Comments on: Globalism vs. Americanism

By: American Musashi

American Musashi — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:39:51 +0000

Mad Doc MacRae: Against true Capitalism and for Communist Command Economies.

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:55:37 +0000

I read a book by Lloyd Lofthouse that taught me about Chinese Morality called ‘My Splendid Concubine’. It shows how Chinese morality is similar to Christian morality. However Chinese morality is not based on the worship of one God and the study of a Bible or Koran but on Confucius Taoist philosophy that goes back several thousand years forming the foundation of the most populous nation on the earth, a foundation that still influences the behavior and actions of 1.3 billion people. Confucianism is based on relationships and a mutual respect between emperors and peasants, fathers and children, husbands and wives, older brothers with younger brothers, etc.

By: RD

RD — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:47:22 +0000

Pat Buchanan is right on this one. If one-way “free trade” works so well, then why is the consuming nation (U.S.) having to borrow money from the producing nation (China) ?
Great nations continue to manufacture goods.

By: Soeren

Soeren — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:17:44 +0000

Ironic – we’ve been shipping so many formerly-American manufacturing jobs overseas for so long, and now, between the recession, high unemloyment and overall downward pressure on wages, even many of us who PREFER to buy American-made products can no longer afford to.

For many foks who are struggling to stay afloat in this economy, their choice of a say, $35 PRC tire over an $85 US tire, is going to be one dictated almost purely by pragmatism
resulting from economic pressure – any thoughts about the morality of supporting Chinese sweatshops or the notion that buying the PRC tire is not a very patriotic purchase, goes right out the window, when you’re struggling to pay the rent, keep food on the table, and keep current on your bills.

By: Mad Doc MacRae

Mad Doc MacRae — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:31:59 +0000

American Musashi: For a mercantilist understanding of economics.

icr – aren’t they *all* bad?

By: icr

icr — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:18:27 +0000

Why are tariffs or VAT worse than income taxes, payroll taxes, sales taxes. property taxes and de facto taxes like OSHA regulations, race and ethnic quotas and big payouts to trial lawyers?

By: American Musashi

American Musashi — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:12:55 +0000

Mad Doc MacRae: For cheap Chinese tires to put on his Korean Hyundai Genesis as he rolls up the window while passing you penniless, unemployed Americans. That is until his job is outsourced to India and he has to either learn Hindi and move to Bangalore or get a job a t Wal-Mart selling cheap Chinese Tires for $7.00/hr.

By: Mad Doc MacRae

Mad Doc MacRae — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:24:20 +0000

I wonder how many people are submitting comments through computers made in China (or other nations in Asia with lower standards of living than the US).

So, John Smithson, how moral is *your* demand curve?

By: Norwegian Shooter

Norwegian Shooter — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:44:23 +0000

“our dependence on a non-democratic rival great power for computers and vital components of our weapons systems and high-tech industries”

You’re talking about Japan, now right? Wasn’t this about Chinese tires?

Do you know how many manufacturing jobs were lost to automation during the Bush years?

“Impose a border tax equal to a VAT on all their goods entering the United States, and use the hundreds of billions to cut corporate taxes on all manufacturing done here in the United States.”

Your solution is a direct transfer from consumers to American manufacturing corporations? You think this will create jobs? And why would these national companies be any more moral that transnational ones?

“What is needed is simply to cut their profits from moving factories and jobs abroad and increase their profits for bringing them back to the U.S.A.”

How do we do this?

By: Fran Rossi

Fran Rossi — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:12:52 +0000

I think people are aware of the Chinese labor practices. But lower prices are more important to us. I try to buy American but my girls crave the Made In China crap that oozes out of every Toys R Us and Target shelf.

By: John Smithson

John Smithson — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:18:53 +0000

Pondering the demand curve it strikes me that it really is a sort of barometer of the net or average morality of the population. Of course there is also imperfect information – most buyers of chinese tires are not aware of conditions in China.

If we were a moral people there would be no demand for Chinese goods until conditions for workers and the environment were on par with the US – regardless of government action. We do this to ourselves.

Also: ‘when they came for the tiremaker’s jobs, I said nothing. when they came for me (my job), no one was working anymore’ – a spin on the old cautionary tale.

By: BobbieMac

BobbieMac — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:41:05 +0000

Another example of “free trade” in action.

By: Barney Rebble

Barney Rebble — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:03:00 +0000

Rake a pile of money together, whether it is taxes, or “protection money”, or whatever it’s source, and hand it to politicians, much of it will disappear.

True of BUSH, more true of OBAMA.

True of 2006 republican congress, true of democrat congress since then.

Until you fix the mess in Washington, these people will continue to write the chinese IOUs binding our grandchildren.

With that going on, any such plan as you have outlined, is nonsense, and will reinforce the status quo.

By: Mad Doc MacRae

Mad Doc MacRae — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:35:52 +0000

Pat Buchanan: for expensive tires.

By: S.L. Toddard

S.L. Toddard — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:26:24 +0000

HEAR, HEAR!!!