Host Neal Asbury opened his nationally syndicated “Neal Asbury’s Made in America” show on Radio America (now on 48 stations), with some sobering newspaper headlines that included the fact that in 20 percent of U.S. households, no one in the family is working. Other headlines included the fact that most men with full-time jobs are earning less than full-time workers made 40 years ago; and the most depressing news is that America’s middle class is no longer the most prosperous in the world.
Returning to Made in America was Alan Tonelson, author of The Race to the Bottom, which deftly explores how the United States has entered a no-win global competition in which the countries with the lowest wages, weakest workplace safety laws, and toughest repression of unions win investment from the U.S. and Europe.
“The American worker is being whipsawed by three driving forces: major trade shortfalls are hindering the creation of higher paying American manufacturing jobs; our wide open immigration policy means that immigrant workers are accepting lower paying jobs, driving down average wages; and that once wages drop, they remain low,” suggested Tonelson.
Neal suggested that these forces explain why the American economy lost 3.6 million jobs that were replaced by only 2.6 million jobs. And why 2 million good paying jobs were replaced by 3.8 million lower waged jobs.
“The administration only likes to talk about numbers, not reality. Nancy Pelosi recently bragged that the administration has replaced all the jobs lost under George Bush. But she didn’t mention that they were replaced by minimum wage or part time jobs. That does not help our economy grow,” noted co-host Dr. Rich Roffman.
Tonelson agreed, proposing that the rise of lower paying jobs is based on supply and demand. The larger the surplus of workers, the lower salaries that can be paid.
“The worst idea is to raise the minimum wage. While the Obama administration and liberal progressives proclaim that putting more money in people’s pockets will improve their standard of living–in reality, it will suppress job growth and lead to the need for fewer employees. That won’t help create higher paying jobs,” said Tonelson.
Dr. Roffman noted that when worker headcount and wages go up, employers will seek ways to reduce these. It’s already leading to changes in fast food restaurants where robots are being considered to replace “hamburger flippers.”
The discussion returned to the discouraging news that earnings for America’s middle class have been surpassed by other countries.
“Latin America once had no middle class and was riddled by corruption and economic instability, but they enacted measures that today have turned around many countries in Latin America. We can’t afford to eliminate America’s middle class. They are part of our heritage, where new immigrants strove to better themselves and embrace the American Dream. They rose to become the middle class. But as a result of this government’s failed policies, today’s American Dream is no longer within reach for many people, and that is eroding our middle class,” recounted Dr. Roffman.
Neal concurred, pointing to the 1st quarter GDP that rose a trifling 1/10 of one percent. He disagreed that the numbers can be attributed solely to our severe winter; instead suggesting the results were due to ill-advised regulatory policies and bad overall decisions by this administration.
Joining the show was Coletta Dorado, President and CEO of Azzly, whose company helps medical practices manage electronic medical record keeping, which will be mandatory in 2015–if a medical practice wants to be reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid.
“Electronic health records are indispensable today because it allows patients to walk into medical office presenting a physician access their medical history—in one complete database. It also allows physicians to share files with each other for diagnoses and treatment of medical conditions. Physicians received great training in clinical medicine, but most of them have no background in business,” said Dorado who added that many offices have long-term staff that is having a hard time embracing new technologies.
Joining the show was Chris Walker, executive director, Second Vote, which ranks companies based on their principles and values.
“We want customers to evaluate how a company’s beliefs align themselves with their own beliefs. While we try and remain neutral in grading, most of our visitors come from conservatives who want to make more informed decisions about the values of the businesses they are supporting. We think they should be accountable,” suggested Walker.
Neal and Dr. Roffman segued to a discussion of the coup pulled by Texas’ Governor Perry in convincing Toyota to move their plant from Torrance, California to Plano, Texas, and with it 4,000 jobs and accompanying benefits to the surrounding community.
Dr. Roffman moved on to his weekly segment identifying rampant cronyism.
“Recognizing the upcoming 2014 mid-term elections, the EPA coincidently delayed adding new regulations aimed at coal plants that would have increased electricity costs. It’s nice being able to manipulate an election through a governmental body,” noted Dr. Roffman.
He also recounted the muted reaction form the White House over the recent derailment of a train carrying oil that spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the water supply in Lynchburg, Virginia. Common wisdom would have pointed out that if the oil could have been transported via the much delayed Keystone XL Pipeline, this could be avoided. However, once you understand that wealthy Democrats supporting Obama have millions invested in railroads, the muted reaction becomes clear.
Finally, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes at the White House has been busy trying to revise the actions that lead to the fall of the U.S. embassy in Benghazi and the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens, which has remained a Republican call to arms. His email is now considered the “smoking gun” or, for a better comparison, “the Watergate tapes” of the scandal. It is ironically convenient that Ben Rhodes’ brother is the President of CBS News…who clearly reported the administration’s “interpretation and talking points” about the Benghazi situation. Sort of “backing up…the backing up” scenario.
Each week Neal Asbury’s Made in America provides Neal’s insights into the week’s top news stories and their impact on the worlds of entrepreneurship, small business ownership and the overall economy. Neal’s analysis, together with co-host Dr. Richard Roffman, a veteran 30-year publisher with extensive domestic and international experience, takes a non-biased approach based on real life experience in business as an American manufacturer and exporter. Made in America airs nationally each Saturday from 7-8:00 PM on Radio America. Link to Made in America at http://www.nealasburysmadeinamerica.com.
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