MonacoMike
Well-Known Member
- Sep 15, 2009
- 14,721
- Boat Info
- 2000 Cruisers 3870
8.2 Mercs
- Engines
- 85 Sea Ray Monaco 197
260hp Alpha 1
Mike – Hogwash!!! First, everyone inthe room knows the WWII story so I don't know why you are trying to dazzle us with your knowledge of history. The reality is that things have changed and capital is going to flow to where the cheapest labor can be found. That also means that when you buy those products, your wealth is being transferred. The statements about why don't you buy everything from your own family or state, etc. are also academic hogwash. The reality is that none of that nonsense is even possible. There are very few things that you can buy that are made in America and that is not going to change any day soon. You go ahead and buy all of the cheap Chinese junk manufactured on the backs of people working for slave labor wages that you want. When I have the opportunity to buy products that help our people and our economy,that is what I am going to choose to do. My home is not furnished with cheap Chinese junk and, it is not going to be. As just one example, we needed a sofa table so we purchased a wrought iron base made by a local artisan. The beveled glass top was made by a local glass shop. So, instead of buying several pieces of cheap crap, we chose to use our money to buy one quality piece and the decision helped to employ small business people. You tell me what is wrong with that. Would you rather buy a bunch of crap from China and pay unemployment benefits, etc. to the people that you have put out of work?
We indeed have become an information society. We tell the McDonald's clerk how many cheeseburgers that we want to buy to fatten our kids up so that they can be on medications by the time that they are eight years old. We then stick them in front of the TV so that their little brains can be bombarded with all of the ads for the things that they “must” have in order to be accepted into our society.
You have all kinds of bright ideas about how to make America competitive again which is great, but, the fact is that we cannot compete against slave labor wages. Go ahead and reduce the corporate tax to zero if you want to. How does that help? You said that it is a global economy. Goodyear, for example ,has a lot of their tires manufactured in China for sale in the US and other countries around the world. So, now you reduce their tax to zero so that they can sell their tires cheaper. And so, now you have lost a tax base to help pay the benefits for people that are out of work. And, you have made it less expensive for people in other countries to buy Goodyear tires. So, now Goodyear has more money to build more plants in China so that we can transfer more wealth to China. Great.
I'm not saying that we should be a protectionist society. I'm just saying that when possible, I want to support American jobs whenever I can. There are a whole lot people in this country that cannot find their a$$ with both hands let alone be an IT genius. I would much rather see those people employed than sucking off the government teet. It appears to me that you are just running your mouth to try to make everyone believe that you are some sort of know it all with all of the answers. I agree that there are a lot of government induced issues that should be addressed to help our businesses become more competitive. I, however, don't make the rules. I just try to do the best that I can based on what the reality is. And, that is to try to support my fellow Americans.
Just what is it that you are doing to support business in America?
The reason it is good to look at history is so we are not doomed to repeat past mistakes, many people do not know things like that, I'm glad you do. Many also fail to understand that in the manufacturing vacum we filled for the world, wages were artificially inflated due to that lack of competition. At some point there had to be an equalizing, the function of markets cannot be stopped. Even in the old Soviet Union a free underground market existed to supply what the people needed. You make a presumption of other peoples situations based on your life and surroundings, while some countries do have bad working conditions, most do not, so calling it slave labor because they don;t make what you think they should is wrong.
You blast "Chinese junk" but cheap quality goods are exactly what American consumers demand today. It frustrates me as well because I prefer good quality goods that will last. People today have money for things the rich could not dream of owning 20 years ago. We are richer as a society today than ever. Yes, some are laid off but that is not because of imports, it is poor policies from Washington. Anyone not in manufacturing should be insulted by your baseless bashing of people working in information industries as well as the service folks for your disrespect for their contributions to society.
I hope you bought the right table and made a wise economic decision for your family. That is what the decision should be based on not emotion and how we wish the world to be. I am a big supporter of many businesses that I could get a cheaper price on the items from another source but I make the economic decision to support them as it is in my interes in the long run. For example it would be a good economic decision to by from Jim at BOE for the service even if he is not the cheapest. I go out of my way to buy from my local West Marine so they stay in business locally to serve me later. I also LOVE to buy goods made by or from my fellow Americans, I have great pride in my country as well but as you said "The statements about why don't you buy everything from your own family or state, etc. are also academic hogwash. The reality is that none of that nonsense is even possible." Indeed it is not. As you further said "I'm not saying that we should be a protectionist society." it appears you know the truth , you just don't like it. MM