OP ED-"Little Timmy Wants to Know Why Nobody Likes Airplanes Anymore?

[Joe Zuffoletto]

There is a lot of "woe is me" stuff going around in the aviation internets.  It's a waste of time.  Get your butt up and go flying, and take a friend with you.

What he said. I for one had an absolute blast in an Xtreme Decathlon yesterday!

[chrisk]

4. Manufacturing. Yup, it's a problem but I'm not sure what the solution is. Companies have to answer to one person, and one person only: the shareholder. The shareholder demands maximum return on his investment and as a result American companies have gone overseas seeking cheaper ways to get the work done. My brother is the CFO of a manufacturing business and his company established operations in China about four years ago. I asked him the actual difference in costs and he said in the US his company was paying roughly $12 an hour for assembly labor. In China they are paying around $3 an hour, but it's not necessarily apples and oranges because terms of employment are different in both locations, but the cost differences are real. Now you might argue, regulation and government oversight here is costing him $12 an hour for local labor, but what's the solution? Paying his American workers the same $3 an hour? How many American's would work for $120 a week, less taxes? Cheap and fast transportation from all points of the world exacerbated the problem, as Thomas Friedman explained in The World Is Flat. Last word on the subject, one that hits home with me as a software developer. I run up against Indian competition just about every week (and usually lose out to them) and outsourcing is a real problem. In 2008 Obama did address this in his campaign and did follow up with it in 2010 when he proposed tax penalties for those companies that layoff American workers and outsource the jobs overseas. The bill died before committee because the GOP viewed it as a tax hike on American companies. So what is the answer?

 

 

Wow!  Not airplane related, but I'll jump in.  Government policies have a direct effect here.  And I will say the previous governmental policies are dooming this country to failure.  You prevent out sourcing by making the US the center of competency world wide. --No more sponsoring foreign students to learn technology and take it home.   We should relax the immigration barriers for talented and educated people who want to work.  We should make it easy for businesses to open and operate.  And we should make it hard for others in the world to compete against us.    And for manufacturing, a bit of protectionism might be in order. We have lots of textile ghost towns in Appalachia, where welfare runs rampant.    Why not tax the goods coming in at a higher rate to support domestic production.   --And to continue the rant, why let un-educated folks cross the southern boundary (and take unskilled jobs)  when we have folks on welfare in this country. With that said, I believe we should have relatively easy/preferential immigration for folks from Canada and Mexico.

[flyboy0681]

Wow!  Not airplane related, but I'll jump in.  Government policies have a direct effect here.  And I will say the previous governmental policies are dooming this country to failure.  You prevent out sourcing by making the US the center of competency world wide. --No more sponsoring foreign students to learn technology and take it home.   We should relax the immigration barriers for talented and educated people who want to work.  We should make it easy for businesses to open and operate.  And we should make it hard for others in the world to compete against us.    And for manufacturing, a bit of protectionism might be in order. We have lots of textile ghost towns in Appalachia, where welfare runs rampant.    Why not tax the goods coming in at a higher rate to support domestic production.   --And to continue the rant, why let un-educated folks cross the southern boundary (and take unskilled jobs)  when we have folks on welfare in this country. With that said, I believe we should have relatively easy/preferential immigration for folks from Canada and Mexico.

You have some valid points Chris, but let me throw in my two cents. I probably know more about the outsourcing of IT jobs than anyone on this site because I'm living it and know what I'm dealing with. The programmers in India and China are not being trained here in the U.S. as they attend local colleges and schools which teach programming. To tell you the truth, an Indian can learn to program in Visual Basic or Java just as easily as a 15 year old kid could here, so H1-B visas have absolutely nothing to do with that part of the problem.

 

Here in the US it's extremely easy to open a new business, much more so than most other countries. All you essentially need to do here is get a incorporate (if you want to), get a Tax ID, find a location for the business and buy your stock or raw materials. I will be the first to admit that if it's a manufacturing business that will deal with emissions, inspections will need to take place and adherence to laws must be followed.

 

If history tells us anything it's that protectionism and tariff wars are not good for anybody. Nobody wins and both sides usually land up backing down. It would take a pretty high tariff on clothes made in Bangladesh and Honduras to bring the mills back here. But I will say this, NAFTA, which was overwhelmingly supported by Republicans and Democrats, has not worked out as well as promised. Remember when Ross Perot said "that the giant sucking sound that you hear are jobs going over to Mexico", it nailed it.

[chrisk]

Remember when Ross Perot said "that the giant sucking sound that you hear are jobs going over to Mexico", it nailed it.

 

Ross was wrong only because of other changes in trade policy.  The giant sucking sound was industry and jobs going to China.   With NAFTA Mexico really got the short end of the deal.  The US jobs and industry went to China, but the US still got to sell into Mexico.

[flyboy0681]

Does that include building a pipeline? Making construction of new refineries a reality? I'm in.

 

Count me in too.

[John Pleisse]

Spare me.

 

Maybe You'd like to live in the country that has the cheapest gas, Venezuela, where it costs a mere six cents a gallon at the pump.

 

I'd like to see us take over, colonize and make Venezuela "The Republic of Central USA". One less bad actor.

[John Pleisse]

Ross was wrong only because of other changes in trade policy.  The giant sucking sound was industry and jobs going to China.   With NAFTA Mexico really got the short end of the deal.  The US jobs and industry went to China, but the US still got to sell into Mexico.

 

I agree and NAFTA was the initial catalyst for all of our trade woes. Industry was first able to abandon America, de-unionize (which I am fine with), then follow the dollar to the cheapest labor and most wide open markets. NAFTA was a mistake.

[flyboy0681]

I agree and NAFTA was the initial catalyst for all of our trade woes. Industry was first able to abandon America, de-unionize (which I am fine with), then follow the dollar to the cheapest labor and most wide open markets. NAFTA was a mistake.

 

Well, not all of our trade woes. Just think back to the stuff we were dealing with in the 80's with Toyota and Honda.

[Cruiser]

Not sure what I said to make you say that, all I did was criticize Sarah for not speaking the Queens English.

Perhaps some think that making fun of the individual rather than scrutinizing the message is childish ?

 

Most of the taxpayers money goes toward the military (quickly approaching a trillion dollars a year) as well as Medicare and Social Security, which are the biggest chunks.

Military costs are huge, no other comment than that........ as for Medicare and Social Security these are both liberal programs that where fully funded when made law, the money was used by Congress (both sides) to fund all these other give away programs over the years. Now there is no money left for Medicare and SS, but is it really the cause of our current money drain? Certainly not to the level those that criticize them want us to believe.

 

My point in all this is that there are no simple answers and placing blanket claims on them is too simplistic an approach to solving them. To say that if we stopped giving out Obamaphones and took away Medicare from seniors would solve problems is being disingenuous at best.

True, but when someone says we are just doing what the people want, that is disingenuous also.

 

There are extremists on both ends of the rainbow, not pots of gold.  

[Hank]

There are extremists on both ends of the rainbow, not pots of gold.  

 

Someone has finally managed to photograph the Pot at the end of the rainbow. 

Wouldn't you know it!

 

[flyboy0681]

There are extremists on both ends of the rainbow, not pots of gold.  

 

I agree with most of what you said but Social Security has always been a Pay as you go system. I don't believe it was ever fully funded.

 

While Medicare and SS were, as you call it, liberal (I don't think he word existed in 1935) programs, I bet you'd be hard pressed to find anyone 55 years and older who would like to see these programs go away in exchange for not paying their respective taxes. 

[PTK]

Uhmm...LOP...anyone?

[marks]

Tell Timmy that compared to 40 years ago we now build houses twice the size for families half the size.  Tell Timmy that compared to the 1960's we now build 55% more cars with 50% fewer workers.  Be sure that Timmy understands that of the 17 trillion dollar Federal Debt that the Chinese only loaned us one-trillion.  We owe almost all of the debt to ourselves by borrowing from the Social Security Trust Fund. -  When it comes to airplanes, China doesn't make a single airliner, if you want to fly to China you'll have to get on an American made 747.  Timmy should know that the cost of flying in a jet to go on vacation has steadily dropped based on the hours of work in order to fly 1,000 miles.  Americans fly more miles per year per citizen than anyone else in the world and we have been breaking records for miles flown per person nearly every year since deregulation in the 1980's.  Timmy needs to know that America feeds itself and then exports our excess agricultural products at the greatest rate of any country in the world and yet almost no one in this country works as a farmer.  (Compare that to China)  Timmy has every reason to be very proud of America. 

[Hank]

Uhmm...LOP...anyone?

 

No thanks. My plane won't do that. Distribution from the carburetor is too uneven.

[aviatoreb]

Tell Timmy that compared to 40 years ago we now build houses twice the size for families half the size.  Tell Timmy that compared to the 1960's we now build 55% more cars with 50% fewer workers.  Be sure that Timmy understands that of the 17 trillion dollar Federal Debt that the Chinese only loaned us one-trillion.  We owe almost all of the debt to ourselves by borrowing from the Social Security Trust Fund. -  When it comes to airplanes, China doesn't make a single airliner, if you want to fly to China you'll have to get on an American made 747.  Timmy should know that the cost of flying in a jet to go on vacation has steadily dropped based on the hours of work in order to fly 1,000 miles.  Americans fly more miles per year per citizen than anyone else in the world and we have been breaking records for miles flown per person nearly every year since deregulation in the 1980's.  Timmy needs to know that America feeds itself and then exports our excess agricultural products at the greatest rate of any country in the world and yet almost no one in this country works as a farmer.  (Compare that to China)  Timmy has every reason to be very proud of America. 

 

Timmy does have every right to be proud of America.

 

Scott is right though - real or perceived, the folks in the US are suffering a bout of doldrums and self doubt like I cannot remember ever having seen before.  I think it is more perceived than real as you seem to be suggesting above Mark.  Where does it come from?  Hard to say but it seems as if it is a combination of waring politicians calling out dire straights of our country as a position to vault themselves forward, a sensational media that is more interested in selling an exciting product than the a level staid truth, and for sure the real terrorist attacks and more recent world dip in the economy and ongoing wars are trying on patience and confidence.

 

But confidence is a real thing in that with it, success becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.  Despite the confidence that we had 15 years ago, we seem to be doing pretty well lately, and getting better, IMHO.

[marks]

As a Financial Advisor it seems to me that the interest rate cycle was extended for 30 years.  Interest and mortgage rates fell consistently from 1983 until 2013.  The resulting rise in real estate wealth (the largest portion of American wealth) created a bubble in real estate and Americans borrowed and built. That bubble has popped and interest rates can't go below zero. Americans lived beyond their means borrowing to buy everything from imported cars to bigger homes and even private airplanes, coupled with the sudden loss of jobs in the housing industry, plus the loss of jobs producing every product that goes into a new house, the result is the structural slow down we now face.  

I don't believe liberal politics is the major reason for the housing bubble, but government housing subsidies played a roll.  Back in the 1960's people were just learning about credit cards.  The words "home equity loan" were never heard back in the "good ol' days".   

[flyboy0681]

...and self doubt like I cannot remember ever having seen before.  

 

Were you around for the late 70's and early 80's? Talk about depressing, stagflation, oil crisis, high unemployment, 19% mortgage rates. Those days make today feel like the roaring 20's.

[PTK]

And don't forget to tell Timmy that more Americans today are on welfare than have full time jobs! And when Timmy asks what this welfare thing is tell him the truth. It "was" a program designed to help those who can't help themselves. What it has become is a full time job, an occupation, for lazy people.

 

Explain to Timmy that welfare pays more than minimum wage in most states and in some it pays more than 15$ an hour! Why work when you can sit home and collect a paycheck?  He'll undoubtedly ask why this is happening?

 

Be sure to tell Timmy the truth. It is happening because Americans vote in politicians who only care to keep this sick system going and expand it! They don't care on supporting real economic growth and small business. They only care to stay in office to help themselves by pretending to "help" welfare recipients keep on receiving!

 

Tell Timmy all these things but be sure to teach him right: Work is honorable and it is hard honest work this great country was built on. Being lazy and living off other working people is not!

 

Be sure to tell Timmy this and don't sugar coat it. This is no time for being pc bs. Timmy needs to learn that those who collect welfare when they could go find a job are lazy. Those crooked politicians who perpetuate it are doing this great country a huge disservice and need to be fired. Let them go find a real job!

 

Tell Timmy he has every reason to be proud of America, and it's up to him and his generation going forward to work and change this sick unsustainable "norm." 

 

He needs to learn these truths so the "American dream" doesn't become the "American nightmare" for him.

[Tom]

I personally tell Timothy Stansfield Pemberwell Wilthrop every night that we are forunate to live in a country where it is possible to double our fortune every 10 years by convincing the upper 0.2-1% of the population that their problems are caused by the lower 99% percent of the population.  I teach Timothy Stansfield Pemberwell Wilthrop how to work with our "like minded" friends in other countries on policies that will continue to keep our respective lower 99.8% fighting amongst themselves and not ask about us.

I also let Timothy Stansfield Pemberwell Wilthrop understand that it is okay to promote self-sufficiency, to include user fees for our Gulfstream, after all it is only fair that the bottom 99.8% should not subsidize our aviation activities.

[triple8s]

"We owe almost all of the debt to ourselves by borrowing from the Social Security Trust Fund"

 

There is no mouse in my pocket, I dont hold any public office, I have paid into Social Security for might near 35 yr. I cant borrow from my own retirement fund without paying a penalty, I probably wont see a penny of the THOUSANDS I have put into SS. Thing is it was MY money, I worked for it, it is supposed to be for MY retirement, not for a politician to spend on weapons for the Muslim Brotherhood, aid to Uganda, HUD projects downtown, or ANY other project no matter how good or warm and fuzzy they make people feel. It is MY MONEY! I have not gave anyone any permission to spend my money. I have always been financially responsible with my money, I save where I can, I dont owe on anything, I drive used cars, fly airplanes that have damage history and I do not appreciate career politicians stealing my money, spending it on other folks and telliing how damn good they are for helping people with money that is not theirs! NOW lets talk about airplanes I could watch the news and get this crap if i wanted.

[flyboy0681]

I have paid into Social Security for might near 35 yr. I cant borrow from my own retirement fund without paying a penalty, I probably wont see a penny of the THOUSANDS I have put into SS. Thing is it was MY money, I worked for it, it is supposed to be for MY retirement, not for a politician to spend on weapons for the Muslim Brotherhood, aid to Uganda, HUD projects downtown, or ANY other project no matter how good or warm and fuzzy they make people feel. It is MY MONEY! I have not gave anyone any permission to spend my money. 

 

I have little to no doubt that SS is going to be there for you and it's currently funded through at least 2033. There may be changes along the way, such as means testing, but it's here to stay.

 

Let me clear up one thing you did say, that it's your money. According to a Supreme Court ruling many years ago, there is no contract between you and the Social Security Administration and that you are not directly contributing to your own account as it a pay-as-you-go system. The case was Flemming vs. Nestor in case you want to read up on it.

[aviatoreb]

Let me clear up one thing you did say, that it's your money. According to a Supreme Court ruling many years ago, there is no contract between you and the Social Security Administration and that you are not directly contributing to your own account as it a pay-as-you-go system. The case was Flemming vs. Nestor in case you want to read up on it.

 

In my understanding of that ruling, the Supreme Court essentially declared SS as a form of tax.  So as such, it is not specifically my money that I pay into it.

[PMcClure]

My 17 year old son is working this summer and has saved up about $2k and should have about $3 by the end of the month. He is visually challenged and has a limited drivers license and probably will never pass a 3rd class medical.  Saving his money for glider lessons. Quit playing flight simulator years ago because it was boring and nothing like "real" flying. He is going to study to be an engineer.. My daughter only uses has her iPhone in the plane to take pictures of "cool stuff" that she sends to her friends when back on earth.

 

I still think there is a lot of hope for the future of America and aviation. I don't believe the left or the right and prefer to build my own future the way I like it. 

[chrisk]

I have little to no doubt that SS is going to be there for you and it's currently funded through at least 2033. There may be changes along the way, such as means testing, but it's here to stay.

I have little doubt SS will be around for people who haven't paid into it, like my ex wife (who is capable of earning $250K a year but is lucky to make $25K. Aren't prescription pain pills great!).  For those that have worked hard, paid in every quarter for 40+ years, and managed to have some savings, I doubt SS will be there.

[PMcClure]

The future is bright as long as we don't give into the lies and raise our kids with enough optimism and independence to avoid the bs the are told to believe. Timmy and his parents have to turn off the news and devices and go flying, exploring, learning.