National Debt and the Unemployment situation

[jparedes]

I'm approaching this forum with the hope that the participants will engage constructively with arguments in pro and con to this idea I have been brewing to bring back jobs to the USA and give the Federal government an example of what it can and needs to be done to reduced/eliminate the deficit.  At the end of the discussions, I envision a legislation proposal that could be presented to local politicians for its introduction into local city/county regulations.

 Legislation Proposal:
It is evident and well documented that some countries allow and or encourage their citizens to steal intellectual property and allow or encourage them to copy patented designs, etc. These same countries also maintain an artificial undervaluation of their currency to make their products cheaper in the international marketplace.
The unemployment rate in the USA has been high now for the last couple of years, nevertheless, the Federal government has been incapable of curving the imports from countries with unfair trading practices to the effect that it has allowed the international trade balance to hurt the USA citizens by indirectly encouraging the manufacture of products in foreign countries to the detriment of the job situation here in the USA. As one of the consequences the government has in reality, reduced its own tax base which has caused the biggest national deficit of any country in the history of the world.
 
Due to the incapability of the Federal government in these matters, the solution here proposed, needs to be implemented at the local levels and on its success, adopted little by little by other localities.  This solution will not only generate revenues at the local level, but will also encourage local entrepreneurs, investors and heads of corporations to bring back manufacturing jobs to the USA.
This solution is based on a modest sales tax surcharge for any item sold which is not manufactured in the USA.
 

[Dixie Dude]

1) Allow drilling offshore, on government land that is not a national park, in Alaska.  Would probably lower unemployment by about 1-2%.  Would cut 45% of imported oil.  This cuts the money going overseas and keeps it at home where it is spent at home thus helping stimulate the economy.
2) Switch fleet vehicles to compressed natural gas, thus cutting another 40% of imported oil, keeping even more money at home.
3) Back off on new environmental regulations.  I work for a natural gas distribution company.  We have to fill out a 36 page environmental report to install gas mains if we disturb over 1 acre of land.  It was 5 acres.  We then have to wait about a month for approval.  There are other regulations styfling the economy.
4) Go back to banking regulations prior to 1998 when they were changed which lead to the housing bubble. 
5) Establish a low flat tax, and eliminate corporate tax if an industry comes back to America.  Institute a 1% national sales tax on all American made goods, higher on foreign main to keep our industry competitive. 
6) Put tarriffs on any foreign goods or from any country that steals patents, subsidizes their industry to put ours out of business.  Like at least 25% on Chinese goods to give our goods parity. 
7) Encourage, help, and streamline regulations that help get nuclear power, wind power, solar power, and synthetic gas and oil from coal get started. 
Require all federal, states, and local governments to buy ONLY American made products, such as vehicles, uniforms, shoes, cleaning products, office machines, etc.  If there are no American made products, require the companies to have them within 5 years or else loose their tax credits. 
9) Cut every government program that is not necessary for the defence of our nation. 
10) Seal the border, and have realistic immigration policy.  No citizenship for illegal children born in America.

[Gary G]

It is really a very simple matter:

To create jobs, we must first have an increase in production.
This increase in production requires capital investment which comes from peoples savings in time deposits which are loaned out to businesses.
Government produces nothing therefore its very existence is supported out of the real economy; it extracts capital from the economy. When a very large government extracts a very large amount of capital from the system, little is left for capital investment.

Try this:http://www.amazon.com/Economics-One-Lesson-Henry-Hazlitt/dp/B001G8NW6Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315523956&sr=1-2

But first read this:http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/fix-jobs-problem140.html

and this:http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/job-market162.html

[DDZ]

As long as we have a government that thinks spending money is the answer to every problem we can forget about reducing the debt and creating jobs. If we keep electing criminals as public servants, the debt and jobs will end up being the least of our worries. Most of us have many good ideas how to reduce the debt and make a more business friendly environment, and the only way to get those ideas implemented is to elect people that share them. The way people vote in this country anymore, I'm not sure that is possible.

[Dixie Dude]

Ronald Reagan said it best.  "Government is not the solution, government is the problem" 
 
Most of what I listed is because of either too much government rules, regulations, or controls, or the tax base, allowable deductions, etc, are misplaced, a government problem. 
 
 

[lakota]

The solution is to pass this jobs bill now...Congress needs to pass this jobs bill now...hey pass this jobs bill now... seriously pass this jobs bill now...We need to pass this jobs bill now...Have I mentioned that we need to pass this jobs bill now?

[Dixie Dude]

Yep, we passed one a couple of years ago and were promised that unemployment would NEVER get above 8%.  Well, that didn't work.  Where is the money coming from?  Only so much the "rich" can bare without loosing all their capital in which will create jobs.  Why don't we quit spending and regulating so much.  Go back to the regulations of the mid-90's.  Quit importing oil and cheap foreign goods.  Bring the factories back home.  Use our own oil.  Keep our money at home to create jobs here, pay lower but more taxes. 

[us920669]

The "Jobs Bill" (Jobs job) is a non-starter.  It was designed to draw republican opposition so they can be painted as the bad guys.  We even have to wait to find out how much money will be stolen from the economy - how many jobs are killed - to pay for it.  I didn't catch the whole speech, it would have been hard enough on a good day but my wife kept calling to get me to check on road closings so she could get home during the flood, but I think I heard Prez Zero say he had appointed a task force to look at regulatory reform, and they figured they could save a few million.  That's not even a rounding error in Washington.  Then he went on a tear about how kids were eating lead paint sandwiches and drinking mercury milk shakes and he wasn't going to allow it.  So, nothing will happen.


I got a jobs bill that wouldn't cost a cent.  The details would have to be hashed out, but it mainly involves a massive tax cut and regulatory roll-back, and it would help to abolish the minimum wage, so anyone who wants to work can.  Funny how they never talk about how the minimum wage was raised drastically right when the bad times started.   

[DDZ]

Ronald Reagan said it best.  "Government is not the solution, government is the problem" 
 
Most of what I listed is because of either too much government rules, regulations, or controls, or the tax base, allowable deductions, etc, are misplaced, a government problem.

DD, The ideas you listed are very good ideas, and would help America. I know that you know its a government problem. I was just stating that we as Americans have to vote the people in that will implement those kinds of ideas, because what we have now those ideas will never come to life. Again, I'm not sure that the ship can be turned, just because of what America has become, and the way people are led to vote.

[magooch]

Get rid of 15 to 20 million illegals from this country and there will be lots of jobs.

[jparedes]

I think we all missed the point.

The facts are that the Federal government and even the State governments are not really doing anything and they will end doing nothing!

All the ideas listed above are good, and yes they are the right ideas, but require actions that neither Congress nor the commandante Zero admin want or have the guts to do.

We the people need to start doing something that will undermine their incapacity and nothing would fit better than work with local government to pass regulations that will show the way to fund locally the county/city services and send message to the multinationals that we want products made in the USA.

I ask you all:  August was the month when we were not supposed to buy anything made in China.  did you hear about it, and if you did, did you abstain from buying stuff made there?

I did, and ended up saving a lot of money and gave me the encouragement to make some of those items myself.  (An orange hunting vest made by my daughter with material that my wife already had in her collection, a rifle sling made with strap material made in the USA, repaired my old hunting backpack instead of buying a new one, etc.)

I ask you again, read carefully at the first posting of this thread and comment on the specific idea discussed there.

Thanks.

[Empty Quiver]

A tax on imports? Works fine for a while, then everyoneelse decides it is a good idea.


 I read a pretty pursuasive article a while back that outlined the earlier economic woes of the world.  The upshot of it was that protectionist trade policies were pivotal in the beginnings of both WWI and WWII. it was of course a precautionary tale against tarriffs.

[magooch]

Fair trade is what we should strive for.  The idea of placing undue tarrifs on trade is an idea that would most likely lead to even more job loss.  The United States is still an enormous exporter, so let's not cut off our nose to spite our face.
 
I still say we should do the obvious and get the illegals out of here.  Anyone who thinks they are not doing jobs that American citizens could be doing, just hasn't been paying attention.  Of course, even the illegals have been suffering job loss from the obamunist policies.
 
Other than the illegals, the one sector in our economy that hasn't had enough job loss is the government (bureaucrats).

[ihookem]

Go back to the 2008 budget when there was a 450 Billion dollar deficit and cut  100% every subsidy to every country, cut subsidies to every american family 10% and every corperation even more. Defense can be cut also. Don't scream, it's high time big contracts give us a better deal. Defense contracts  can take a 10% cut like everyone else in this country. Soldiers take no cut. Armed services in Germany need to come home or Germany can pay us to protect them. Same with South Korea and where ever we are to protect anyone. They can afford it. If they don't like it we will leave.

[Dixie Dude]

My idea of tarriffs is only for countries who subsidize their industry to compete with ours, or who steal our patents and make things anyways without paying our companies who developed them royalties.  China is practicing unfair trade policies.  The subsidize some of their industry.  They also steal patents and reverse engineer things and don't pay the royalties.  If they want to trade with us, they need to abide by laws and/or suffer the consequences. 

[SHOOTALL]

De regulation that will remove the weights that kill American industry. Not only with regard to off shore products but at home . Affirmative action has created more waste than good. OSHA has helped but to justify their jobs and keep them they may be over stepping a bit. They fine more than teach. EPA has strangled much industry to force green on America before it is cost effective. Both departments should be accountable for actions and all regs should need approval from congress.
I am more for Govt. to get out of the way instead of them creating jobs . When they become the employer things start to smell funny. They should never say vote this way or lose your job. And many Govt employees now vote for the side that promotes Govt. spending .

[gypsyman]

jparedes, the first line in your last paragraph, the stating the govt. is incapabile of  taking care of these matters, yes they are. They don't want to. Look who is running it. Over 90% have never worked, or owned a private business. They have the ability to cut spending, they don't want to. They're socialist's. They believe that our countryshould be on the same level as all the rest. Instead of cutting govt. programs, and tax's, their increasing them, putting a bigger burden on the already over taxed population. How much cheaper would food be, if there was a 50% tax cut on diesel fuel, and truck drivers could deliver cheaper. Manufacturing costs could be cut. Cheaper goods and services. Here in Ohio, repair shops have had to charge sales tax on labor costs for years. What you have, is a govt. that has become so use to going back to the well for more. Well,(I use that metaphorically) the well has gone dry. We're in for a major change. gypsyman

[Shu]

Unfortunately the government is like a crack addict when it comes to money. Smart fiscal spending seems to be out of question. Passing a bill to create jobs has been done before and the results were still a failure.
Why would this one be any different?
Government likes to spend money on foolish things and really needs to stop.
To create jobs one must encourage manufacturing. This is a concept well beyond the white house.