Fox 2 News Story Bridge Cards being used on Cruise ships

**DetroitTeacher** · May-10-11, 05:10 AM

My question is WHY are cruise ships accepting the Bridge Card in the first place??

**East Detroit** · May-10-11, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

I'm also not sure why you think GA has much to do with company outsourcing.

Are you serious?

**Det_ard** · May-10-11, 09:12 AM

Much of the job loss in manufacturing is due to higher productivity, not outsourcing. In fact, our national measure of manufacturing output is still rising. The same thing happened in the agricultural sector. Farm jobs disappeared due to higher productivity, not outsourcing. Unfortunately, unlike the farm-to-factory transition, the factory-to-knowledge work transition is more difficult since the skill and education requirement is higher.

**CountrySquire** · May-10-11, 09:25 AM

Many suppliers like the one I work for, only manufacture in low wage countries and then have the nerve to complain how expensive the air freight costs are that they must employ to meet the OEMs JIT standards. If even a fraction of this manufacturing came back here it would help immensely.

**Det_ard** · May-10-11, 09:36 AM

Some companies have found outsourcing to be a bad business deal and are reversing the decision. Our currently weak dollar is helping that decision. I'm curious if you know the cost difference at your company between outsourcing and US production.

**bailey** · May-10-11, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

My question is WHY are cruise ships accepting the Bridge Card in the first place??

really? that's your question? Not why are people with bridge cards taking cruises?

**CountrySquire** · May-10-11, 09:50 AM

"I'm curious if you know the cost difference at your company between outsourcing and US production"

I don't. But when I was taking night school courses a couple years back we had someone from Delphi speak on outsourcing and he said the cost per piece for making instrument clusters in Flint vs. Mexico was twenty five cents per piece.

**1KielsonDrive** · May-10-11, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

My question is WHY are cruise ships accepting the Bridge Card in the first place??

Because they are corporations. It's bad for a person to use a bridge card for such excesses [[if in fact a bridge card was used), but it's okay for a corporation to accept one. It's called the 'free market'.

**DetroitTeacher** · May-10-11, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

really? that's your question? Not why are people with bridge cards taking cruises?

Because that question was already asked. I just find it funny that a cruise ship would find much need to install a bridge card reader! How many people who really NEED Bridge Cards are taking cruises? My guess is not many. If they can afford a cruise, I say yank their Bridge Card and then there would be no need for the ship to accept them.

DetroitPole · May-10-11, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

Because they are corporations. It's bad for a person to use a bridge card for such excesses [[if in fact a bridge card was used), but it's okay for a corporation to accept one. It's called the 'free market'.

I think this is a key point that would be lost on many; I didn't think of it either. Where is the cruise ship's responsibility to society? Hell, they're the ones making the money off of that government cheese. Laughing all the way to the bank. They don't need to accept bridge cards.

As someone pointed out, you don't need to be rich to go on a cruise - I went on one as a child as a result of extended family and we were by no means well off at all. I'm guessing one has their bridge card on them much as anyone has anything in their wallet with them. However using one a cruise ship is pretty much one of the least classy things a person can do.

I do see almost daily abuse of bridge card privileges, and wish they would do things to fix it if only not to provide fodder to right wingers, because so many people do really depend on it.

I do not believe this is the only possible outcome, but I would much rather have a dozen people commit minor abuses with their cards rather than let even one person go hungry or malnourished.

**Gistok** · May-10-11, 02:14 PM

With the widening gap among richer and poorer Americans.... maybe steerage class has been reintroduced... and these Bridge Cards are only allowed there....

**1KielsonDrive** · May-11-11, 12:29 PM

[QUOTE=DetroitPole;244594]I think this is a key point that would be lost on many; I didn't think of it either. Where is the cruise ship's responsibility to society? Hell, they're the ones making the money off of that government cheese. Laughing all the way to the bank. They don't need to accept bridge cards.

As someone pointed out, you don't need to be rich to go on a cruise - I went on one as a child as a result of extended family and we were by no means well off at all. I'm guessing one has their bridge card on them much as anyone has anything in their wallet with them. However using one a cruise ship is pretty much one of the least classy things a person can do.

I do see almost daily abuse of bridge card privileges, and wish they would do things to fix it if only not to provide fodder to right wingers, because so many people do really depend on it.

I do not believe this is the only possible outcome, but I would much rather have a dozen people commit minor abuses with their cards rather than let even one person go hungry or malnourished.[/QUOTE]

And here is the key to the poltical hay made of race and class by politicians. They will find one example of an abuse, as in this case, and they'll almost always make it a Black, Hispanic or other minority example, as in Reagan and his Black welfare mother driving a Cadillac. Then they repeat and amplify the lie to hysterical proportions to achieve their means. Do I worry about abuse and fraud? Most certainly. But if you've ever seen the lifestyles of our country club class, you'd puke. They spend more on a round of shots and stogies than many people make in a month. Do I hold it against someone who's legitimately earned their riches? No. All you have to do is hang out or work at a country club and you'll see that is seldom the case.

**1KielsonDrive** · May-11-11, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

With the widening gap among richer and poorer Americans.... maybe steerage class has been reintroduced... and these Bridge Cards are only allowed there....

Excellent point. Made in jest, I'm quite sure, but probably accurate or becoming so.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-13-11, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

But if you've ever seen the lifestyles of our country club class, you'd puke. They spend more on a round of shots and stogies than many people make in a month. Do I hold it against someone who's legitimately earned their riches? No. All you have to do is hang out or work at a country club and you'll see that is seldom the case.

Amen, brother.