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The Water Cooler
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The Stupidity of "Buy American:" The Case Against Economic Protectionism
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<blockquote data-quote="-Pjackso" data-source="post: 1651074" data-attributes="member: 8119"><p>I don't disagree with you, although the American company is battling an -unfair- fight.</p><p>The (USA) gov has significantly higher safety measures in place to protect the worker. (OHSA, EPA, FDA, ..you name it.) All of which * SIGNIFICANTLY* improves our standard of living. The foreign companies don't have to absorb those costs, hence they can sell much cheaper. So the 'American-priced' products being too expensive has a lot more variables than just 'over-paid' workers.</p><p>If the American products has to compete with foreign priced products (at current unfair manufacturing costs), what options do we have? Do we all simply give up all our standard of living and digress back to foreign wages, foreign working safety levels, foreign pollution levels, and foreign living standards (etc)? I'd vote no.</p><p></p><p>I still think the idea of a balanced import/export trade would work significantly FOR USA. </p><p>In what ways?</p><p>1) For foreign products, it would significantly increase the effective price within the USA. This would be effectively a tax on 'unfair manufacturing advantages'. (emphasis on 'unfair') So the USA/foreign price gap wouldn't be nearly as great. Foreign products may still be cheaper, but that's ok.</p><p>2) It would help slow/stop the financial bleeding of the American WEALTH. We have been bleeding for decades, and it only seems to be getting worse. </p><p>3) Companies eliminate USA jobs and move overseas for the cheap labor and reduced worker safety/pollution levels. Then sell to the USA for ... *MORE PROFIT*. If the profit 'advantage' were significantly reduced (due to higher import taxes) - there would be less motivation to move jobs overseas.</p><p>4) The higher import tax would effectively slow importing into the USA and would force the USA to become more of a self-supporting economy. There would still be a global import/export trade - but it would be done on more balanced terms. </p><p>I think a self supporting economy is significantly healthier than an economy that DEPENDS on a third party (foreign) to survive. This would be a healthier economy, increase jobs (at all working levels), and in the end the USA would be significantly more self-sufficient. </p><p></p><p>As for the USA/Foreign quality of products, I'm not sure in either direction. Are you comparing Ford to Honda? Or Craftsmen tools to Harbor Freight tool? (You could cherry-pick your examples to support you side in either direction). Let's just not go there.</p><p>I agree, the USA products should always be trying to INCREASE the quality to maintain an advantage over the competition.</p><p></p><p>I would also agree that it's very difficult to buy 100% American products in today's world. But that's partially due to the -unfair- advantage the Foreign competition has over USA. Until the politicians are willing to stand up and take legislative action take action to level the playing field - I don't think it'll get any better. </p><p></p><p></p><p>As for USA finding funds to balance the budget, ...just look at the trade imbalance: </p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_trade" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_trade</a></p><p><a href="http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/...cs/historical/" target="_blank">http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/...cs/historical/</a></p><p></p><p>Look at the Wikipedia graph (at bottom of page)</p><p>It's been over 400 BILLION dollars every year - for the last ten years! (40% of a TRILLION - per year) Yikes!</p><p>What happened in 1997? Every since 1997, The import flood-gate was wide open!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="-Pjackso, post: 1651074, member: 8119"] I don't disagree with you, although the American company is battling an -unfair- fight. The (USA) gov has significantly higher safety measures in place to protect the worker. (OHSA, EPA, FDA, ..you name it.) All of which * SIGNIFICANTLY* improves our standard of living. The foreign companies don't have to absorb those costs, hence they can sell much cheaper. So the 'American-priced' products being too expensive has a lot more variables than just 'over-paid' workers. If the American products has to compete with foreign priced products (at current unfair manufacturing costs), what options do we have? Do we all simply give up all our standard of living and digress back to foreign wages, foreign working safety levels, foreign pollution levels, and foreign living standards (etc)? I'd vote no. I still think the idea of a balanced import/export trade would work significantly FOR USA. In what ways? 1) For foreign products, it would significantly increase the effective price within the USA. This would be effectively a tax on 'unfair manufacturing advantages'. (emphasis on 'unfair') So the USA/foreign price gap wouldn't be nearly as great. Foreign products may still be cheaper, but that's ok. 2) It would help slow/stop the financial bleeding of the American WEALTH. We have been bleeding for decades, and it only seems to be getting worse. 3) Companies eliminate USA jobs and move overseas for the cheap labor and reduced worker safety/pollution levels. Then sell to the USA for ... *MORE PROFIT*. If the profit 'advantage' were significantly reduced (due to higher import taxes) - there would be less motivation to move jobs overseas. 4) The higher import tax would effectively slow importing into the USA and would force the USA to become more of a self-supporting economy. There would still be a global import/export trade - but it would be done on more balanced terms. I think a self supporting economy is significantly healthier than an economy that DEPENDS on a third party (foreign) to survive. This would be a healthier economy, increase jobs (at all working levels), and in the end the USA would be significantly more self-sufficient. As for the USA/Foreign quality of products, I'm not sure in either direction. Are you comparing Ford to Honda? Or Craftsmen tools to Harbor Freight tool? (You could cherry-pick your examples to support you side in either direction). Let's just not go there. I agree, the USA products should always be trying to INCREASE the quality to maintain an advantage over the competition. I would also agree that it's very difficult to buy 100% American products in today's world. But that's partially due to the -unfair- advantage the Foreign competition has over USA. Until the politicians are willing to stand up and take legislative action take action to level the playing field - I don't think it'll get any better. As for USA finding funds to balance the budget, ...just look at the trade imbalance: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_trade[/url] [url]http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/...cs/historical/[/url] Look at the Wikipedia graph (at bottom of page) It's been over 400 BILLION dollars every year - for the last ten years! (40% of a TRILLION - per year) Yikes! What happened in 1997? Every since 1997, The import flood-gate was wide open! [/QUOTE]
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