You know without looking at Trade Agreements

[AllentownJake]

Any recovery or new technology is really a waste of time and effort.

Since we now live in the "global" economy there is nothing to stop Toyota from producing the green cars and nothing to prevent China from manufacturing the parts for wind turbines and solar panels.

I think back to the 1990s and the "new economy" created and all the out of work IT professionals because their jobs were offshored to India.

So without a re-evaluation of our trade agreements that allow other nations to protect their industries while we sell America's workers out there will be no permanent recovery or return to the American Dream.

[damntexdem]

1. Greener tech is NOT a waste of time or effort.

Wherever produced, it is important to the WORLD.

It's true about the job effects of current trade agreements -- even worse, they also endanger the environment.

[AllentownJake]

2. You know if I'm unemployed and most of my nation is suffering

I really am less concerned with how the rest of the world is doing.

I really don't believe in investing in things only to have other countries benefit off of it at the expense of my fellow country men.

[Brickbat]

3. I know exactly what you're talking about and that's the main reason I can't get excited about all

the green stimulus package hoopla people are convinced is our ticket out of this depression. No one has explained to me how all of these new wonderful high-paying jobs will be immune to outsourcing. The reason is they aren't.

No one ever thought something this big and wonderful and innovative could possibly be outsourced, either:

[AllentownJake]

4. I have a pretty big eyesore too look at whenever I want to

Most of Bethlehem Steel is still sitting there.

Although they did build a slot parlor in the middle of it for the retirees to spend their pension.

It all seems like the world where Mr. Potter won in It's a wonderful life.

[Brickbat]

5. I heard the story on NPR about how part of Bethlehem is now a casino and I almost cried.

It was typical NPR bullshit about how "jobs are returning to Bethlehem Steel! Tee-hee!" and it made me so very angry.

[AllentownJake]

6. Yes a giant money sucking machine was put into the site

Pay a bunch of people sub-par wages to work in a slot parlor while what little wealth that is left in this area is sucked out and sent to Harrah's corporate headquarters.

Where is that again? Oh, Nevada.

Brilliant idea by my local politicians. I remember arguing how stupid of an idea this was. I would have rather they just bulldozed and put a park by the river.

The sheeple cheered of course. Common sense is no longer a value in this country.

[Brickbat]

8. Yup, up here in NE Minnesota,

for years we've been having politicians and do-gooders tell us that the best way to get over the devastation of our loss of manufacturing and mining jobs is to work in tourism. Who WOULDN'T want to trade their high-paying union job with a pension for a part-time minimum wage no-benefit job catering to people from the big cities? Huh, amazing.

I hear you loud and clear.

[AllentownJake]

9. Fucking idiots

That is all I have to say about that. They tried to use the tourism angle with the Casino.

It's the Lehigh Valley not Grand Cayman. Hell the Poconos are only an hour away and they have casinos too...and a more preserved environment.

[Brickbat]

10. We're talking too loudly and angrily.

Someone unrec'd my rec.

[AllentownJake]

11. Yeah well

In 2010 when they are scratching their head of what happened to the recovery and why we have a republican congress they can be comfortable in their unrecing.

[blues90]

7. My thought's exactly

We hear all of this talk about going green and green jobs are the way to the future. I haven't seen any green jobs here.

Just to add there is nothing to stop the energy companies from taking hold and creating the green energy , hell they have all the money on earth to do it and can and will place the factories where ever it's the cheapest.

I'm all for getting away from oil yet we got on this a bit late when we had the chance to do it in steps over years. Now how will this come about as a way to new jobs when we are part of the the global economy.

Instead of building green jobs we instead allowed the military and funded them to steal oil and other resources.

ONe would think that long ago we would have had a clue when many other countries use rail and rapid transit but no we widened and built more roads.

[AllentownJake]

12. Propoganda

Meant to distract the people that right now jobs are being sent out of the country and the crisis is being used as an excuse.

If you were looking for cover to move a plant to China...right now is your time.