The Bogeyman of Lost Jobs

Ludwig von Mises Institute ^ | January 5, 2004 | Jude Blanchette

[RLK]

This article is an example of crackpot desperately held over-extended ideology blinding adherents to acceptance of reality. Period.

[El Gato]

for when we are busy making money and buying DVD players, we have no stomach for war

That's true, but those selling us the DVD players may have other ideas, if they are part of a totalitarian regime, which in most cases they are, to a greater (Red China) or lessor extent. Then while we have no stomach for it, they will stick a bayonet in what stomach we do have.

[lelio]

I have trade deficits with every store I have visited.

Ah that old chestnut again, I never tire of hearing it. What the author seems to miss is that the trade deficit we have with the Chinese is funding our government spending spree. When you owe the bank $10k the bank owns you. When you owe the bank $100B you own the bank

[searchandrecovery]

Today I bought a slice of pizza with currency. I imported food, exporting nothing...

You exported this article, which is also a load of crap. Worst article I've seen this year - broad generalities, no facts. Nice spelling, though.

[Indie]

Another Libertarian rant....yaaaaaawn.

[snopercod]

What the author seems to miss is that the trade deficit we have with the Chinese is funding our government spending spree.

...and our government spending spree is keeping the GDP numbers in balance.

Last year's $450 billion trade deficit was subtracted from the Gross Domestic Product, but that number was cancelled out by our government spending $450 billion that it didn't have. Just a coincidence, I'm sure.

[LowCountryJoe]

ping

[LowCountryJoe]

...The greatest force for the limitation of miliary aggression is trade, both in goods and ideas: it is the ultimate pacifier. The trading of diapers and jeans is equally as important as the trading of computers and heavy machinery, for when we are busy making money and buying DVD players, we have no stomach for war. It is only if we follow the advice of Mr. Buchanan and close our borders from the outside world that our peace and prosperity would vanish in a cloud of barbarism...

If for no other reason, isn't the export of market capitalism a positive externalities of trade? Capitalism leads to freedom inspired revolutionary forces. I guess what protectionists are most afraid of is a world becoming more free and capitalistic. It kind of takes us off of our perch of the "haughty".

[theFIRMbss]

>The greatest force for the limitation of miliary aggression is trade, both in goods and ideas: it is the ultimate pacifier.

This is the same line
Thomas Watson used when he
fronted for Hitler.

(If corporations
are making cash from "evil
empires," businessmen

will use all their might
to protect evil empires.
Does anyone hear

Scott McNealy say
anything bad about slaves
struggling in China?!)

[q_an_a]

you have to get people to want to go to war. russia, iraq and many other countries like them, have not been able to get people to fight for the benefit of a failed idealogy + 12.00 per month and bad food.

[jpsb]

Ok, here we go, you can believe Valley Girl:

for when we are busy making money and buying DVD players, we have no stomach for war

Or you can believe Plato:

Only the dead have seen the end of war

Which is it free traitors?

[jpsb]

Here one for Valley Girl
Valley Girl: q_ab_a
Me, I'm with Plato
Plato: jpsb

[jpsb]

Here one for Valley Girl
Valley Girl: q_ab_a, LowCountryJoe
Me, I'm with Plato, TheFIRMbss
Plato: jpsb

Valley Girl certainly is giving Plato a run for the money!

[1rudeboy]

False Dilemma

Definition:

A limited number of options (usually two) is given, while in reality there are more options. A false dilemma is an illegitimate use of the "or" operator.

Putting issues or opinions into "black or white" terms is a common instance of this fallacy.

Examples:

(i) Either you're for me or against me.

(ii) America: love it or leave it.

(iii) Either you are with Valley Girl, or you are with Plato.

(iv) Every person is either wholly good or wholly evil.

[jpsb]

Valley Girl: q_ab_a, LowCountryJoe, lrudeboy
Me, I'm with Plato, TheFIRMbss

Valley Girl takes the lead.

[RaceBannon]

What an absolute idiot.

[Schattie]

What "protectionists" want is for libertarians to start telling the truth... instead of being the lying disingenious weasels they are.

Look if you want to be truthful just tell the truth: Western workers will have to have a lowering of their standard of living so that Asians will have their standard of living improved. I mean, the bright side is that our standard of living may not fall as much as their's will rise.

I'm also tired of the same old thoughtless, meaningless rhetoric that libertarians spew out.

[Last Dakotan]

I have another false dilemma for you;
Protectionism = Closed borders

[secretagent]

That's true, but those selling us the DVD players may have other ideas, if they are part of a totalitarian regime, which in most cases they are, to a greater (Red China) or lessor extent. Then while we have no stomach for it, they will stick a bayonet in what stomach we do have.

Perhaps not. They might change the totalitarian regime to a talkitarian republic.

Meanwhile we can keep our guard up, militarily, with selective civilian boycotts of the worst rights-abusing companies.