'Competition' with China is Killing U.S.

[Dan4510]

'Competition' with China is Killing U.S.
By Matt Taibbi, RollingStone.com
Posted on October 3, 2006, Printed on October 8, 2006
http://www.alternet.org/story/42528/

Content deleted. Posting a copyrighted article in its entirety is a violation of copyright law.

Posting a link to the article is okay; posting the whole article here is not.

If this thread gets too political it will be shut down.

 

[cousincletus]

I couldn't agree more. We do need to protect our industries. The USA is big enough not to need any foreign competition. Corporate profits are at an all time high while worker's wages are either stagnating or falling. Getting corporate $$$ out of politics is a good start. The American people need to really think about who they are voting for. The American middle class is going away and in a hurry. Just think about it. How many industries have we lost already? How can this possibly be good for America? Think about your next car purchase before you send possibly tens of thousands of dollars to Japan or some other foreign country. We can still turn this around if everyone puts their money where their mouth is.

 

[Pablo]

That author has some points....but as far China using slave labor? He is ON CRACK!!

Sure they pay their people in much lower US$ terms. But those people live pretty good lives. I've been to many factories in China. Hey - they have discipline and controls. (We could use some of that) Are the people forced to work there? NO. Do the factories need to provide room and board for workers? Yes.

I support free floating the renmembi - something that just hasn't happened fully yet. I support equal trade laws. Not bending over backwards for foreign companies.

Interesting xenophobic take from a liberal rag.

 

[TooSlick]

Well, the first step domestically would to force the shut down of all the Walmarts.

How popular do you suppose that would be and is it even a politically viable thing to do?

TS

 

[oilyriser]

China has lots of younger people, with few children to support, so spare cash is being put back into industrial growth rather than population growth. 30 years from now, those young people will be slowing down, and there aren't as many to replace them, so economic growth will slow.

 

[cousincletus]

^^^ I doubt there will ever be a shortage of cheap labor in China.

 

[Pablo]

Indeed - it will be a long while before the whole country is prosperous. Behind every factory worker are 1.2 billion people hankering for work and a better life.

We can only legislate so much. I can see blocking goods that are being dumped. I can see strategic blocking/restricting of some import goods that we must retain for security reasons. Of course we can block goods that threaten health, etc. I have some difficulty with blocking goods because they cost less!

The thing we spoiled white folks need to learn (again): not everything is given to us - don't get suckered into the TV land of milk and hiney. I've see this has happened to so many black folks as well. You will not hit the lotto, you will not inherit $50,000,000. You are not guaranteed a job for life. The government cannot and will not give you security.

The Chinese are eating our lunch because they are hungry and we are letting them. Wake up, people! You want something? Work for it - this inludes kicking the toe licking bums out of elected office if they vote the wrong way.

 

[cousincletus]

Washington needs to look out for the interests of the American middle class first, not coprorate America. After all, it's a govt. of the people, by the people, and for the people. Corporate profits are at a record high and they are not rewarding the American workers for it. Instead, more middle class jobs are going to China just because they can. This is not right. No one is expecting a free ride, just to be fairly compensated for their hard work instead of being stabbed in the back.

 

[obbop]

Humans, look at message boeard thread such as this one and many others covering the same or similar topics.

I beg of thee.... seek out the buzzword "middle class."

Over and over and over... middle class this and that.

Seldom is mention made of working poor.

How many folks writing about the proverbial "middle class" can define the term?

I hereby and forewith proclaim that the continuous use of the term "middle class" by a multitude of folks is indicative of the "brainwashing" we have been and are and will continue to be exposed to.

The topic of which I write is far too complex to cover even partially in a message board posting.

All I ask is for ye to look for the "middle class" term and how that term is used so much and how those below the middle class are typically left out of the equation.

 

[XS650]

Quote:

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Washington needs to look out for the interests of the American middle class first, not coprorate America. After all, it's a govt. of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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You haven't been paying attention lately, have you?

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:

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Quote:

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Washington needs to look out for the interests of the American middle class first, not coprorate America. After all, it's a govt. of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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You haven't been paying attention lately, have you?

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I bet he's still wondering where the ABA stats are in the newspaper

 

[MarkC]

The government exists to serve itself these days.

 

[cousincletus]

^^^ Problem is it's not even serving itself. Corporations get tax breaks for outsourcing and when American workers lose their good paying jobs, even more tax revenue is lost.

 

[Gary Allan]

So? Just put it on a credit card. They don't pay the bill.

 

[brianl703]

They just print more money, but that's sort of like putting it on a credit card, isn't it?

 

[bretfraz]

Quote:

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don't get suckered into the TV land of milk and hiney.

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If there is a land worth getting suckered into, this has GOT to be it!!

 

[Al]

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^^^ Corporations get tax breaks for outsourcing and when American workers lose their good paying jobs, even more tax revenue is lost.

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What yhou are not understanding is for corporations to survive in this country they must outsource. They can outsource and keep 50% of domestic employees or they can choose not to outsource and go out of business and put 100% of domestic workers out of business. Pick your poison.

We can't aford to have Americans build component sub-assemblies at $20/hour. When Taiwan can make them for $2/labor costs and no hospitalization/pension/workmens comp, etc. etc. Get used to it.

 

[buster]

Al is right. I wish I could say he is wrong.

 

[Al]

Quote:

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Al is right. I wish I could say he is wrong.

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Its not that Hard Buster.."Al is wrong-he's a moron". There..How's that.

 

[JHZR2]

Unfortunately, Al is right... and "pick your poison" is the unfortunate reality... it does not seem that there is a good solution to the 'problem' at hand.

We absolutely can't afford (for most things, at least), to pay people $20/hr to put widgets together... but then again, we also feel that we are middle class, and thus not 'poor' which is a fallacy and leads us into spending money on credit for thigs that we 'deserve', and we also all feel that if were not making $50-100k, we cant survive.

Now, why shouldnt we feel this way? CEOs are getting multi-million dollar bonuses. For what? Taking m oney from my pocket and essentially screwing my fellow countrymen?

The only 'fair' solution in terms of the people is a more even distribution of the wealth. And that isnt fair to the people taking the risk and making the effort.

The only fair solution in terms of the business owners is to let them use whatever means necessary to enhance efficiencies so they can make more money for themselves. But that would really hurt the average worker bee, and many not-so-average folks.

And for those in the middle, making a comfortable wage, getting by, but upon whom most of the stress is laid, and most of the hardest aspects of operation are 'entusted' to, well, they will likely get the short end of the stick one way or another.

And the biggest problem??? Those folks are too careless or interested in oher things to get the spotlight upon them, and off of special interests, politically correct works, and fundraising.

JMH