VOA, or Voice of America was originally conceived in 1939 by President Roosevelt’s chief speech writer, Robert Sherwood. Mr. Sherwood predicted the impact of international broadcasting when he said:
We are living in an age when communication has achieved fabulous importance. There is a new decisive force in the human race, more powerful than all the tyrants. It is the force of massed thought-thought which has been provoked by words, strongly spoken.
Seeing radio as an instrument of foreign policy, the Soviet Union built a radio center in Moscow and was broadcasting in fifty languages and dialects by the end of 1930. Italy and Great Britain started their respective "empire services" in 1932, followed by France the next year. Nazi Germany built a massive network of transmitters in 1933 and began to beam hostile propaganda into Austria. It took World War II to finally put VOA into action. In December, 1941, VOA made its first broadcast.
Since then VOA has been used as a tool to promote America's foriegn policy positions around the world. Over the years, VOA has expanded into a more broad based news provider. Today, besides just broadcasting on radio, they have a high traffic website.
VOA has changed its philosophy over the years, from promoting freedom and democracy to a highly partisan, big business, anti-middle class point of view. In a section titled "Immigration - The changing face of America" VOA says:
Immigrants tend to go to segments of the labor market where there is the most demand and less supply. So that is on the high end and on the lower end. Lower-skilled immigrants who come into the United States are typically taking jobs that most Americans are not interested in: picking lettuce in the hot sun, scrubbing floors or toilets in a discount store in the middle of the night, gardening, construction, that sort of work.
Looks like VOA forgot one job on their list of jobs Americans just don't want to do, reporter. It seems that VOA management is about to outsource to China a number of its reporter/writer positions to save money.
Article comments
1 - Silas Kain
It's kind of appropriate, don't you think? It seems to me that the 'Voice of America' is driven by other countries anyway. The Middle East oil-producing countries dictate our energy needs. China and other countries in Asia dictate our textile needs. Europe just dictates. Why take care of ourselves? Seems to me that along the way to making America an economic superpower we forgot somebody. Americans.
2 - RedTard
The complete inability of the left to understand basic economics is staggering.
Paying people a higher dollar figure to do the same work helps absolutely no one.
Raising the wage of lettuce workers would not increase the amount of lettuce produced, what it would do is cause overall inflation of prices. Secondarily, it would cause lettuce production to move overseas where workers could be paid lower wages.
So your answer is to cause inflation and drive more jobs overseas. Great solution!
3 - Kurt
There is nothing more sadly humorous than union-busting right-wingers whining about immigration. We wouldn't be in this pickle if we still had a strong labor movement. And yes, we would pay 20 cents more for a cheesburger if our workers were treated with dignity; so? Our economy would be so much stronger if we were healthy, educated, and decently paid. History shows us: workers only get what we demand and force out of business via organization and courage. Today, we are up against a multi-billion dollar corporate lobbying program that seeks to stack the deck against us. CEOs and lobbyists have great healthcare and retirement benefits, don't they? Think about it - the invisible hand was bought out many years ago!
4 - RedTard
Kurt,
A strong labor movement helps those within it at the expense of everyone else.
When Union workers get more money for less work other workers are forced to get less for more.
Non union can't afford inflated union products and union workers can purchase more than their fair share of non union goods.
It only works to help a percentage of the workers at everyone else's expense. If everyone was in a union that negotiated 3 times their salary then all products or services would cost exactly 3 times what they currently do.
The net effect would be inflation.
5 - John Bil
Are saying it's ok to break the law? If so then maybe you think looting perfectly fine also? My point is VOA was advocating employers to "break" federal law. What if the were giving up crack making kits would that be ok also? What if the secretary of state gave out booklets saying "how to get away with drunk driving"? Do you also think that obeying the law is a left wing idea?
6 - John Bil
1. Redtard
n.,pn. 1. A member of the Red Army. 2. A Red Army member so retarted that calling him a retard offends retards everywhere.
"Grif, you Redtard!" ~Sarge
7 - John Bil
Retard said>>>
"union workers can purchase more than their fair share of non union goods."
<<<
Those are socialist words if I ever heard them. Sounds like Carl Marx.