[LeeH]

The idea that US workers are willing to go stand in a field all day boxing produce at $8/hour is absurd. Clearly, Americans will go on welfare before doing this sort of work. Besides, who picks strawberries is not the real problem.

When Henry Ford starting building cars, few could afford them. He raised wages to the point that the people building the cars could buy one. The workers made a good wage and cars were sold. Ford made money.

For years companies have been doing the opposite of what Ford did. Jobs went overseas, prices on stuff went DOWN. People here made less money as workers moved from manufacturing to service jobs. BUT, since a DVD player now only costs $60, that was temporarily OK.

Now we've reached a critical point in the equation of underemployment vs cheap goods. At some point we have to swing back the other way. The loss of jobs along with the added stress of the rising cost of energy (made worse by the fact that all the jobs made more Indians and Chinese wealthy enough to afford cars) has pushed our economy to the breaking point.

When the jobs come back, so will the economy. Your stuff will cost more, but you'll be able to afford it as wages will rise. US companies cannot continue to send jobs overseas and expect to sell stuff here. It's really just that simple.

My question... WHEN WILL THE US COMPANIES FIGURE THIS OUT???