Biden's Economy?

[Icarus]

idiot doesn't understand the difference between iron and steel. The figures CeeBoo provided included both, most of which is steel.

Is this you pretending you know what the Screw you are talking about again? Good god. The iron workers buy steel and the plumbers buy iron. I am sure you will pretend to know all this as soon as Doc Cam gives you an attaboy.

You speak as if you're too ignorant to understand that steel comes from iron, not vice versa.

[Themis]

The US exports a crap ton** of raw iron ore (over 3 million crap tons in April of this year alone). We rely on other countries to make it fancy for us (Canada and Brazil are the current top two) and give it back as steel. So... we don't import very much iron, but we do import a whole lotta steel.

It's my understanding that steel is very energy intensive to produce, so areas that can produce cheap power are the ideal places for steel production.

[ceeboo]

Hi Ceeboo,

Hi back at ya Steuss!

I did some very light internet spelunking so I could learn a bit more on this -- as, up until today, I was under the grossly mistaken assumption that we didn't import very much steel.

Until about 12 minutes ago, I shared your mistaken assumption.

From the help of the USGS, and the Department of Commerce holding my hand, I am guessing that the first figure that you found (with the US at #1) is for steel imports (and maybe iron tossed on for fun).

Yeah, maybe?

The US exports a crap ton** of raw iron ore (over 3 million crap tons in April of this year alone). We rely on other countries to make it fancy for us (Canada and Brazil are the current top two) and give it back as steel. So... we don't import very much iron, but we do import a whole lotta steel.

Fascinating! Makes me wonder why we don't take our raw iron ore and "make it fancy" ourselves. Cheaper the way it's being done no doubt.

**Crap Ton (TM) is a certified unit of measurement by the Steussian Ketchup Advisory Board.

ETA: I see you edited your post, but I'm going to leave this one up as it is proof that I did something other than navel-gaze today.

I'm glad you did, I learned something today and I really appreciate the information. Thanks!

[Icarus]

economy.jpg

[ajax18]

So we've got a bigger economy now than before COVID but we still have a labor shortage and still need a moratorium on rent. I guess that makes sense considering who's in power.

[Alf'Omega]

So we've got a bigger economy now than before COVID but we still have a labor shortage and still need a moratorium on rent. I guess that makes sense considering who's in power.

Labor shortage is due to the fact that this country doesn't reproduce as much as it used to, and this is peak time for baby boomers to retire. This is why we need more immigration.

Also, 198,000 jobs created last month and the previous two months were revised upwards to another 160,000.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

So we've got a bigger economy now than before COVID but we still have a labor shortage and still need a moratorium on rent. I guess that makes sense considering who's in power.

Labor shortage is due to the fact that this country doesn't reproduce as much as it used to, and this is peak time for baby boomers to retire. This is why we need more immigration.

Also, 198,000 jobs created last month and the previous two months were revised upwards to another 160,000.

Wouldn’t less workers force companies to compete for their labor and talent, thus driving up wages and growing the middle class?

- Doc

[Alf'Omega]

Wouldn’t less workers force companies to compete for their labor and talent, thus driving up wages and growing the middle class?

- Doc

Yes, that is what drives up wages. When workers have more leverage, as in collective bargaining via unions. This has the same effect because it makes companies realize their employees provide more value to them than they realized.

My 17 year old daughter got a job working retail at the outlet mall. She works at the Puma store selling sports apparel and shoes, making a whopping $15/hr!

We need more immigration. A full 29% of all US based doctors were born in other countries. We cannot even reproduce and educate ourselves as a rate to adequately sustain ourselves.

"According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the demand for foreign-trained doctors will only increase in the US as the growing need for accessible, affordable healthcare in the United States continues to increase. They found that the country will continue to need more doctors than it can train in time to replace a large number of professionals retiring in the next few years. The projected shortfall is of between 46,100 and 90,400 doctors by 2025, mostly in primary care."

Our scientific innovation is dependent upon immigrants too.

Science in the US is built on immigrants. Will they keep coming?

Foreign-Born Workers as a Percentage of Individuals in Science and Engineering Occupations

[ajax18]

Labor shortage is due to the fact that this country doesn't reproduce as much as it used to, and this is peak time for baby boomers to retire. This is why we need more immigration.

The only labor shortage is for cheap labor. The jobs you've created pay so poorly that they can't even compete with government stimulus checks.

[ajax18]

Yes, that is what drives up wages. When workers have more leverage, as in collective bargaining via unions. This has the same effect because it makes companies realize their employees provide more value to them than they realized.

Until the union gets underbid by an illegal immigrant company that can do it cheaper by paying less under the table and avoiding tax costs as well.