[Vision2020] Speaking of living wages (was Republicans to Idaho's poor: Drop dead)

[Joan Opyr]

Dear Visionaries:

In light of what Tom writes, below, I want to put in a plug once again 
for American goods made by American workers.  Yes, I know -- some of 
those workers are not earning a living wage, but I've got a bee in my 
bonnet (or a bat in my belfry) about doing what I can to preserve 
American manufacturing jobs.

I have at last located a pair of tennis shoes actually made in the USA, 
rather than in China or Southeast Asia.  This is no easy task.  There 
are very few American shoe makers left.  I recently discovered that 
even Cole and Hahn shoes, which cost more than 200 bucks a pair, are 
now made in China.  200 bucks is exactly what C&H shoes cost back when 
they were made in the US, so savings on the manufacturing end are not 
being passed on to the consumer.  Instead, some rich bastard is lining 
his/her or the shareholders' pockets with a hefty profit.  Meanwhile, 
two groups of workers, one at home and one abroad, get screwed.

Anyhow, back to my new tennis shoes.  I have long needed a new pair of 
trainers.  I've been wearing a pair of Chippewa boots on my Nordic 
Track because I'm so damned stubborn on this issue.  (It makes for a 
good workout, what with the heavy leather and the steel-toes, but the 
boots look pretty stupid with my jogging shorts.)  Anyhow, I found a 
pair of New Balance shoes made in the US through the Sierra Trading 
Post catalog.  For those of you who don't get the Sierra Trading Post, 
you can check it out online at: http://www.sierratradingpost.com.  
Sierra is an outlet store, so everything is discounted (some stuff 
deeply discounted) and the country of manufacture is listed for all 
items sold, so you can make informed choices.  I know that Jeff Harkins 
will choose China because he's just as stubborn as I am only in the 
opposite direction, but for those of you who would like to buy 
domestic, here's your chance on a very tricky-to-find item.

Also, just to show that I'm not (as some have accused) anti-Christian, 
I'll tell you that once you've completed your Sierra order, a verse 
from the Book of John appears at the top of the page.  10:10, I think?  
I don't know; I didn't pay much attention.  I was too pleased to have 
gotten my funky American-made sneaks at 40% off.  I'm wearing them 
right now and reading the small card that came with them: Proudly made 
in the USA.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com

On Apr 1, 2006, at 11:15 AM, Tom Hansen wrote:

> One last comment concerning a simple opinion that gc is struggling 
> with:
>
> "Jobs that pay a living wage" - Increase minimum wage.  Only somebody
> lacking a second neuron would feel the poor to be insulted by 
> increasing
> their take-home pay.
>
> "Jobs that offer careers" - This is where you almost get it, g.  Expand
> Alturas with more and more high-end jobs (jobs with progressive pay 
> scales
> that are matched with progressive responsibilities - pronounced 
> "careers").
>
> "Wages that put food on dinner tables" - See "Jobs that pay a living 
> wage"
> above.
>
> "not sub-minimum wages that only serve to fatten the corporate bottom 
> line"
> - Need I really say more.
>
> Jeesh, g.
>
> Enough said.
>
> Now, if you will excuse me, my coffee is getting cold.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of 
> arriving
> safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
> sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly 
> used
> up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"