916WI said, "Please tell me how you can relate ACT 10 legislation which has to do with public workers unions and their members which earn between $40K-100K in wages/benefits a year to Chinese factory workers in the private sector making under $1 day. Really?"

Yes, really. First, let's get the numbers corrected for your Republican astigmatism.

Median Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) from [ http://www.numbeo.com ]:

United States: $3,157.00, China $720.29

Now that we have your $1 per day ($22 per month) myth corrected, this is a little more than a 5-to-1 gap in monthly income and not the 265-to-1 gap of your $70,000 average teachers income ($40,000 to $100,000) versus your $1 per day Chinese income figures.

Next, take into consideration the differences in the cost of living of the United States and China. The consumer price plus rent index in the United States is 66.64. In China it is 38.33. This further reduces the 5-to-1 gap to around 2.9-to-1.

Now, the efforts of your Republican party to reduce purchasing power by stripping workers rights suddenly don't seem so far fetched as your original gap of 265-to-1, do they?

Poohboy.......Try to stay with me. Attached is your comment and the comment that you commented on:
-----------
partarican1 said, "Chinese products are cheaper because labor is cheaper and they have less stringent human rights/business/environmental regulations."

Not for long if Walker and the Republicans in the Assembly and Senate have their way.
------------
Please tell me how you can relate ACT 10 legislation which has to do with public workers unions and their members which earn between $40K-100K in wages/benefits a year to Chinese factory workers in the private sector making under $1 day. Really? Once again I have to ask, you really can't be that stupid....can you?

No, 916WI. Two good examples that you have failed to consider are the collective bargaining rights that Walker and his Republican cronies have stripped away and the mining legislation they have proposed.

Collective bargaining was a right (see below) and Act 10 eliminated that right for thousands of Wisconsinites.

Wisconsin statute 111.04: "Rights of employees. Employees shall have the right of self-organization and the right to form, join or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in lawful, concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection; and such employees shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities."

And we all know what Walker and his Republican cronies in the assembly and senate are trying to do to environmental protection regulations with their mining legislation.

You can always count on the dedicated few on the Left who repost the same, basically, comment everytime there is an article about the workforce in WI. Not the company's fault, not the workers, fault, not the economies fault, not China's fault, it is all Walkers fault. And if there is an increase, Walker isn't given credit unless in the usual sarcastic way they have of giving credit.

Poohboy......No, not at all. Just pointing out the fact that in order for Walker to accomplish what you claim he is attempting to accomplish, that Walker would have to invalidate many federal laws. At least you are coming to terms with the absolute stupidity of your comment.....no?

Confusing federal and state government again, 916WI? I know that's an easy thing to do for a proponent of a strong federal government such as yourself.

"Not for long if Walker and the Republicans in the Assembly and Senate have their way."
--------
So now you suggest that Walker is going to attempt to invalidate OSHA regulations, minimum wage laws and EPA regulations? You can't really be that stupid--can you?

sf....It's only been 9 months--give it some time. The liberals are still relating the county's continued economic/social issues to "inherited" problems 5 years into a presidency. The least we can do is give Walker's legislation some time to become effective.

partarican1 said, "Chinese products are cheaper because labor is cheaper and they have less stringent human rights/business/environmental regulations."

Not for long if Walker and the Republicans in the Assembly and Senate have their way.

Regardless of what is causing this, it is sad to hear.

Chinese products are cheaper because labor is cheaper and they have less stringent human rights/business/environmental regulations...we don't have to purchase overseas products, but we do...and as long as China holds most of our nations debt, I'd bet this business closing won't be the last...

And quit using those china made tea cups to wipe your butt !

Walker gets the credit for new jobs added in Wisconsin but isn't at fault when jobs leave Wisconsin. He did promise that after the recall election he had many new businesses interested in coming to Wisconsin. Where are they?

Over taxing and over regulation are profit killers.

Ask for paper instead of plastic. And stop using those cotton bags made in China!

Got to love the Walker bashing and automatically blame him for these Paper Mills closing down. How about doing a little research first and actually find out the real reason why they are closing down. Here I will help you out.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/0...

Notice it said "Rising costs of key raw materials, such as recycled fibre and energy, and lower demand from China have hit paper companies". Also it said "Our decision to exit print & color was ultimately driven by dramatic and irreversible market demand decline," Chief Executive Thomas Howatt said in a statement.
So it seems that the blame is on Supply and Demand, not Gov. Walker, but then facts do escape some people.

The paper industry has been slowing down for years, but the average American still uses more paper than nearly any other person on earth, and around 40% of all world wild logging goes into the making of paper. Even though we're much better at recycling, paper is still a huge component of landfills, which is a waste.

Not only that, most of the paper that is made comes from trees cut from regular forests, not plantations, and once cut and replanted, biodiversity is drastically reduced. It's difficult to treat trees and forests as a crop.

Why are these paper plants having trouble? Increased costs and imported paper.

Good ole Scooter

The plants up in the northern part of the United States can't compete with the ones down south. Less operating costs as heating is very rarly needed, the wood grows faster and larger in a shorter amout of time due to warmer temperatures. Blame who ever you want to make your hatred make sense in your head, but the facts are the facts. Companies are in it to make a profit and if overhead gets close to the profits, changes must be made since they don't have the ability to print more money or raise taxes since there is competition in their industry!

@hondaman3, do you drive an "American" car? Just wondering.

It's no surprise that the paper mill industry is contracting. Perhaps the old paper mill buildings could be converted into private schools - then it would be a net 'wash' to the economy.

hondaman3, you wrote, “this is what happens when liberals run the world get use to it... it will only get worst. keep voteing the liberals in and get what you soe. enjoy...”

Could you please explain what the heck you are talking about and perhaps do it in English. Also, I am interested about the “liberals” that are running China and “the world”.

I know of a guy that might be willing to bet you $10,000.

And, technology. I would bet that some of the mills are far out dated in their processing of product.

belman
It was a comment, meant to offer another reason that paper mills might be closing. Get a grip, and quit trying to promote a fight.

wislady, the actual statistics show that paper production is on the rise, even with the era of the digital office. What has changed is a vast increase in the lumber and paper industry in China, which is now exceeding US production and exporting directly to us, competing with domestic paper manufacturers. The US is still the world's leader in paper usage, by any measure, but we're importing more of that paper than ever before.

this is what happens when liberals run the world get use to it... it will only get worst. keep voteing the liberals in and get what you soe. enjoy...

Highroad........the article made it clear as to why the paper mills have been closing. In order to make it "work" would you suggest that Walker lower the pay scales to the levels of the Chinese in order to compete??

If any of you sent Christmas cards lately, how hard was it to find any NOT made in China?

I looked at both TJMaxx and Hallmark stores -- almost every box was from China and I refuse to send Chinese Christmas cards!

"All of those Wisconsin communities have lost their paper mills as the industry contracts under market pressures that include cheaper products from China."

More job losses, it ain't working Walker, your way just ain't working.

wislady
Well I guess that you or your family never lost a job due to imports. Or cheap item being dump in from China. Thats is someone life you are making off handed comments on.

Less paper products needed in this modern age of technology, not too hard to figure out.

It's working!!