We will also be highlighting one organization every two weeks that has made an impact in social change around the world. If you would like to nominate a group feel free to post a comment including their website address. Check our blogroll for a quick link.
This weeks organizational spotlight is: Surfrider Foundation
Just for fun: Every week we will also be uploading a portrait of a famous philosopher, social scientist, political scientist, leader, teacher, economist or psychologist in the author’s avatar section. See if you can be the first one to identify the picture. Please post your response in the comments section
Mystery Man?
The mystery man is Booker T. Washington 
Congratulations Chelsey!!!! You win
An excellent teacher and speaker, Washington was known as “The Great Accommodator” by his critics. Being born in the generation soon after the emancipation proclamation Washington developed a system of thought that believed confrontation would lead to disaster for the outnumbered blacks. He believed that cooperation with supportive whites was the only way in the long run to overcome pervasive racism. Washington secretly contributed substantially to legal challenges of segregation and disfranchisement of blacks. In his public role, he believed he could achieve more by skillful accommodation to the social realities of the age of segregation. Washington clearly had his eyes on a better future for blacks. Through his own personal experience, Washington knew that good education was a powerful tool for individuals to collectively accomplish that better future. (wikipedia)
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This weeks featured discussion is on International trade.
The question is: What is the best way to protect the U.S. work force from outsourcing in today’s competitive global market? How do we have to shift our thinking in order to secure jobs for the citizens of today and tomorrow? Please look up the term outsourcing and then restate the issue in your response, followed by a possible solution to the out sourcing dilemma.
the mystery man is Booker T. Washington
the mystery man is Booker T. Washington
Are you kidding me? I knew who the guys was when I saw him and Chelsey already got it?!?! Not fair…
In my opinion, I believe that the government needs to regulate big buisnesses more then they do now. I think they should require companies to have a certain percentage of their product factories in the U.S. and to have well paying jobs for our citizens. I they should also somewhat regulate how much the CEO’s/”The Big Boys Upstairs” make. For example For ever $X the CEO makes a year, the company must pay $Y to the employees as a whole.
The mystery man is Booker T. Washington..lol
i know chelsey got it but yeahh..lol
From Dictionary.com: Outsource–to obtain goods or services from an outside source: U.S. companies who outsource from China.
What is the best way to protect the U.S. work force from outsourcing in today’s competitive global market?
Frankly, I’m against finding a way to protect everyone and not let them lift a finger. I refuse to “protect the U.S. work force” when the U.S. work force is willing to settle for jobs I could hire a guy named Kadesh to do, and for only several Rupees.
We, as Americans, are honor-bound to show the world why our nation is better than theirs (“My daddy can beat yo daddy”). I heard it said before: “The problem with people today isn’t that they aim to high and miss, they aim too low and hit, and there they stick for the rest of their lives.” How dare ANY real American settle for punching 0’s and 1’s! Get off your butt and learn to use what those 0’s and 1’s make.
How do we have to shift our thinking in order to secure jobs for the citizens of today and tomorrow?
Stress how important education is. Like in my previous paragraph, people tend to want a grunt job and just mindlessly do what their boss tells them to do. Go to College! Learn your profession! If there are no jobs, make them! A good strategist never limits himself to the options given. I hope everyone learned that from the Newsweek article on morality.
That is my solution. We shouldn’t settle for “oh, this job looks fine…”
We need to reach for “You! Musharraf! Bring me my coffee! And Jose! Paint my fence!” It’s a sad turn of events for the people of the past generation, who might have established themselves in a manufacturing job and now are jobless, but why did they settle for less in the first place?
Basically, Out sourcing is getting things from other places other then the U.S.
So in order to sustain the job opportunities here in our own country we need to incorporate our own large business, like Glenn said. For example, in China they have mass production companies which makes the U.S. buy there products because they usually are cheaper and often times people in the United States are too lazy to make it themselves! Which causes the people in America to have no jobs because there’s not enough work for us to do.Think of it this way, why would u pay another country and help THEIR economy and in a result damage our own economy when we could’ve just paid our own people for the same thing?~ We as Americans need to change our thinking because if we keep on relying on other places for our goods , we will become so use to and so dependent on other people that in the future we will suffer the consequences. I think the US should try to limit the amount of products and resources we take from other places and try to incorporate our own. =)
To Glenn’s post:
I think they should require companies to have a certain percentage of their product factories in the U.S.
Big Retailers don’t make their own stuff. The only people it would hurt would be us. If the stuff from Wal-Mart was made by paying Xianghua $1 an hour, how bad would the price become, now paying George minimum wage’s $7 an hour? Prices would go up, and we would be shooting ourselves in our wallets.
and to have well paying jobs for our citizens
Government is a step ahead of you there! That’s what minimum wage laws are for.
I they should also somewhat regulate how much the CEO’s/”The Big Boys Upstairs” make
Government is a step ahead here as well. It’s called taxation.
For example For ever $X the CEO makes a year, the company must pay $Y to the employees as a whole.
Interesting, but it still needs some polishing to really shine. What if the CEO really is worth that much to the company? Shouldn’t he get that pay? And what about that guy in the cubicle, the one that slacks off and plays WoW instead of working on the team’s project? Why should he get a raise in pay because someone else is working hard?
To Ellie’s post:
So in order to sustain the job opportunities here in our own country we need to incorporate our own large business, like Glenn said
I said that, not Glenn…
Which causes the people in America to have no jobs because there’s not enough work for us to do
Not enough work, or just no work we want to do?
Think of it this way, why would u pay another country and help THEIR economy and in a result damage our own economy when we could’ve just paid our own people for the same thing?~
Because people with potential cost more.
Outsourcing is where a company has a third-party company perform a specific task for them. (i.e. the U.S. sending jobs to China or India for cheaper labor).
I agree with what Glenn and Ellise have said. We need to limit the amount of outsourcing we do. One way to start that would be to, like Glenn said, regulate the companies/businesses on the amount of outsourcing they do. Sure outsourcing maybe cheap, and maybe a limited amount would be alright, but if we send too many jobs overseas, the American people lose their jobs. And with loss of jobs comes hardships in the economy.
Education is definately important as well. The amount of high school drop outs have increased which decreases the amount of people elegible for jobs.
I think we also need to provide the working people with better initiatves to work (better benefits, better pay, etc). Sure we have minimum wage, but is the amount it is now enough? As the value of our dollar has changed over the last few years, $1 won’t get us as far now as it used to. People maybe working 2 to 3 jobs, yet they are barely able to pay their rent.
Taxation. An increase of taxes may not be something we’d like, but taxes should not be cut for big corporations. Tax breaks for the middle/working class with increase pay can help with the increase in product prices.
Victoria is so mean… I try to pick a fight and she completely ignores me
(I was probably typing that while you typed up your responses lol)
WOW matt thanx for TOTALLY bashing my comment!
WELL, sorry i didn’t really read yours , but glenn did say something about large business =)
Secondly, YEs not enough work because if we just get things from other places we will not have jobs causing our economy to fall apart !! & yea Some people don’t want to do hard working jobs and are just to lazy but for the most part people need to have jobs in order to survive, but how will they when were getting all of our goods from other places?~~
Lastly… “Because people with potential cost more.”
maybe Americans have a higher salary therefore making it a little more expensive unlike other countries but if u think about it AT least were paying our OWN PEOPLE and that will help them sustain themselves, other then supporting foreign people, who may use our money$$ to attack us LMAO jk
“It’s a sad turn of events for the people of the past generation, who might have established themselves in a manufacturing job and now are jobless, but why did they settle for less in the first place?”
What if that’s what they were good at? What if they lived in a small urban area where there wasn’t much opportunity to work in a large business?
We can’t ALL be owners of big businesses hiring outside sources of work.
Those who get lose their jobs for either the company’s financial difficulties or greed can’t just get up the next morning and form their own company/business hire cheap labor and expect a cash flow coming in.
Yay, another comment for me to nit-pick at! I love this website idea
Secondly, YEs not enough work because if we just get things from other places we will not have jobs causing our economy to fall apart !!
Nonsense. There are jobs that cannot be filled by someone in India, but others would rather work in manual labor and end up replaced by an illegal immigrant. There is work, but no one wants to do the work, and making work available also counts as work. Start your own business, that’s what I’m gonna do. Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are going DOWN!!!
people need to have jobs in order to survive
Yes
but how will they when were getting all of our goods from other places?~~
By getting a job that would apply what someone else made. Think about it like this: We buy enough silk to make a dress. The silk might cost $100, but we could sell the dress for much more. So by giving a job of punching in 0’s and 1’s to someone I can pay rupees, I save money that I could use to pay people that actually need to think. Should the person who makes the screw be paid the same as the person who makes the engine?
if u think about it AT least were paying our OWN PEOPLE and that will help them sustain themselves
Good point, but I’d rather pay my important employees well, than someone I can grab off the street and tell them to hit 1’s and 0’s in the order on the paper. If I pay Kadesh those rupees, I save money to pay more to the employees who went to College and learned the business. I’m still paying “our own people”, but just those that deserve it.
Outsourcing is purchasing goods or services from an outside supplier or source.
I feel that the best way to protect the U.S. work force from outsourcing in today’s competitive global market is to build up our big businesses and to start doing things for ourselves regardless of the fact that hiring other countries to do the work is much cheaper and more convenient. We cant continue to jeopardize our economy in order to save money, we have to do what we have to do. We have to shift our thinking in order to secure jobs for the citizens of today and tomorrow by just realizing that if we continue on with what were doing, we’ll all end up in an economic crisis. I definitely agree with what victoria said about education, taxation ,and incentives being important parts to stop the outsourcing problem. Especially education since it’s something that most of us take for granted , and we dont realize its importance in society today.
Okay, last one tonight, to Victoria’s post in response to one of my posts:
If that’s what they were good at, they should have capitalized on it.
I believe that there is a system of initiative that is being ignored. The reason there was no opportunity in that area, is because no one opened up that opportunity. When someone fails to step up, they inadvertently cause the suffering of others. That effect could even compound and cause suffering to the children that will be, or would have been.
Two guys, here in Hawaii, opened up their own Digital Media Studio, creating the opportunity that people said Hawaii lacked. It was small, but as they began to show off what they could do, they began contracting million dollar projects making commercials for businesses like Taco Bell and AIG Hawaii.
My Heroes.
If you read nothing else in that article, read the last sentence that was quoted of Lee.
Goodnight!
Well first and for most, unemployed Americans are bad for the economy and do not help the social welfare of our nation so we must protect their ability to find work. Secondly, Americans are not losing jobs because they are lazy. We are one of the hardest working nations in the modern world. The hours we spend at work is higher then every nation minus maybe Japan.
The question is geared more toward: How should the american government protect the interests and social welfare of its people? especially when it comes to key economic policies it has the ability to influence.
Outsourcing: Contracting with organizations outside your country for work that could otherwise be done by employees within your company (as defined by answers.com).
The best way my mind could come up with to reduce outsourcing was for the government to put a limit on it. And, oh look, that’s what other people came up with, too! Anyway, in my opinion, it’s a good way to go. Businesses like money. So to save themselves money and generate a larger profit, they outsource. But then like, that just makes our economy worse, which is bad for their business, right?
Wouldn’t it be better if they just paid Americans to do the job, which in turn helps the economy? That’d be better for their business! Duh. Well, idk, I could be completely wrong. But if I’m not, then awesome. So yes. Government should limit outsourcing so that more jobs are available for Americans.
Outsourcing is basically having illegal immigrants doing hard work for nickels and dimes a day so we can import it for less then it would cost if we ourselves did the work. this is destroying our economy and leaving hundreds without jobs or on the way to losing there jobs. before you know it the crime rate is most likely going to increase because theres not enough money to go around, people are going to get desperate and for example steal just to feed there family.
My previous posts were misinterpreted. I know that our workers are among the hardest working forces on earth, but are they working intelligently, or foolishly? When someone shafts their education and takes a job that requires peanut brains, they’re setting themselves up for failure. Not just outsourcing, but technological advancement will throw people off the assembly lines as well. Are we next going to say technology is ruining America?
Government deciding what a company can and cannot do, is one step away from socialism. Sure, an entire nation of people working together in perfect unison has its advantages, but it completely eliminates the philosophies of free-enterprise and capitalism! Saying that you want government to take control of how a business operates, is the same as the socialist idea of the perfect economy.
If we are to protect the ideas of the Founding Fathers, the ideas of free-enterprise and the right to benefit from one’s own labor, we cannot say “Government, take control for us.” Our generation needs to take the initiative and remake the America that was worn away by recent decades. If our government is to take any role at all, it should be to promote a higher quality education in all aspects of life, not raising taxes to “spread out the wealth.” Corruption in the government is another topic.
I guess the generation before us can get a start on it as well… Our parents’ generation did a wonderful job with the 60’s 70’s and 80’s (sarcasm)
I can see we all have a grasp of what outsourcing is and we know what the social ramifications and economical hardships that will ensue if all the American jobs are shipped over seas, but what I really want to know is what are some ways to improve our outlook on the future.
Please post a possible solution of how the American citizenry and government can make the needed shifts economically and politically, even possible ideologically, in order to maintain prosperity in our country?
solutions, solutions, solutions…..
The main reason for protecting our American jobs is the very same reason that we have a strong military. Our economic health is what protects our way of life. The stronger our economy is the better our life is. For example the recent fall of the stock market and the panic is only a small indication or what happens when international economics is allowed to control too much American interest. The American worker deserves a wage that can allow him to live in this culture. When he has to compete those from third world countries whose standards are less than ours and whose wages our much smaller than ours, the tendency of big business is to go where things can be made cheaply. I am not in favor of NAFTA. America first militarily, America first economically, we need to keep ourselves strong.
What is the best way to protect the U.S. work force from outsourcing in today’s competitive global market?
-Rather than giving a shovel to some random Chinese man, give it to that homeless guy that you see picking rubbish out of dumpsters. The best way to protect the U.S. work force from outsourcing in today’s competetive global market is to prevent the federal government from using tax payer’s money to help companies that do outsourcing. Speaking of taxes, the legislature could draft something that would increase taxation for the companies that hire overseas workers. Another way to decrease outsourcing is to deny the company subsidies if they keep firing U.S. workers. (Look at the article down there for more info)
Threaten them !!
“….if more US workers than foreign workers received the ax, the company would be “ineligible for further assistance” until it started hiring American employees again.”
Heres a proposition in a bill drafted to protect the U.S. Work force.
CLICK HURRR
How do we have to shift our thinking in order to secure jobs for the citizens of today and tomorrow? .
Meditate on the Word. (Joshua 1:8) [No, you wont get rich just by reading it. You need to apply what the Bible teaches you to your life.]
Edu-MA-cation. (No offense Matt) I think Hilary Clinton was on the right track when she implied that games were causing ignorance. We need to concentrate on studies rather than worldly pleasures and that sexy SuperSmashBros.
Puritan Work Ethic. Promotes self-discipline and diligence. :]
Ellie: Think of it this way, why would u pay another country and help THEIR economy and in a result damage our own economy when we could’ve just paid our own people for the same thing?~
–BECAUSE hiring people who dont mind low pay would cost less for the companies that do outsourcing.
OhhkAyyy. SO bASiCAllY,,
OUtSOURCING iS PURChASIN GOOdS OR SERViCES fROM AN OUtSidE SUPPliER OR SOURCE.
i thiNk tHAt tHE UNitEd StAtES NEEdS tO StARt dOiNG thiNGS fOR thEMSElVES iNStEAd Of RElYiNG ON OthER COUNtriES tO dO it fOR US, iT dOESNt MAttER if itS ChEAPER OR NOt. WE jUSt hAVE tO lEARN tO bE MORE SElf SUffiCiENt. WE ARE PUttiNG OUR ECONOMY At A biG RiSk bY “tRYiNG tO SAVE MONEY”. WE CAN PUt All thESE jOBlESS PEOPlE tO WORk ANd MAkE tHEM dO thiNGS tO hElP kEEP thE UNitEd StAtES ECONOMiCAllY StAblE..
idk WhAt EXACtlY i WAS tRYNA SAY, bUt i tRiEd..lOl
I think what we need to do to protect the u.s work force, is Americans have to get a little less uptight about money and maybe lower there prices down a bit, so they can get work. Also when u look at things built in America they are usually better quality then things made in other countries. These are some possible solutions, however I doubt this will ever happen.
the mystery man is Booker T. Washington
The answer to the question: How should the american government protect the interests and social welfare of its people? especially when it comes to key economic policies it has the ability to influence? What i think we should do is maybe get more lazy people to work more and maybe lower the prices i doubt that would happen but main reason is to get more people to work. And i really like Mr.schwabs answer, the military is part of the reasons for protecting us. if it wasnt for them we woudnt even be living how were living today…
Outsourcing: Contracting with organizations outside your country for work that could otherwise be done by employees within your company.
i agree with what ellie was saying earlier.
the U.S. should strive to make more companies instead of buying goods and hiring forigners from other countries and give american citizens more opportunities to work.
more work = less struggle to survive in our economy.
more and more people are becoming homeless, so instead of hiring illegal immigrants for work, the companies and buisnesses should be hiring our own citizens……
thats about all i have to say..
peace out!
Speaking of taxes, the legislature could draft something that would increase taxation for the companies that hire overseas workers.
Haha, reverse tariff!
the company would be “ineligible for further assistance”
What assistance? The government barely does anything for us. The stupid “pay farmers to let crops rot” subside is just retarded. Reduced taxation? Woop-dee-doo. Big companies like Microsoft would probably still save money by hiring cheaper programmers. Just another half-baked bill to stretch our patience.
No offense Matt
Offense received. Stop blaming the tool for the person’s action. Videogames cannot “cause” ignorance, it is the player who chooses to remain ignorant. If videogames cause people to be obese, then shouldn’t spoons be under the same spotlight? If experiencing a good story is bad for you, then I’ve wasted half of my life reading books. Learning can be pleasurable and sexy like SuperSmashBros.
Self-discipline, holding back from your first impulse to ponder the best course of action.
Diligence, staying true to your goal, even when times are hard.
I think Hilary Clinton was on the right track
Blasphemy! This is madness!
Oh shucks… this is America…
when u look at things built in America they are usually better quality then things made in other countries.
Hmm, good idea… perhaps we could capitalize on Quality over Quantity in some way.
get more lazy people to work more
“We are one of the hardest working nations in the modern world. The hours we spend at work is higher then every nation minus maybe Japan.” -Coach
If the few lazies began to work, that would only increase the employment deficit. More job opportunities must be created in order for work to be available.
america is the land of opportunity. everyone in america should have a job. like how everyone said how america is so lazy and gives all the foreign countries the work, we should be doin it. i always see that little sticker made in china or mexico on cheep stuff. the people who are unemployed in america should have those jobs. its like working at mcdonalds, its cheep stuff. maybe the prices off stuff would go down and all of us well be able to afford. we wouldn’t have to pay for shippment or air fares from other countries. america relies too much on other countries.
Outsource–to obtain goods or services from an outside source: U.S. companies who outsource from China.
To solve this problem I think that America has to become more independent and outsource what they absolutely have to. In my opinion I dont think that America is that independent right now because we rely on so many things from many different other countries. Although things that are made in different countries may be cheap are they of good quality? If the things that are make in foriegn countries were to be made in the U.S it would only benefit us because it will promote more jobs and will help out the economy. Hopefully I answered this topic correctly.
outsourcing means to obtain goods or services from an outside source. i think the best way to protect the U.S. work force from outsourcing in today’s competitive global market is to not let China or any other country take advantage of us by over pricing the goods they send us. we shouldn’t always depend on other countries to give us what we need. it would be better if we let the American people work for themselves and pay them instead of paying other countries to give us everything else. that way we save money and it’ll make our economy stronger.
wow i think i’m the last person to comment this week…0_o. Oh well, anyways on to the topic at hand. Well unsurprisingly i think im gonna have to side with matts arguments again. I mean think about it, we’re already getting gouged on prices as it is, imagine if we had to start paying $7 to some peon to make stuff we get from other countries for pennies a day!!! It would be insane our prices would shoot up so much, it wouldn’t even be funny. I mean i know its probably not right to exploit the laborers of other countries…but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Besides i dont even think the workers here could last a week in the conditions workers from other countries are used to. The rate in which we are able to finish products would probably drop dramatically as well. So i don’t really think outsourcing is that big of a deal, theres plenty of jobs out there if people would just take the time to look. I hope that that answers the question.
Very good round up!!! nice discussion.
in Conclusion….
Under our vested interest in capitalism and the values and ethics we promote while following such a system. We as Americans understand that our country provides an important consumer base to the rest of the world. In order for world economies to prosper they must sell goods to American consumers. We as Americans have the capitalistic right to keep access to this market competitive. In other words, If you want to sell in America you have to pay to sell in Amercia. This policy would only ensure the success of loyal local business’ but increase the work force and wages of our employess. Companies would then realize that if they outsource into foreign markets they would have to pay their way back in, especialy if they wanted to profit from our consumer base. The American market is the largest in the world, and our foremost responsiblity is to our own citizens.