the American people rather than "no business" as usual.