I give to my church also. I do it because they need it in order to operate, not soo much for the taxes. The deduction was in the $200 to $300 range. Enough for a good meal for my family.
I get them whenever I go on vacation and bring them back. But seriously you are on the right track. All great societies have rise and a fall. Nobody stays on top for ever. I asked myself back in the 1980’s what will cause the fall of the USA. I realized it was that we were not making stuff anymore. We say we have a “service economy” That is the dumbest thing I ever heard of. So I went out of my way to become the best manufacturer I could. I can run any kind of manufacturing operation you can develop. But this stuff is going overseas. Our construction is being done by aliens. We are becoming like the Eloi (H. G. Wells Time Machine). All we do is sit around “serving” each other $10 cups of coffee. We are going to collapse because we can’t take care of ourselves.
Our construction is being done by aliens
I’m sure many here own their own businesses and can vouch for what I say…The American worker has brought this on him/herself…Unions have brought this on also…The typical American worker is a clock watcher,calls in sick too much,doesn’t want to work weekends,complains about everything and on top of all that expects top dollar salary plus optical,dental,medical,401k contributions…And at the blink of an eye that same useless worker will sue the company for the slightest incident…
I truly hope this recession/depression lasts for 5 years and routes the entire lazy American working class out…They all deserve it for the lazy undisciplined life they have been leading…The unions should go bust at the same time…And it amazes me why anyone is surprised that illegals are favored vs shunned…
You got that right…the typical American worker makes just enough to keep from quitting and does just enough work to keep from getting fired!
Keith
I think it’s easy to say those things when you making 6 figures or more a year working on Wall Street.
My take on the Unions in this country is a little different. I understand what your saying, some members are complete peices of you know what. Like anywhere and anything they MILK the system. These people are EVERYWHERE not just unions. The thing you probably DON’T see is the QUALITY some of these UNIONS bring to the work they do. Look at some of the best made products our country STILL produces. Snap-on tools for example, incredible quality,Union made in the USA and worth every penny. Lincoln welders, same story, bullit proof reliability and Union made. I haven’t seen ONE recall on lead painted products coming out of union shops here in the USA (and YES, there are some still out there)
The fact of the matter is this…the Unions GO??? We go with them. Think about it. Show me where a kid who didn’t go to college can get a job and make a mortgage payment ANYWHERE in the Northeast? The only guy’s I know who can are UNION tradesmen. These guy’s build the commercial buildings, roads, bridges, and power plants we use. They make a LIVING wage and they are TAUGHT those skills by the trade unions. They don’t call them APPRENTICES for nothing. These guy’s learn by DOING, from guys who learned the same way.
You need 50 skilled carpenters who you don’t have to babysit or HOPE they know what the hell their doing??? Call your local Union carpenters hall. Yea, your gonna pay for these guy’s but if I’m building a 60 story highrise It might be valuable to have skilled trademen doing the building and not some sh*thead who was flipping bugers last week.
Be careful what you wish for…
I think it’s easy to say those things when you making 6 figures or more a year working on Wall Street.
fdjake,
I grew up swinging a hammer and digging holes…I was a framer by 11 years old…My father builds high end homes , so if you think Wall st is all I know you are mistaken…I have seen ups and downs more than many here how the unions have destroyed the trade industries…These guys have dug their own grave…
Carpenters union is a joke…I was in 608 when I was a kid for 3 months…I was told to slow down I’m working too fast…All because I was trained in the scab private sector where we take pride in our work and work to get the job done right…
You were way out of bounds with the Wall street comment…You should only know how hard I work…
I too was a member of Carpenters Local 94 for a few years. I could not BELIEVE the difference in the quality of work done by these guys compared to the private “I got a pickup truck so I’m a carpenter” dopes that flock into booming markets and literally screw people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Are there private Non union craftsman out there?? HELL YEA. But there are many more hackers than craftsman.
Was I ever told to slow down on a Union jobsite?? Absolutley…I also never got hurt during those years. I can’t say that about my time banging nails for ANIMALS who would work from sun up to sun down, pay their help dirt and break every OSHA requirement under the sun.
Sorry, I’ve seen both sides of the street too. I stand by my comments. Your arguement is no different than saying “we should get rid of all these immigrants” Sounds GREAT!!! Now show me how we deal with the economic impact when half the businesses in this country SHUT DOWN when their help is deported.
None of these issues are black and white. To WISH for the demise of hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs is ridiculus. WAY, WAY, more complicated problem than you admit.
As far as my comment goes?? I wonder who’s more tired at night…you or a construction worker??? No one, you included, likes to be told their job is EASY, their not working hard or they earn TOO MUCH. You proved it!
None of these issues are black and white. To WISH for the demise of hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs is ridiculus. WAY, WAY, more complicated problem than you admit.
I could care less if these lazy union or non union workers lose their job…The hard working American will prevail…We can agree to disagree on this one…
My dad worked union with GM for 22 years in a plant in die casting. My brother in law is a union iron worker.
You can’t label the unions good or bad. As FDjake said, the unions have allowed alot of uneducated men afford good lifestyles for their families, many of whom work their butts off day in day out - but as Rookie is saying, the unions have also created alot of lazy good for nothing clock punchers.
For one, I’m glad that the UAW paid my Dad a great wage and provided great benefits. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have grown up in the environment I did.
I’m thankful for the service the unions have provided. At the same time, it’s sad to see all the lazy losers who took advantage of that system.
You said FDjake’s post was out of line?? :rolleyes
You just broadbrushed every union worker in America into a worthless peice of trash - that was out of line.
You can put the brush away now…
You said it better than I did Steve…
Rookie… we agree on more things than not…You are right, there are a LOT of total losers in these Unions, I’ve seen them with my own eyes. You just can’t condeme an entire group of people based on a THEM.
Does Wall Street have sh*thead losers screwing people out of money on a daily basis. THEY SURE DO!!! The difference is they wear a shirt and tie to work and have a college education. We all know these losers…and there’s no shortage of them in this country.
On THAT, we can both agree.
You said FDjake’s post was out of line??
steve…My own father was a union carpenter during the World’s Fair in NY in the 60’s…I don’t like unions and I dont like what they represent…I don’t like the extortion tactics they use on the employer and I dont like what I have seen in my experience…I didnt mean to insult the good hard working Americans,like I said in my post…But the lazy people who take advantage of this system I dislike…
Agreed rookie…
Good and bad to everything. Just be careful about the broadbrushing of anything.
Now, I think this thread has gone a bit off topic… :biggrin
Rookie,
You WAY over reacted…I mean, come on. Born with a golden spoon???
WHERE… where, did I say that… show me???
How many guy’s YOU work with have scars running from their necks to the cracks of their @sses from mulitple back operations so they can KEEP working to support their famillies??? I know a bunch and to label those guy’s as losers who couldn’t hack it in the private sector???
You lost a LOT of credibilty with me. And YOU started it, like that matters.
Don’t forget where YOU came from.
That’s my last comment on the subject.
fdjake,
Not looking to sling mud…I think it’s fair to say we overreacted…We both have strong opinions and I may have taken what you said the wrong way…I value all opinions here and I have a strong opinion of my own…I didn’t mean to insult anyone and if I did I truly apologize…
Agreed 100%!!
I have to admit this…I actually enjoy the occasional sparring session with you. Probably BECAUSE I know you don’t take any sh*t .
I take back my “lost credibilty” statement… that was too far…
We’re good in my book.
OK…it’s gone on long enough, please. Shake hands, agree to disagree, whatever.
Thanx,
Keith
GOT IT…LOUD AND CLEAR.
Thanks Keith
yes me to keith…I apologize to fdjake,steve-o for anything I said…Got carried away and I respect everyone here union or non union…Its done…
Oh man I miss one day online (called in sick to my Union job), and I missed all the fireworks.