Society has devalued manufacturing skills, actor says at Maine Chamber dinner

By Matt Wickenheiser, BDN Staff

Posted Oct. 26, 2011, at 9:22 p.m.
Last modified Oct. 27, 2011, at 3:13 p.m.

John Clarke Russ | BDN

Actor and manufacturing supporter John Ratzenberger delivered a lively keynote address at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce's annual awards dinner at the Bangor Civic Center Wednesday evening, Oct. 26, 2011.

BANGOR, Maine — John Ratzenberger remembers a different time in the country, when he grew up as a kid in Bridgeport, Conn., and had the luxury of being a kid.

“Our parents would not allow us to be indoors, especially on a Saturday, and simply told us to go outside and play,” said Ratzenberger. “No cell phones, no GPS, no maps, no directions. The only rule was be home before the streetlights came on.”

They’d build tree houses, fix their bikes, take things apart — the basic foundation of skills that would serve them well as adults who needed to know how to paint a house or fix a lawnmower. But at some point, society stopped letting kids just go play and began to devalue the skills that allow workers to make and fix things.

That’s why, he said, manufacturing is declining across the country and why the United States soon may become a third-world country — where the plumbing won’t work, the lights may not go on and the infrastructure will crumble.

Ratzenberger, the actor famous for his “Cheers” role as Cliff Clavin, the know-it-all postman, and for his voice roles in every Pixar movie, has emerged in recent years as a leading advocate for manufacturing. He wrote the book “We’ve Got it Made in America, A Common Man’s Salute to an Uncommon Country,” addressed Congress and its Manufacturing Caucus, and sits on the Center for America board.

He spoke Wednesday evening at the annual Maine State Chamber dinner in Bangor.

His talk had a sense of “when I was a kid” and an overwhelming theme of an America that has lost its way. It played well to the crowd of roughly 500 in a state that still has a strong manufacturing tradition through its paper mills, defense contractors, shipyards and other businesses.

“We’re the greatest civilization the world has ever seen,” said Ratzenberger. “It’s the strength of manufacturing in the United States that keeps the world free.”

But manufacturing has been hit hard in Maine, too. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 50,900 manufacturing jobs in Maine in 2010, down from 58,800 in 2008 — and way down from the roughly 91,000 in 1990.

When he was a child, said Ratzenberger, everyone had an avocation. It may have been their occupation or their hobby at home — building birdhouses or ham radios or gardening. That’s a big change over the last generation, he said.

Children had to take vocational training, he said, recalling a shop teacher who showed him the difference between a ripsaw and a crosscut saw. The teacher was missing a finger and had awful breath, Ratzenberger said, so you wanted to make sure you got your measurements and cuts right so he wouldn’t spend more time than necessary with you.

He suggested changes in that generation have accounted for why manufacturing often has gone overseas. He asked the audience to picture former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill fixing his roof.

“You can imagine Tip O’Neill fixing his roof. Now imagine Nancy Pelosi doing the same thing. That’s not going to happen,” he said, to laughter. “So is it a surprise they don’t care about manufacturing going overseas? They don’t understand the strength of it.”

He talked about the sense of entitlement that he thinks younger generations have today. A CEO friend of his hired a man two years out of college and had to fire him three days later, said Ratzenberger. The employee wasn’t a team player and wanted an office with a window. On the fourth day, the former employee showed up with his mother, Ratzenberger claimed, demanding an apology to assuage her son’s self-esteem.

“I hear variations of that all around the country,” he said.

As part of his talk, he spoke about his new year-long campaign to get communities across the country to add 10 million skilled jobs by 2020. The Maine State Chamber joined the pledge, according to Dana Connors, head of the Chamber.

Connors said Ratzenberger’s talk was “spot on” for Maine, where there is a growing skills gap between open manufacturing positions and workers with the skills to fill them.

“There are tremendous jobs that are going wanting,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts that by 2012, there will be a shortfall of nearly 3 million skilled worker positions in America.

The Chamber also announced its annual awards. Chamber volunteer of the year went to Floyd Rockholt, a Presque Isle businessman. Chamber executive of the year went to Daniel Bookham, executive director of the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce. The president’s recognition award went to Unum. Maine investor awards went to Affiliated Health Care Systems of Bangor, Boyne Resorts (owners of Sunday River and Sugarloaf), D&G Machine Products Inc. of Westbrook, and Fisher Engineering, which has a plant in Rockland with nearly 300 employees.

The Cianchette Business Hall of Fame award went to Robert Reny Sr., founder of the Renys chain, which employs 525 in Maine at 16 stores.

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AionNV

Big business would have it no other way.

The Pelosi comment, a cheap, stupid shot, not many people her age are going to get on the roof and “fix” it.
Anonymous

Free trade and diversity, Right?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q4AP5EYCYRCGZGIJGWI6TLIUEA Tom

Right-wing actors should shut up and work. They have no need, nor right, to foist their politics upon the public. The only entertainment types with opinions worth hearing are the President and Susan Sarandon, and maybe a few more.

Dear Leader Obama will make glorious election next year! 4 More Wars!™ 4 More Wars!™
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q4AP5EYCYRCGZGIJGWI6TLIUEA Tom

True. The last time she was on a roof, her car had broken down.

Thankfully, there was an extra broom near the chimney.
Anonymous

Blah blah blah…tea party…blah blah blah…Liked ya so much better when you were just Cliff the mailman on the bar stool.
Anonymous

Without manufacturing, America is going on a downward spiral. Somehow we became a nation of middle managers/management with no production. Without the production, we have nothing to trade. When you go into a store, everything (almost) came from another country where manufacturing is important. How many pencil pushing computer types do we really need. Kids should learn to work with their hands–boys and girls—to build something, to create something. College is not the end all an be all for everyone. Ratzenberger is right.
AionNV

“Free trade” with communist China, is a sick joke.
AionNV

We became a nation of consumers, and a nation of corporate exploitation.

We’ve just begun to get what we deserve.
Anonymous

i’d rather imagine mcconnell fixing his roof and bachmann doing the same.
Anonymous

We’ve been searching for jobs, prosperity and productivity in Maine for many years and we are coming up empty handed. I hope we can realize that our work ethic and shear capacity have the long-lasting potential for current and future generations to be prosperous. Our ancestors did it with less resources than we have today, but knew the importance of education and infrastructure for a better future. Thankfully, there is still enough fuel in our fire – thanks to their efforts – for us to do it too.

There is a lot of low-hanging fruit in the global economy. The Clinton administration thought giving the banks more power to gamble would make the US more competitive. The Bush administration thought tax cuts would spur growth. Now, civic and local officials are seeking ways to cut the services that helped us become a great nation and are trying to push non-productive and marginally-ethical jobs. Eager businessman are excited to take advantage of these issues on the current ballot. “JOBS”, they say. But what kind of jobs? Do these jobs grow? Do they make Maine a good place to live and work? Do they provide a service that the WORLD needs? Stay true, stay strong, stay real, and do what Maine will want in 2050.

My guess is that your great grand-daughter doesn’t want to be a hostess at a Racino for wealthy foreign tourists – relegated as a glorified slave in 2050. I’m embracing taxes that promote education, school budgets, libraries, public safety, infrastructure, and social health care. Not all taxes are evil. Not all tax reductions are beneficial. Go Maine, go Maine agriculture, go Maine seafood, go Maine technology, go Maine eduction, go USA.

In response to gambler16, my parents were supporters of education and the Maine way of life. They questioned expenses associate with trendy automobiles, stylish clothing, but never batted a lash when it came to educational expenses. Thankfully, with their mantra, I never purchased anything I didn’t have the cash-on-hand for, and did go on to produce something of value for the Maine and USA economy. I hope my children have even more prosperous stories to tell.

Let’s BUILD smart, not CUT what matters!
Anonymous

Well, his role as the bar “know-it-all” in Cheers sure turned out to be perfect training for his latter years.
Anonymous

We’ve been searching for jobs, prosperity and productivity in Maine for many years and we are coming up empty handed. I hope we can realize that our work ethic and shear capacity have the long-lasting potential for current and future generations to be prosperous. Our ancestors did it with less resources but knew the importance of education and infrastructure for a better future. Thankfully, there is still enough fuel in our fire – thanks to their efforts – for us to do it too.

There is a lot of low-hanging fruit in the global economy. The Clinton administration thought giving the banks more power to gamble would make the US more competitive. The Bush administration thought tax cuts would spur growth. Now, civic and local officials are seeking ways to cut the services that helped us become a great nation and are trying to push non-productive and marginally-ethical jobs. Eager businessman are excited to take advantage of these issues on the current ballot. “JOBS”, they say. But what kind of jobs? Do these jobs grow? Do they make Maine a good place to live and work? Do they provide a service that the WORLD needs? Stay true, stay strong, stay real, and do what Maine will want in 2050.

My guess is that your great grand-daughter doesn’t want to be a hostess at a Racino for wealthy foreign tourists – relegated as a glorified slave in 2050. I’m embracing taxes that promote education, school budgets, libraries, public safety, infrastructure, and social health care. Not all taxes are evil. Not all tax reductions are beneficial. Go Maine, go Maine agriculture, go Maine seafood, go Maine techology, go Maine eduction, go USA.

CLIFF appears to be more than you typical Hollywood profiteer. Using your status to promote the better good… well done sir.

Realize… right wing, left wing, Red Wing, East Wing, Gold Wing… all politicians have made mistakes over the past 20 or 30 years. Regardless of the “Right or Left” prefix, they will make mistakes in the future if we continue to vote for “what feels good now” instead of “what will work in 10 years”. My guess is that if you woke up tomorrow and the calendar said 1988 you would vote differently knowing the mistakes that have been made with the short-term in mind.

Let’s BUILD, not CUT!
Anonymous

We had to go play outside and come up with things to entertain ourselves, there was no cable or video games. Television is to blame for a lot of our ills today. It is kind of ironic in the case of Mr. Ratzenberger. The very thing that has led us down the garden path is the thing that made him famous and wealthy. He is very correct though, we have become a nation of middlemen. For every one guy who puts on a pair of work boots in the morning there are three guys wearing a pair of loafers and riding on his back.
poormaniac

Some her age have no choice.
Anonymous

Blaming the working man or woman or our educational system for the decline in manufacturing just doesn’t seem right, somehow. Isn’t that just like other Clavin lines? Manufacturing anything is a highly risky business, especially compared to manufacturing phony investments. Manufacturing requires a ton of capital, an inexpensive work force, and cheap energy.
Who is willing to move into manufacturing? The Chinese are buying up American manufacturing plants, dismantling them, shipping them overseas, and reassembling them…with help from their government. Who sold them their plant? Former Chamber members now part of the 1%, I’m afraid. Sorry Cliff, you got it wrong again.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YE3XFN7AV6MWMPAVMVPYVSEQEY sweetie

Agreed! The working person did not create the decline in manufacturing. THe same is true for education or lack the lack of education. The decline in manufacturing was created by the consumer wanting cheaper goods. Corporate America was unable to contain their costs in such a way as to allow the corporation to still make a profit. So, corporate America moved their manufacturing plants to cheaper locations in order to take advantage of lower cost labor, cheaper sources of energy, and weaker environmental laws. However, the corresponding price of the goods sold certainly have not decreased. Instead, corporate profits have steadily increased.
Anonymous

Manufacturing, in my opinion stifled American creativity because people thought they could quit going to school and have the same job grampa had for the rest of their days.

What Americans need to do is *embrace life long learning*
That is what the economy demands of us.

Of course manufacturing is good and an American way of life. We just need to have our eyes wide open and understand the nature of what we are asking for.,
Anonymous

i can not image mitch mcconnel getting hired *anywhere*. they guy is such a blowhard.
Anonymous

such a smart comment. we should add that not everyone is doing poorly in this new economy. people with the right skills and outlook are doing very well. It is about life long learning.
honey777

With all due respect to Mr. Razenburger, it is not society that has devalued manufaturing jobs; it is the employers and corporations. They are the ones who sent manufacturing jobs overseas because they didn’t want to pay American workers a livable wage. And most skilled workers in Maine have either left the state or gone back to school so they can get a job that does pay a living wage.
Anonymous

Since when did an actor whose “claim to fame” was playing a postman who always seemed to be sipping a beer in a bar become an authority on how to make things right?
The usual flotsam from the chamber of commerce!
Anonymous

Just like Pelosi proved her worth to the demoncratic party in last elections and still stayed on and on and on and on…
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7T3YNF6MG3FPEAVTFIJC44VQUI Dlbrt

Society has devalued manufacturing skills, actor says at Maine Chamber dinner

This headline should read ,

Manufacturing Society devalued Maine Workers!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7T3YNF6MG3FPEAVTFIJC44VQUI Dlbrt

Some of us just arent made to be Rocket Scientist!

Sending unskilled work to foriegn countries for thier cheap labor leaves a whole class of people behind in America for the benefit of a Corporations bottom line!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7T3YNF6MG3FPEAVTFIJC44VQUI Dlbrt

“There are tremendous jobs that are going wanting,” he said.

Yup!

Enough said!

Thats why they hire “ACTORS” !
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7T3YNF6MG3FPEAVTFIJC44VQUI Dlbrt

But manufacturing has been hit hard in Maine, too. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 50,900 manufacturing jobs in Maine in 2010, down from 58,800 in 2008 — and way down from the roughly 91,000 in 1990

And its ” OUR” fault for not supplying the Skilled Workers!

These people live in an upside down bizzaro world!

Edit”

” Either that or they think we are just stupid enough to believe thier lies!”
Anonymous

I do miss Cliff Clayborne’s philosophy and rationale about everything…
Anonymous

The democrats are to blame for dumbing down our children and making Nancy’s out of men!
Anonymous

I disagree. Corporations have seen states and the federal government
make it nearly impossible to conduct business in the U.S. I don’t
condone going overseas, mind you, but I also understand that people in
the U.S. are more than willing to buy products that are made overseas
because the price is kept down. Had they stayed in the U.S. to
manufacture the goods, the prices would be much higher due to the added
expenses put on them by local, state and federal governments, and then
people would be complaining about the rise in prices. Maine is a
perfect example of that…it is not a manufacturing state in any way,
shape or form. Why is that? Because of the outrageous costs to conduct
a business, especially manufacturing. Increased taxes on corporations in this state have pushed them out.
Anonymous

I haven’t posted on BDN for months and months. Sadly, you haven’t changed. Still nothing informative to say.
Anonymous

You can’t have your cake and eat it too, SingleTrackGirl. We need those who go to college, just as much as we need those who use their hands to create something. I think too much emphasis is placed on that “golden” college degree. Give me a choice between someone with experience, but no college degree, and someone with a college degree and some experience, and I’ll take the experienced person any day of the week. Why? Because the person without the degree pulled himself/herself up by the bootstraps and worked hard to get where he/she is. It takes a lot more to get somewhere these days without a college degree. That shows character.
Anonymous

What, pray tell, gives the left-wing actors the right to foist their politics upon the public, but not the right-wing actors? Interesting that you referred to the President as an “entertainment type!” Frankly, I really don’t care what an actor thinks, and it’s pretty darn presumptuous of any actor to think that we’d want to hear what he/she has to say simply because he/she is famous. Left or right.
Anonymous

With all due respect you are both wrong.

Manufacturing is being destroyed by our desire for cheap goods! Give a consumer a choice between a product made in China for workers who earn about $2/day versus any American plant that probably pays employees $15 to $25/hour.

Which product is going to be more affordable?

Taxes and regulation are not the only problem and not the major problem. It’s very cheap wages.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

Would you mind explaining that a little better? You say that manufacturing has stifled American creativity? Please provide specific examples. What do you mean by *embrace life long learning* and how will that fix things. What are you telling us?
Anonymous

maine1216 you wre posting all yesterday before you changed your name. when you chage your screen name is changes it on all your past posts. with that said, i think you are spot on on this story, keep it up!
Anonymous

I see that. Interesting.
Anonymous

In the high schools, all they talk about to the kids is college. And not technical skills in college. They only mention technical or building and manufacturing skills to students they see as lower level. Even some organizations that talk about bringing more kids to engineering don’t mention the people who will be needed to build what the engineers design.
Anonymous

Not wrong. You simply added to it. We do not have a desire for cheap goods. We have a desire for less expensive goods. I would (and do) gladly pay more for an American-made product, but sadly many in the U.S. cannot afford to do so.
ChuckGG

Well, perhaps, but at least Tip and Pelosi both were/are Democrats so it wasn’t a party dig. John’s point is well intended, though. I do not see most young people fixing things or building things. My grandfather was the town blacksmith and wheelwright. As a kid, I have fond memories of him giving me some wood, nails, and telling me to build whatever I wanted to. He was pretty impressed when I took a bunch of scrap wood and built a very reasonable playhouse at maybe age 8. I learned a lot from watching him and playing in the shop – something OSHA probably would not allow today (and probably very reasonably so).
Anonymous

wasn’t trying to be a pest, just wanted to give you the heads up :)
Anonymous

I understood that. Was just trying to figure out how to fix that, but apparently I can’t easily.
Anonymous

I don’t like the screen name I chose on the fly, so I’ll probably change it one more time!
Anonymous

The All-American huckster/hustler surely has a big place in the picture.
Anonymous

Maybe in a few more months–ya gotta give these things time–until then see ya!
Anonymous

he is a person–no different than you or the doctor or the minister or the guy at Walmart-because he had a job acting is not what gives him the rights to advocate his opinions but the rights that he has as an American citizen to do so. Being an actor does not mean they are devoid of intelligence , anymore than any other profession. Some people voice their opinions and politics because its what they truly believe–what they do for a living has nothing to do with it. You’re stereotyping is distasteful.
Anonymous

well she could hold the ladder–at least
Anonymous

and its where we get everything–including the trillions of dollars for bail out money.
Anonymous

Learning is not necessarily done in books or classrooms. Some should go off to college and others need to express their knowledge in other ways. I don’t necessarily think a mechanic needs college, but he/she sure needs to know what makes an engine purr. I also want my carpenter to be able to build a house that will stand, and, no, he/she does not need an architect for most jobs. Manufacturing did not stifle anyone from being creative; those who designed and invented did so whether or not they had a job in industry in manufacturing or were college educated. People realize the importance of education, but book learning is not the answer. Learning is found in all experiences, not just in schools nor in the jobplace. Americans need to get off their duffs, be gainfully employed, learn to support themselves without waiting for a handout, and find some joy in life and work. They need to stop waiting for nanny government to make their lives all peachy keen. Americans need to grow up. Going to school is not the answer—ambition is.
Anonymous

And Newt as the foreman.
Anonymous

Everyone here seems to be bickering back and forth about jobs going overseas, but I don’t see any mention of the fact that many of these manufacturing jobs have simply ceased to exist in any venue. Automation and computer technology have had at least as strong an effect (probably stronger) on manufacturing employment as the effect of off-shoring.
honey777

I disagree. It has nothing to do with consumers wanting cheaper goods. It has to do with coporations wanting a bigger and bigger profit margin.
Anonymous

Maybe a little (or lot) of both, but yes , the onus is on the corporations, I agree.
Anonymous

Excellent comments!!
Anonymous

I could not agree more with you. It is almost “painful” to listen to him talk. He sounds like he has marbles in his mouth, or something (and never mind the nonsense that he spouts….)
http://twitter.com/ESutherland Elizabeth Sutherland

It’s actually Affiliated Healthcare Systems. Not Health Care.
Anonymous

Too make wealth you need to produce things, hence we were a mighty nation 25 years ago.

Unfortunately the disgraceful Clinton Administration didnt think Manufacturing was important, and the liberals pushed the NAFTA trade deal thru in 1993 and in subsequent years, opened our markets to the Chinese Communists.

It has been all downhill since, we have lost about 15 million manufacturing jobs and our present economic situation can be traced back to the day Clinton signed NAFTA into law.

Amazing how he hasnt been vilified for this but one day the history books will show this to be true. As Perot warned Clinton, put that(NAFTA) into law and there will be agreat Job Sucking Sound!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PV4CYCJTMR72D2GJP7KHVMCURU charles

I grew up during the Vietnam era and we were not allowed to stay in the house and if it was raining our parents fought to keep us out of the rain. We did all those things and more. It was junk if it was not made in the U.S.A. But then I brought a t-shirt at LL Beans and it was made in some 3rd world country so now I can’t buy from Beans. What has happened to the pride we had for our country and the people that made things here.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PV4CYCJTMR72D2GJP7KHVMCURU charles

How true
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7T3YNF6MG3FPEAVTFIJC44VQUI Dlbrt

I remember Cliff Clavin, the Drunken 40 year old virgin post office worker who lives with his mother!

Now he is a spokesmen for the GOP and Chamber of Commerce!

Cliff, You have finally hit BOTTOM!!
http://twitter.com/bangorbytes BangorBytes

Half expected the video segment to start with that Cheers song, “Sometimes you wanna go…” except maybe a Bangor version like this one…http://www.bangorbytes.com/2011/10/bangor-sometimes-you-wanna-go-where.html
Anonymous

Newsflash – as long as people want to buy plastic garbage at Wal-mart instead of locally made products that cost more, there will be no improvement in manufacturing in America. Who is going to pay $1500 for an American made Ipod, when the Chinese can make one that sells for $495?
Anonymous

By off shoring many products we consume, we accelerate the turnover of products. So instead of buying an American made quality item that last for years, we buy an imported piece of crap that you dispose of after less than a year. The problem is the cost of the quality item and the piece of crap are similarly priced at the selling point, so who is pocketing the difference? I always hear that ‘we need to off shore to cut costs” but that savings is never passed on to the consumer.
Anonymous

who is a rocket scientist??? i’m just talking about keeping your skills relevant.

If you are a secretary and you learned WordPerfect in school, then take a night class in Excel.

If you are a laborer, take a class in (anything).
Anonymous

you make it sound like people don’t work their way through college.

and if like you suggest, only rich people go to college, what kind of world is that?
TeaParty_aka_AmericanTaliban

When big business started moving all the manufacturing jobs to China and closing up shop in the US what did they expect? Why on earth would anyone waste their time and money investing in the training and education for a career where the jobs are all being sent to China?
Anonymous

I am telling (folks) that we can not expect that the same skill set that was relevant 25 years ago would be relevant today.

We are not entitled to do the same jobs as our grandfathers.

What happened to Yankee ingenuity that I make a suggestion that we should engage in learning (anything) and everyone freaks out? You make it sounds like bettering ourselves is somehow a bad or impossible thing.

For instance, I am taking HTML and CSS. I have a marketing background, (used to work at a newspaper). I read industry magazines, I do what I can. I’m 51 years old. Don’t try to keep me down.

When I was in college, there were no PC’s, so, I took adult ed in Excel.

C’mon people. The only thing you are entitled to is to make your own opportunity.

hope that’s helpful.
Anonymous

i agree. i am not going to school. but I am taking HTML & CSS online. I had to take some basic accounting classes after starting my own business, and before I started my own business I took some online classes from the SBA,

I am not sure how this went from ‘learning’ to discussion about college, anyway.
Anonymous

Where the heck did you get all that from my comment? Nowhere did I mention only rich people go to college. And nowhere did I mention that people don’t work their way through college. You read all that into it, and it was not implied. Of course people work their way through. Good for them. I’m just pointing out that not everyone needs to go to college to make their way in the world…if a person decides to go straight into work out of high school, in a manufacturing setting, then good for them. Will it be hard for them to work their way up the ladder? Most definitely. They probably won’t. But, some don’t want to. That’s what makes the world go ’round. It takes all kinds, and people should not be required to go to college simply because that’s what corporations…and people like you…seem to think is a must. There needs to be room for all kinds in this world. I’m rambling…and probably off subject. I guess I was just really surprised by what you seemed to read into my comment…neither was true.
Anonymous

I got that idea from the following words you wrote:
“….Because the person without the degree pulled himself/herself up by the bootstraps and worked hard to get where he/she is. It takes a lot more to get somewhere these days without a college degree. That shows character.”
Anonymous

There’s room for all. No one is entitled. I am the farthest you can be from a supporter of entitlements. And yes, people need to try to keep up with the times. But, manufacturing has hit an all-time low in this state and if Maine is going to grow (and we certainly are not growing), it needs to come back. If it does, there will be work for those who did not go to college…work they can be proud of and support a family. So, this state needs to go back to finding ways to bring manufacturing back! Not everyone has or will have a degree. What kind of work are they supposed to do?
Anonymous

Still don’t understand. I still agree with that statement…it’s a lot harder to get somewhere these days without a degree. A person with a degree, straight out of college, no experience, can land a job over a person with 25 – 30 years of experience and no degree, just simply because that person has a degree. Happens all the time. There’s something wrong with that.
Anonymous

I don’t know, but if they had taken some classes at night somewhere along the line, they might not be in the situation.

I got laid off in ’08. It was the worst. I make less than half what I made before. But I make it myself and I’m not complaining, nor am I expecting the Governor to give the state away so some Chinese guy can open a factory here.

I am not saying manufacturing is bad. I am just saying we are not entitled to jobs. We are entitled to keep our skills relevant and our minds and bodies fit. Other than that, I don’t know what to tell people.
Anonymous

1. thank you for your honest discussion, i appreciate that.

All I am saying is that a lot of people who went to school do so with sacrifice and hard work. They delayed gratification, they lived in group housing, they studied, they worked.

all that takes character. that is what i mean.
Anonymous

Classes at night, unless it leads to a degree, doesn’t do much these days, I’m afraid. I’m sorry you were laid off in 2008. It must have been awful. You were in good company, I’m sure, and many have been laid off and had to take a job paying less. Good for you for making it back to the workforce.

I in no way want the Governor…or any state…to attract Chinese manufacturing. I say USA all the way. Just make the tax laws, etc., such that those who can relocate or create new manufacturing facilities are enticed to do just that….here, in the USA.

No one is entitled to a job. Let’s just not make it so that everyone has to have a degree in order to find a job…that’s just not going to happen.
Anonymous

Agreed. But, many now feel entitled, and according to your previous posts, you don’t believe in entitlements. They shouldn’t, just because they have a degree, anymore than anyone else…and they shouldn’t be thought of has favored just because they have a degree over someone who has decades of experience.
Anonymous

I appreciate the honest discussion, too. So few times that happens here.
Anonymous

also agreed.

alas.
Anonymous

Manufacturing, in my opinion stifled American creativity because people thought they could quit going to school and have the same job grampa had for the rest of their days.********************************************************
Oh good LORD! I never thought I’d have my grandfather’s job “for the rest of my days” My grandfather was a Pennsylvania COAL MINER!
Anonymous

my grandfather was a baker. i would love to have his shop.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7T3YNF6MG3FPEAVTFIJC44VQUI Dlbrt

I work on a Farm, should I get updated on manor shoveling techniques!
Anonymous

manor: large estate house.
manner: the way in which something is done.

maybe you meant manure? i have no idea.
- – - – - – - -

yes, dilbert, I would indeed suggest you update your skills. I was raised on a farm and am working to buy some land so I can do it again. this time permaculture, bringing product to market in ways that are very different from what my dad did at the dairy farm I grew up on.

Are you actually suggesting that there is nothing to learn about farming?
Anonymous

I have a college degree and can also fix most things around my house. I tell you though, If I were hired to work on a CNC machine building a round peg I would be fired in the first 30 seconds. Singletrack needs a few lessons in how maufacturing actually is today. One of the things that is wrong with this country is that everyone is taught that they are awesome, are perfect, and not allowed to fail. Personally, I think that one of the most valuable people in our society is the guy that hauls away my garbage.
Anonymous

Harrison Ford was a carpenter before he got into acting. I could do without most of what actors have to say but it is there right to day whatever they believe. this is still America last I knew.

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