Name:   MartiniMan - Subject:   Then again maybe not..... Date:   3/22/2016 4:10:49 PM

Now, now, I don't disagree with you in the least about the focus on short term gains.  This is especially relevant for publicly traded companies that live and die by their stock price which is impacted by quarterly results.  But unless you want to change the primary purpose of a business from what it should be into a social experiment that is not going to change.

All I am saying is that you need to look at the structural reasons why it makes more sense to move manufacturing or service jobs to other countries.  If it didn't I can assure you there is no built in desire to stick it to the American worker.  Businesses would love to keep it simple because it is no small task, nor is it without risk to open operations in a foreign country.  There is a lot of risk, which is why the only place we have expanded into is Canada where we speak the same language, have similar laws, a stable currency, etc.  Otherwise there is too much risk for the additional ROI.  But when the ROI as compared to domestic operations outweighs the risk they will move ahead.  That is a rational decision and is the right decision, again unless and until you change the reason for business to exist.

So the question in my mind is how do we address the systemic challenges in the U.S. so that the ROI here is comparable or the additional ROI by exporting jobs isn't sufficiently large enough to take on the risk.  Some of those challenges like the cost of labor may be insurmountable.  But every regulatory burden, laws like Obamacare, raising minimum wage, workers comp, etc. all add to the cost of each worker and make the economics of exporting jobs more attractive.  We can't have our cake and eat it too.  Just look to Europe to see how badly that works.  Many other systemic burdens can be fixed with the right political will.  But as long as the left spins everything as the rich versus the poor nothing will change and the working class will continue to be screwed.  And as long as they fall for the class envy BS they will continue to vote against their own interests.