Note: This archive version of the e-newsletter is in ASCII text. To view this in Rich Text Format/HTML (with pictures & links), use the Contact page to send an e-mail to request that edition. Dear Friend, Well, it happened to me, like it's happening to thousands of Americans every day now. My job has been "outsourced" from under me to Europe. No, being the Director of InfoQuest* isn't my day job, although I consider it to be a calling for me from God. By day, I've been a Senior Technical Writer and Localization (Translation) Manager for the largest anesthesia machine company in the world, Draeger Medical, Inc. My story is like many others who've been laid off. Before I worked at Draeger, I worked for Shared Medical Systems (SMS). Shortly after I left SMS, about six years ago, SMS was bought up by the German company, Siemens. I worked in a department of 60 tech writers. They were all laid off at once. Then, some were hired back, one at a time, as Siemens looked to fill their needs. We had husbands and wives working there together. Such couples were laid off at the same time. Draeger Medical, Inc. was once owned by the Schreiber family, Americans who started the business with the help of a loan from Dräger in Germany. The Schreibers owned 70% of the company; Dräger owned 30%. Back then, it was a "family" company. The Schreibers never laid anyone off. Once, when business wasn't so good, they asked the employees to take a pay cut until it got better so they could keep their jobs. It all worked out well. Then, the Schreibers decided to retire, and sold it all to Dräger. Less than 10 years after the sale, my manager, who'd worked there for 15 years, who arrived at 7:30 AM and left around 6 PM daily, was laid off. He wasn't even offered another job. He had to ask, and they offered him a tech support one at half the salary. The "family" in the "family company" now became "human resources;" resources that could be used and disposed of like printer cartridges. The bomb dropped on us yesterday, and today we had our one-on-one meetings with our managers. Luckily, our patriot VP went against our German company's desire for them to lay us off in the summer, after we would have finished our projects, as a big surprise. Our VP said, "No, we're giving our employees due notice." So, by agreeing to continue to work instead of taking "early layoff," we get a nicer severance package. I'm greatly appreciative of my VP for sticking up for his countrymen. He, by the way, is also getting laid off. So, how does this relate to the thousands of layoffs happening every week in the U.S.A. today? Well, one part of the picture is American businesses looking at money over our own citizens. American business owners selling our companies to buyers overseas. American business outsourcing a myriad of services and manufacturing jobs to foreign countries. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for a free open market economy and trade. What I don't like is what I know. What I know is that there is more than just greedy selfish American business owners at work here. Our own government is deep in it. I'm sure that you know of someone who's been laid off over the past year. Either in manufacturing, sales, or service. It's pretty much everywhere. I'm afraid that I don't have time to provide you with snips and summaries today (I've got to get my resume together); however, I do beseech you to click on the links below to learn about the job crisis at work in the U.S.A. and what you must do to end it, and to save your own American job and the jobs of your loved ones. We must work together, my friends. Even those of us who don't live in the U.S.A., wherever we live, we must look out for our neighbors. Keep each other employed; not by government force or regulation (socialism), but out of our own will, from our own hearts. The Bible does Not give civil government any authority to tax us to create socialist school systems, welfare programs, etc. The Bible puts the responsibility on us as individuals, and as bodies of believers, through our churches, to teach our children, feed the hungry, train the unemployed, and care for orphans and widows. Before socialist programs were introduced into the U.S.A. in the first half of the 1900's, the hungry were fed, the sick were cared for, etc. We had the Red Cross, Church kitchens, the Community Chest, and more. Most hospitals around the world were established by whom? By the Christian Church. What happens when civil government takes these responsibilities? Well, a new church is established. The Government Church! If you need food, you must ask the Government Church for food stamps. If you need shelter, you must ask the Government Church for HUD housing. If you need help with a pregnancy, the Government Church provides for an abortion. Remember this article? http://www.mises.org/fullstory.asp?control=1406 What Has The Government Done To Our Families? The Government Church already owns the tongues of most of our pastors through the IRS. http://fp.users.fast.net/InfoQuest/government.htm#End_Church-IRS_Payoff We must take back our responsibilities and outlined in the Bible. May we pray and take action now. Articles follow. Godspeed, my friends. +++++++ http://www.stoptheftaa.org/artman/publish/article_109.shtml Losing America’s Livelihood By William F. Jasper The New American, January 26, 2004 http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/2003/03-10-2003/vo19no05_jobs.htm Your Job May Be Next! by William F. Jasper The New American, March 10, 2003 +++++++ Next Week: Question: Where in the U.S.A. is this statue? The statue of a Colt Python revolver (a civilian weapon); its barrel twisted into a knot, in a courtyard in front of .... ???