Outsourcing: Who does it really bennefit?

50 years ago, a lot of the products that you could pick up at your local super market or mall were goods that were produced and manufactured here in the States by union workers and average citizens earning money for their family. There were a lot of warehouses, factories, and assembly lines for such goods.

Now how many of these factories are still in production? Very little, and of the ones that are still operating in the US, some aren't even owned by Americans, so the profit doesn't even stay in America.

When big corporations started looking at their profit margins and they wanted to increase it and save on labor, the unions just didn't work for them anymore. By shipping jobs over seas to smaller countries where the employees will work for far less money an hour, a lot of Americans were headed straight for the unemployment line. The upside was that we as consumers were getting the same goods at a less expensive price. When you think about it though, families were making less money since it was harder to find jobs, and then paying less on the same goods. So was it really cheaper? Lower income equals lower expenses. How much were people really saving as to before? I believe the ratio would stay right about the same. It was a delusion for many since they believed they were saving money since their outgoing monthly cost was lower than before. The real math lies in comparing it to your monthly income.

I think if we were able to produce more goods in America then we would have an export which would create more jobs for Americans and there would be a lot less unemployment. However that will probably never happen. We Americans are so self-centered around making as much money as we can, living the American dream with the single family home, white picket fence, dog and kids in the yard, that no one will be willing to work for $4 a day to produce the kinds of goods they can in China, that we buy everyday. It truly is a game of give and take. And sad to say, but most Americans aren't givers in this aspect. They like their riches, their cars, all their materialistic items that give them status among others in their group.

Honestly, I think we are just approaching the inevitable. Someday we will no longer produce anything in this country, which would give the rest of the world an upper hand to us and we would soon be known as a third world country, unless we make some drastic measures to try and change the direction we are headed.

Mass production sweat shops

After reading some articles on the working conditions in other countries compared to America, it really opened my eyes, and made me take a second look at the clothes that I have purchased. One article we read said that most of the women in sweat shops have a very poor quality of life. While they are at work, they are hunched over working at tables, meanwhile supervisors are continuously looking over their backs adding pressure and stress to the environment to make sure they aren't making any mistakes, and all for very little pay. They also have to have a constant alert and awareness of that their supervisors might sexually assault them. A pressure an stress like that can just wear down someone, and lose their sense of self completely. Its extremely sad. I think what sucks the most, is that in the countries that have sweat shops, they don't have a workman's comp or any type of regulation for work conditions. The employers can completely take advantage of the employees and the employees will have no say or have any rights.

Its going to be hard, but I really want to start looking at the clothes that I purchase, and do a little research to make sure that they clothes and goods that I buy will not have been made by workers treated unfairly. Its inhumane. What makes me upset, is these work conditions won't change unless there is a large amount of people that refuse to buy their products produced in sweat shops. That is just completely unrealistic in today's economy. With the way that most Americans are in debt, and trying to save money any way they can, the less expensive prices are what everyone is looking for at the moment. Hopefully with more awareness things can change. However I think nothing major will be even possible to happen until our economy turns up and more Americans start to grow their savings once again.

Introduction

My name is Jessie. I am currently a full time student at Foothill and DeAnza and also work part-time as a bartender at two different places.

My major in school is Photography. I am very passionate about it. I love photographing weddings and doing portraits as well. There is something about capturing someone's finest moment, or their most valued day in their lives, and putting them on paper that is extremely satisfying for me.

Other than photography, my main interests include being outdoors. I love snowboarding, being on a motorcycle, dirtbikes,quads, wakeboarding. Pretty much any type of sports. I am a giants, sharks and raiders fan. So I also try to watch as many games as possible.

I am really looking forward to finishing my degree, and with this class I am excited to learn more current events and other issues in the world that affect us daily whether we realize it or not.