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Limbaugh Spreads Free Trade Myths on Air.
Rush Limbaugh Show | 3/2/16 | Me

Posted on 03/02/2016 12:29:52 PM PST by central_va

It is hard to fight stupidity but when it comes from the premier conservative radio talk show host is it really stupidity or deception?

So here we go again another example of Rush defending his buds at Apple. He said iPhones could never be built in the USA. On the surface my reaction was what: is there a force field keeping Apple from building a factory in the USA? Joking aside his hobnobbing friends have brain washed him into believing the Free Traitor™ lie.

Here is the actual on air whopper: and I paraphrase; If Apple were to build iPhones in the USA instead of costing $190 dollars they would cost $2,500 dollars because of the difference in labor. If you take him at his word then you are part of the problem. You've bought the Free Trade lie.

So don't get me wrong I am not saying iPhones wouldn't cost marginally more if made in the USA but would they would 4 times as much?

In case you wanted to know the truth:

Labor per iPhone is almost the smallest cost item per phone that there is.

I would guess the total man hours to make an iPhone is less that 2 man hours. Heck a mid size sedan only takes 30 man hours to make.

Asymco analyst Horace Dediu used the "Nightline" report to estimate that Apple pays labor costs of between $12.50 and $30 for every iPhone it makes, which represents just 2-5% of the iPhone's sale price.

Link here.

Ok let's multiple labor by factor of 10 assuming labor is 10 times more expensive in the USA ( I doubt that but lets go with that ).

So if Asian labor is $12.50 per phone then ten times that is $125.50 per hypothetical US made iPhone. Now tell us Mr. Limbaugh how do you get to $2,500 per iPhone retail?


TOPICS: Mexico; US: Alabama; US: New York; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: 2016election; alabama; election2016; freetrade; h1b; jeffsessions; lies; limbaugh; mexico; newyork; obamatrade; rush; rushlimbaugh; tisa; tpa; tpp; trump; wikileaks
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To: DBG8489

Thank you, sir, for that answer.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone on FR is sane anymore. Posts like yours provide that glimmer of hope that keeps me returning.


121 posted on 03/02/2016 1:42:07 PM PST by BrewingFrog (I brew, therefore I am!)
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To: gg188

Totally agree with you.

The problem is Language——there is no possibility of “Free Trade” with socialistic or Marxists/slave governments.

It is NOT possible. That is the ROOT of our problems-—we don’t deal with the fact that we are “trading” with evil, communistic/socilistic governments who have slave labor. There is NO competing with slavery EVER.

No such thing as “Free Trade” with cartel systems (Mexico) et.
Without Virtue there is no Freedom and without Freedom you can NEVER have “Free Trade”.


122 posted on 03/02/2016 1:42:52 PM PST by savagesusie (Right Reason According to Nature = Just Law)
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To: Soul of the South

I am honored to have one of your outstanding posts on my humble thread.


123 posted on 03/02/2016 1:45:03 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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Comment #124 Removed by Moderator

To: 1rudeboy

What’s worse they expect the American working class to offer up their son’s and daughter’s lives to defend the Apple Inc’s and the rest of the Cheap Labor Express’ cushy little gated communities.

Yeah, the “free traders” take advantage of tax breaks and foreign shelters while America runs up Mega-Trillions in debt supporting globalist military adventures, a welfare state, and Social Security. They then have the balls to shout “Trade Wars will DESTROY America” when someone suggests helping out our own people.

What a crock of bull****. It’s time to pull down the walls of the whole rotten Ruling Class edifice.


125 posted on 03/02/2016 1:45:44 PM PST by TTFlyer
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To: Stepan12

Smoot-Hawley is the new false boogey man fro the cause of the Great Depression What a bunch of crap.


126 posted on 03/02/2016 1:46:49 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: central_va

Wow.


127 posted on 03/02/2016 1:47:35 PM PST by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheelbarrow)
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To: TTFlyer

So, how much more out of my paycheck do you want me to send the elites?


128 posted on 03/02/2016 1:47:39 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: central_va

30 years of phony “free trade” and we still have massive trade deficits. Where are all those great export jobs that were supposed to come from opening foreign markets?


129 posted on 03/02/2016 1:47:55 PM PST by Hugin (Conservatism without Nationalism is a fraud.)
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To: central_va

So, why do you want to pay more for things than you have too?


130 posted on 03/02/2016 1:48:05 PM PST by DugwayDuke
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To: Lagmeister
You pick a company and punish it with tariffs until it breaks.

Not me.Government bureaucrats do that. The same corrupt slugs that enjoy dinners and payoffs from special interests and other lobbying groups. You know, the crony capitalists you claim to hate.

Then you threaten the rest.

Yup, empowering big government to pick winners and losers. I'm sure that decision will be made in the most objective manner.....because that's how government operates, right?

After all, who needs a new IPhone every year.

That's right. Government should prevent free people from buying a new iPhone every year if that's what they want to do.

You pick one auto company and punish it. Then threaten the rest. Do you get it now.

Oh I get it alright. Using government to attack the private sector is exactly what Obama has been doing. If you punish the guy who doesn't agree with you politically, that will absolutely push the others in line. There's a term for the kind of government you're advocating for, but it isn't capitalism.

You know, soon Boeing will make everything in China ones they get their gigantic plant finished.

Maybe Boeing will be more competitive selling planes in China that were manufactured in China. I have no idea. But I do know that they would be much more likely to build their plants in the US if government and their minions didn't tax them, regulate them, sue them, and empower the unions so much.

Instead of empowering government and demanding they go to war against the private sector, you should be standing athwart big government yelling STOP! at a time that many are not inclined to do so.

131 posted on 03/02/2016 1:49:10 PM PST by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
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To: Hugin

We have trade deficits because we buy stuff. Where did that money come from?


132 posted on 03/02/2016 1:50:40 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

That’s not a question you should be asking me. But by all means, do what your masters tell you and support what they call “Free Trade.”


133 posted on 03/02/2016 1:50:53 PM PST by TTFlyer
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To: central_va
I just can't listen to his BS anymore. He is out of touch.

I think it is you who are naive......

First of all and most important, Apple is not in the business of manufacturing their products. They design then outsource then sell...........pretty simple really.

The Pegatron companies in China have had decades in which to tool up to the current state of electronics manufacturing in not only smart phones but all your HDTV's and the ongoing training required for their employees.

Lets start out with the basics.

First, you have to locate an area where you intend to build a plant capable of employing 10s of thousands of workers required to accommodate the current manufacturing demands of Apple.

Once you have found the ideal site, you're now going to have to conduct "environmental studies" to determine the impact that plant is going to have on the environment. That alone is going to cost you millions of dollars and will take several years to conduct.

Then you will have to create the plans for the building of the factory. With a side note that Apple, being a designer and out sourcer, has no idea on how to build a manufacturing plant so will have to hire an entirely new group to their organization to handle the logistics.

Your next step will be to petition the local and state government to get approval for the building of your state of the art plant.

Assuming you've completed the previous steps, your next task is to solicit bids from major contractors whose job will be to excavate the land and ultimately commence construction on your project. That will likely take another year and those contractors will likely be high paid union workers......

So after 10 years your state of the art electronics plant is finally built and able to accommodate the tens of thousands of workers needed to run it, where are you going to get the workers and more importantly, who is going to train them since all the electronics sold in this country is built overseas?

And what is going to be the economic impact on the locality where your new plant has been built and how will they be able to handle the influx of 50,000 plus new people flooding into that town? Goods and services will skyrocket, housing prices will skyrocket, property taxes will skyrocket and those current residents working the local jobs whose wages will likely be less then the workers in your new state of the art plant will be the victims of your new plant.

Your problem with Apple is an illogical argument and instead you should be asking why there are no electronics companies in this country that have the capability to meet Apple's manufacturing demands..........

134 posted on 03/02/2016 1:51:14 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Mase

I’m typing on my iPhone right now. lol


135 posted on 03/02/2016 1:52:01 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: Toddsterpatriot

No, Rush would have to move to Beijing for there to be equivalency.


136 posted on 03/02/2016 1:52:22 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: central_va
Likable yes, but he is not one of us. Us meaning an unwashed prol patriot like myself.

Exactly. Me too. Rush is an elitist.

137 posted on 03/02/2016 1:53:11 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (Ted Cruz is the man!)
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To: LS
It would be overnight the largest factory in the city

10 years down the road and you'd never be able to staff it.......see my last post.

138 posted on 03/02/2016 1:53:18 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: chaosagent
o if Apple had to build all new fab plants here in the US with all the environmental regs, I can easily believe $2500, or even more.

This is how gloBULList win, thru stupidity.

139 posted on 03/02/2016 1:53:31 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: subterfuge

Ohh that hurt so much..


140 posted on 03/02/2016 1:54:14 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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