is this the Trump economy, or just reality?

[callmeslick]

As we head into the Christmas season of 2018, I have, over the past 3 weeks: had 3 friends, all mid-level professionals, in engineering, journalism and industrial management lose their employment. One also lost all pension in a bankruptcy of his employer. I currently have bridge loans gifted to three other individuals who would be homeless without therm. All friends, or close acquaintances. I fear this is just the start of a true downward spiral we're looking at. I mention the 'Trump economy', but really can't in any way blame him for where the global economy is headed. Stocks are successful despite Trump not because, because a far larger economic set of drivers is in play now. No, Trump might end up getting blamed in the US, but he is merely cutting the support for the victims of the economic trajectory, which has, for some bizarre reason, been a Republican wet dream for ages.

[vision]

They sacked a quarter of the administrative staff on my campus. Even though the principal investigator of my lab says my job is safe, a few months ago the funds that pay my salary were switched to a different account without his knowledge or approval, which has me a little on edge. This week the president of our organization sent a letter to all our grad students confirming he was against the Trump administration's recent decision to remove tax deductions for student loans. Since we get a huge amount of funding from the NIH, which is also taking cuts, it's looking pretty bleak. We had our Christmas party at work today and I can't say the vibe was cheerful. Fluck these pieces of ★■◆● in our government. I guess they want China and India to own the patents for cures to cancer and Alzheimer's.

[woodchip]

And I see help wanted signs up all over the place. I hear on the radio how skilled trade unions are begging for people to sign up. I hear how companies like Ford go into high schools looking for students to sign up for engineering jobs with Ford willing to foot their college costs. Please don't point out a few "friends" losing their jobs as somehow indicative of the economy. GNP is up, stock market is way up and unemployment down. Tell your friends to look around, perhaps they'll find a even better job.

[callmeslick]

get your head out of the sand, Woody. I have long stated that the stock market isn't up any more that the value of the dollar is down. The GNP, measured in dollars, will track similarly. I was merely observing that now the mid level professional jobs are shedding. There are not some masssive outbreak of jobs replacing those $60-120,000 per annum salaries which I'm talking about. This is an employment picture about to drive off a cliff, and I suspect we're starting to see the speed pick up. As I tried REALLY hard to state, that fact is NOT Trump's fault, nor Obama, Bush nor Hillary Clinton's. It is the trajectory of our next Industrial Revolution. How we cope with that will be key.

[woodchip]

Like I said, they need to look around. Union skilled trade workers make 80k+ a year. Of course these middle mgt types may need to get their hands dirty but what the heck, better than subsisting on unemployment benefits.

[Tunnelcat]

I'd believe that if it weren't for the massive homeless problem we have in this country, especially on the West Coast. Most of these people can't afford the housing in this area with the current jobs available, so they camp out in the streets. The rest of these are either drug/alcohol addicts or can't work because of health issues that they can't afford to get treated.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/U ... 408683.php

[woodchip]

Do not use the homeless in your area as a excuse to ignore what I posted. Do a little looking around before you next post here.

[Tunnelcat]

Don't you ignore reality either. There's a BIG problem in this country that's right in my face every day, especially since I live on the West Coast. Maybe you don't see that in your state, but it exists nonetheless. Trump's supposed great economy has passed by a large chunk of American citizens who are now homeless, sick and in poor health and stuck in dire straits. Trump and the Republican's little idiotic tax cut plan will only help out mostly those Americans in the top one percent and the corporations, not those stuck living on the streets. Plus, that same said tax cut plan pretty much screwed everyone in almost every blue state in the country, like those of us on the West Coast.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congre ... es-n819446

Oh, and a lot of CEO's are saying they're NOT going to use that extra money to create more jobs either. It will go to their shareholders instead because they have a fiduciary responsibility to those shareholders first and foremost.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/741193/re ... thing-oped

[callmeslick]

these folks I'm loaning to help with housing aren't some shiftless bums all have steady income and are solid citizens, who have had one too many car repair or other unforseen expense. By my way of reading it, wages are not keeping up with reasonable expenses, especially when some landlord wants 3-4 months rent up front. As for Woody's point, yes, there are jobs, but they have ZERO stability or longevity, few if any real benefits compared to when you(Woody) and I were young men. ★■◆● is ugly for working Americans from my vantage point. As for jobs peeling off, the losses are likely to be middle-upper range salaried types in droves, and the jobs aplenty are either temporary or service types, generally FAR lower paying. I anyone doesn't see a real problem on the horizon, should we keep to the goofball mantra of reduction of 'entitlements' , I don't know what the feck you're basing that on.

[callmeslick]

"AI can't replace me, my job requires specialized learning", they say. I say, "bull★■◆●, watch"

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... four-hours


ponder: it TAUGHT ITSELF CHESS, with NO HUMAN INVOLVEMENT IN LEARNING, in FOUR HOURS.

[Spidey]

AI can replace anybody in the coming future, that is the exact reason just getting a better education is not going to solve the problem.

This coming issue will only be solved when mankind finally learns that it can't use every tool it has available, because humans have an inherent need to be useful. (not just a philosophical point, a real need to be useful)

[Krom]

No, humans have an inherent need to be social.

And at some point, the robots will even be able to satisfy that (the Japanese are almost obsessed with developing AI/robots to do it).

[Top Gun]

I don't have any need to be useful. If finances allowed, I would be perfectly satisfied spending the rest of my waking moments engaged in leisure or self-betterment or whatever the hell I felt like when I woke up that day.