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She hoped Trump would revive her farm. Now she worries his policies could bankrupt it.
(www.nbcnews.com)
this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2025
495 points (100.0% liked)
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While I fully admit running a farm is a massive endeavor, the fact that the farm started having persistent issues shortly after she took over indicates to me that at least part of the problem is poor management.
The American worker is perfectly happy to perform laborious jobs - just not at the rate you're willing to pay them. It's called "acting your wage".
Isn't that just the free market in action? Can't find workers, raise the wages until you do. Supply and demand right there. You demand workers and they demand you supply an acceptable wage.
Americans, even if they're paid well, will not go stand in the sun for 12 hours a day. Sometimes it's not about money. Sometimes it's about the job being shit and you need to change the job.
But also money.
The pay does do it for some jobs. I was up on a rooftop in -10F wind at 1AM for several hours a month ago fixing a furnace. But I was being paid $50 per hour (in a very low COL area) to do it so I was happy to do it and would be hapy to do it again. I regualrly have to crawl around in the nastiest places in places like meat cutting plants, work in -20F freezers, or on rooftops in scorching heat, but I get paid well to do it and my employer treats me well so I can say I actually love my job. People will not only put up with some miserable conditions if you pay them enough and treat them well but they will often even enjoy it.
The problem is farm work is miserable while still paying like shit and, to top it all off, usually the ones in charge are entitled assholes like the one in the article.
For me it's literally about hours per day. People shouldn't have to choose between making a living and knowing their kids growing up.
But yeah, hard work should pay more to make it worth it.
I think the point is why bust your balls in the sun for 12 hours a day when you can make the same money doing basic clerical work in an air conditioned office
or slightly less hours, and money at retail even.
I'd have to be making well upwards of six figures to be willing to stand in the sun for 12 hours a day.
The jobs that pay the least are the ones that should pay the most.
Dave Graeber made the pont about some of the most important jobs there are, end up with shitty wages and conditions. What's more important then food? without it, nothing else can happen.
In Australia, Construction workers, mining workers, etc. do that. They are just compensated well for it.
Sounds like they need improved worker protections. Maybe unionize.
12 hours of work a day is inappropriate.
I did that for years, its so they can run two shifts, had lots of days off though. I worked 14 on 7 off, then 8 on 6 off. Some are 7 on 7 off. 12 hr shift though. They are also paid extremely well. All meals are paid for etc.
What they don't get is a "normal life ", lots of marital breakdows, spousal abuse when they do get home, parters cheating etc.
Trade jobs can be surprisingly seasonal. My dad, who does mostly commercial HVAC work, works himself to the bone in early spring and fall. Plenty of downtime, usually, outside of those areas.
If you're hourly, or laid off in the downtime, you want to work when you can. Even if it's for 12 hours straight.
back breaking work, will wear out the body so fast, like around 40ish. thats why trades is not liked by everyone but men, and only specific demographics too.
Negative. Tons of trade jobs make bank and those guys work 12+ hours during peak seasons.
The oil/gas industry is a counter example to this.
those jobs are also super dangerous too. usually it targets the same people that votes trump anyways, because thier state doesnt have much of an economy outside of oil or gas.
Sure but the point is that claiming white people won’t do tough jobs is a lie perpetuated by the owner class to suppress wages and reduce class solidarity.
In defense of farms, they're squeezed from both ends. She's not entirely wrong that it's getting harder and harder to be an independent farmer and as things get worse, the small farms are bought up by the mega corporations.
What she's wrong about is that a carpetbagger from manhattan would ever do anything for her. One of the big things that would help small farmers get labor would be for this country to get a real single payer healthcare option. Many, many people would tolerate a lower wage if their healthcare was covered. We could also start getting rid of the subsidies that only the major farms get and are using it to undercut smaller farms. Two things the republicans would never do.
i dont they will still tolerate farm work, even with universial healthcare, with healthcare they can quit other brutal jobs and work part time in a low-intensive job.
What do they want to pay? Minimum wage for 60 hours per week with no overtime.
When your business requires the exploition of cheap labor, you deserve to go bankrupt.
the first part is probably from COVID increasing the cost everything else, and trying to low-ball immigrant pays. some people on reddit on the very same post, why doesnt the family work on the farm.