No Shoes for American feet...and the coming collapse... | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 76830371 United States 01/13/2020 05:28 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 29 years ago, this month, I got fired as a buyer for one of America's oldest and best-known Shoe Companies--which shall remain nameless for now. I was a 30-year old junior executive moving back to my rural hometown from the New York City suburbs where I'd been in a similar position for a lighting fixture manufacturer the previous four years. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 77140800 This was during the middle of the "outsourcing craze" and some (very few, actually) were just beginning to see what it really meant--the end of good paying, self-satisfying, dignifying jobs... the end of the real American dream, and the end of the real American economy. I complained about the outsourcing, and complained once too often to greedy, deaf, upper-management ears about what this would do to our company. They fired me. Four years late the 124-year old shoe company went out of business. (You can still buy the brand, go to the "outlet stores" and you still know the name, but not one speck of that shoe has anything to do with America, anymore.) Shoe manufacturing is an incredibly complex business. The designs, the machinery involved, the skilled labor--even the more mundane things like the thread suppliers, leather and dye suppliers, shoe lasts (which many younger American's may have never even heard of, or seen) the right injection molding machines, and the compounds (and the right release agents) to make the soles. All of that is incredibly complex, and all of it involved knowledgeable people doing their jobs well and RIGHT, all the way up and down the supply chain in order to produce a beautiful, comfortable, long-lasting pair of American shoes. ALL OF THAT is GONE. And most of it is irreplaceable. All the skilled labor is now dead or beyond retirement age. All of the suppliers are gone, the equipment has all been broken up and sold for scrap metal. The lasts have been landfilled. Donald Trump, bless his heart, can talk all he wants about bringing manufacturing back to America, but when we finally do go to war with China, you will see how complete the breakdown has been, how truly HORRIBLY RAVAGED our economy had been ravaged, and you will begin to see Americans everywhere--within several years-- with no shoes on their feet, and no way to get any. Greed for that "cheap third-world wage" led the bosses of my 1990s era to commit the worst kind of treason against the American people--to literally sell out the soul of the American economy (the manufacturing base) to destroy what made America great, and left the citizens with no shoes on their feet. AND shoes are only one example. In industry after industry--things we import by the container load from a country that hates us-- from machine tooling to television sets, to motorcycles...lighting fixtures...we've lost it, and getting it all back (if we ever do) is going to be tremendously expensive and tremendously difficult--far beyond what most Americans can even imagine. We can talk all we want about the Saul Alinskys, and George Soros's of the world who are, indeed, trying to ring the last vestiges of decency out of our political system. And, yes, it's important to fight COMMUNISM and to maintain our Constitution any way we still can. But the death blows have already been dealt to our economy--where the rubber meets the road. AND IT WAS AMERICAN EXECUTIVES of the generation before mine that did that to us, WILLINGLY AND often with no real thought or conscience decision to betray. BUT BETRAYAL IT WAS, and when these huge container ships finally stop coming...and they will...We will all learn the price of neglect...neglecting to hold our leaders accountable the way others in what we used to call "the third world" do.... BY TAKING TO THE STREETS. We're too comfortable and too fat, and it is going to take those uncomfortable holes in the soles of our feet to finally drive us into action--if it's not too late. Sadly, though, it is. It took over hundred years for the American shoe industry to get to the amazing place it was at in the early 90s before it all went away, and it will take at least a generation to get it back when the time comes. That's a lot of cold feet... Well written. Thank you for sharing. |
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Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 77140800 United States 01/13/2020 05:57 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | It is by design. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 78341416 The Vatican and the British, want to destroy America the same way they destroyed Byzantine, the Russian Empire and the USSR. By first stretching out, then disrupting the supply line for goods, services and food stuffs. OH, I have ZERO doubt it's by design. They should have listened to Senator Joe McCarthy... Thanks for your comment. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 76626437 United States 01/13/2020 06:37 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 29 years ago, this month, I got fired as a buyer for one of America's oldest and best-known Shoe Companies--which shall remain nameless for now. I was a 30-year old junior executive moving back to my rural hometown from the New York City suburbs where I'd been in a similar position for a lighting fixture manufacturer the previous four years. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 77140800 This was during the middle of the "outsourcing craze" and some (very few, actually) were just beginning to see what it really meant--the end of good paying, self-satisfying, dignifying jobs... the end of the real American dream, and the end of the real American economy. I complained about the outsourcing, and complained once too often to greedy, deaf, upper-management ears about what this would do to our company. They fired me. Four years late the 124-year old shoe company went out of business. (You can still buy the brand, go to the "outlet stores" and you still know the name, but not one speck of that shoe has anything to do with America, anymore.) Shoe manufacturing is an incredibly complex business. The designs, the machinery involved, the skilled labor--even the more mundane things like the thread suppliers, leather and dye suppliers, shoe lasts (which many younger American's may have never even heard of, or seen) the right injection molding machines, and the compounds (and the right release agents) to make the soles. All of that is incredibly complex, and all of it involved knowledgeable people doing their jobs well and RIGHT, all the way up and down the supply chain in order to produce a beautiful, comfortable, long-lasting pair of American shoes. ALL OF THAT is GONE. And most of it is irreplaceable. All the skilled labor is now dead or beyond retirement age. All of the suppliers are gone, the equipment has all been broken up and sold for scrap metal. The lasts have been landfilled. Donald Trump, bless his heart, can talk all he wants about bringing manufacturing back to America, but when we finally do go to war with China, you will see how complete the breakdown has been, how truly HORRIBLY RAVAGED our economy had been ravaged, and you will begin to see Americans everywhere--within several years-- with no shoes on their feet, and no way to get any. Greed for that "cheap third-world wage" led the bosses of my 1990s era to commit the worst kind of treason against the American people--to literally sell out the soul of the American economy (the manufacturing base) to destroy what made America great, and left the citizens with no shoes on their feet. AND shoes are only one example. In industry after industry--things we import by the container load from a country that hates us-- from machine tooling to television sets, to motorcycles...lighting fixtures...we've lost it, and getting it all back (if we ever do) is going to be tremendously expensive and tremendously difficult--far beyond what most Americans can even imagine. We can talk all we want about the Saul Alinskys, and George Soros's of the world who are, indeed, trying to ring the last vestiges of decency out of our political system. And, yes, it's important to fight COMMUNISM and to maintain our Constitution any way we still can. But the death blows have already been dealt to our economy--where the rubber meets the road. AND IT WAS AMERICAN EXECUTIVES of the generation before mine that did that to us, WILLINGLY AND often with no real thought or conscience decision to betray. BUT BETRAYAL IT WAS, and when these huge container ships finally stop coming...and they will...We will all learn the price of neglect...neglecting to hold our leaders accountable the way others in what we used to call "the third world" do.... BY TAKING TO THE STREETS. We're too comfortable and too fat, and it is going to take those uncomfortable holes in the soles of our feet to finally drive us into action--if it's not too late. Sadly, though, it is. It took over hundred years for the American shoe industry to get to the amazing place it was at in the early 90s before it all went away, and it will take at least a generation to get it back when the time comes. That's a lot of cold feet... Thank the u kno whos |
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Vision Thing
User ID: 77960779 United States 01/13/2020 07:06 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | yep. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 75985575 and People who work in sweat shops/human factories, for practically nothing, in any kind of comparison, would think you are loopy reminiscing such a thing... This is an example of ignorance and snobbery, looking down your nose at work and operations you know nothing about. American factory jobs were good jobs, people raised families on those wages and the work was worthwhile and meaningful. I am so sick of this prejudice against production work, acting like the only real jobs worth doing are tech jobs, and anyone who doesn't sit at a desk all day is some kind of subhuman. Just admit you don't know where anything you're wearing came from or who made it or the first thing about how it's made. And it's truly wrong to assume that every manufactured product was made by people who are mistreated and exploited. That's just ignorant and disrespectful. |
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Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 77140800 United States 01/13/2020 07:36 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I know what you mean OP. Are the good times really over for good??? Unfortunately, I think so. I miss back when. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 78298683 Amen to that. A society without values and absolutes is a DEMOCRACY. Our founders specifically, loudly and almost unanimously rejected a democracy. THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW ALL IS ALMOST LOST...when almost every politician, and every talking head on all the major networks constantly says we are a "democracy," and when the younger generations have no idea how evil that is! |
Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 77140800 United States 01/13/2020 07:38 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The Chinese don't have women with feet over a size 8 I guess, because most women's shoes are only offered to that size. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 77936235 That's great but most of the white women I know wear at least an 8. Many wear 10s and 11s. Great point! NONE OF THIS has EVER been about what's best for the customer! It's all been globalism and corporate greed, 24/7/365. |
Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 77140800 United States 01/13/2020 07:39 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | yep. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 75985575 and People who work in sweat shops/human factories, for practically nothing, in any kind of comparison, would think you are loopy reminiscing such a thing... This is an example of ignorance and snobbery, looking down your nose at work and operations you know nothing about. American factory jobs were good jobs, people raised families on those wages and the work was worthwhile and meaningful. I am so sick of this prejudice against production work, acting like the only real jobs worth doing are tech jobs, and anyone who doesn't sit at a desk all day is some kind of subhuman. Just admit you don't know where anything you're wearing came from or who made it or the first thing about how it's made. And it's truly wrong to assume that every manufactured product was made by people who are mistreated and exploited. That's just ignorant and disrespectful. THIS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ X 100,000,000,000,000!!!! |
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old boy george
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