[TheForge] Peter Schiffer obituary OT

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

It seems obvious that we are seeing, with globalization, is the 
worldwide leveling of wages. As labor, we are now in much more direct 
competition with workers in poor countries.   That's good for them, but 
we are used to being at the top of the heap and it's rough on us.  pf

A Vida wrote:
> Consumer at fault... to a degree, yes.  Artificial labor arbitrage due 
> to trading with non-free economies such as China are a far bigger 
> culprit.  Free market economies only work if in fact the markets are 
> free.  ALL free.  As far as I can tell, none are.  Not a one.  We're the 
> closest thing to it and we're not there by a fair shot.  Those who say 
> "see!  free market capitalism doesn't work!" are numbskulls who don't 
> know the first thing about the topic.
> 
> The way of the world - humans.  Oh well.
> 
> xlch58 at swbell.net wrote:
>> Andrew Vida wrote:
>>> PlumDon at aol.com wrote:
>>>
>>>   
>>>> Interesting  to note that he finally had to take a lot of his operation to 
>>>> China. Not because  of the economics but because he could not get the 
>>>> printmaking and formatting  quality he wanted here in the states.
>>>>     
>>> 	And people wonder why we're having economic problems.  Sheesh
>> It was definitely the economics.   He couldn't get the printmaking and 
>> formatting quality he wanted here in the states at the price he 
>> wanted.   I know a lot of printers and all of the higher end ones are 
>> struggling.  My wifes family has a very large operation and is known as 
>> one of the top quality printers around, doing a lot of work in the past 
>> with annual reports and prospectus' (two jobs that in the past, people 
>> wanted the very best).  Problem is that print is declining in general, 
>> and in economic situations like we have now, one of the first things 
>> companies cut is their print budget.   It's well known enough, that 
>> another printer friend looking for a loan was flat out told that 
>> printers are on a "do not lend list" right now.    The in-laws have been 
>> around for over a hundred years, so hopefully they will weather it.  
>> Quality printing takes well maintained equipment and skilled employees 
>> with an eye for detail.  Both cost here in the US, you don't get it by 
>> running a different set of illegals through your business every week.   
>> There is still a lot of art to it and every machine has its feel that 
>> the press operator learns.  The US definitely has the quality printers, 
>> just not cheap.   "could not get the quality they wanted here in the 
>> states" is true in a very few specialized areas, but usually they are 
>> not completing the idea, i.e. could not get the quality they wanted here 
>> in the states at a price that allowed them the profit they wanted"  Not 
>> to pick on Peter S, ultimately, it is often the consumer at fault.   The 
>> consumer won't pay more than $50 for a picture book, and to get a 
>> quality one done it is going to cost $51.  Negative margin.  If he is 
>> addicted to quality he has to choose between no product and one made in 
>> China. 
>>
>> Charles
>>
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