Doesn’t the United States make anything anymore?

The Buffalo News ^ | 2/17/2009 | Stephen Manning

[BfloGuy]

The U. S. by far remains the world’s leading manufacturer by value of goods produced. It hit a record $1.6 trillion in 2007 — nearly double the $811 billion in 1987. For every $1 of value produced in China’s factories, America generates $2.50.

[nyconse]

Yes, I have. This is why I don’t want to see this country end up like say Mexico.

[ColdWater]

I have a chevy in my driveway with over 200,000 miles on it...so those Japanese cars did nothing but cost Americans their jobs and in the end will cause socialism...not cheap if you consider the big picture and the destruction of our economy.

You mean "cost unionized Americans' their jobs. Open you eyes. Toyota builds cars in America that are better than the cars built by GM union employees.

[AuntB]

Great question.

[nyconse]

My brother worked in a dealership, he got a salary well above minimum wage and commission-plus a cut in financing which is where the real profit is.

[hedgetrimmer]

He is there because the pro-union socialists put him there.

"free trade" begets socialism. So really, you should take credit where its due.

[nyconse]

My husband is not union, he will lose his job in April...Sirius radio on the brink of bankruptcy because of the lack of auto sales are not union either...this is not about unions and if you are honest you will admit it.

[nyconse]

Free traders should take complete credit for the socialism coming our way...the child insurance act signed into law this year is only the beginning.

[nyconse]

Yep-Ohio went for Obama because of the job losses associated with free trade policies that are frankly insane.

[TChris]

Tell us how much money Walmart spends to keep the politicians in their pockets? How much stock do the politicians own in Walmart? No, his anger isn't misdirected. Unscrupulous unethical and anti-American Walmart executives with their hearts and heads in communist china are to blame.

Are you accusing Wal-Mart of bribery? Based on what, exactly?

Unless you're FReeping with a 20-year-old computer, YOU are supporting that nasty Communist China too, and probably for the same reason: That's where many things are manufactured now.

Why is stuff manufactured in China? BECAUSE OF OUR GOVERNMENT! They tax and regulate domestic companies nearly to death, so they have to go to another country to stay alive.

[hedgetrimmer]

When tariffs funded the govenrment there was no income tax. When there was no income tax, American citizens were better off in terms of personal liberty and their finances. When there was no income tax there was no global war and no slavering global 'institutions' to siphon our domestic economy off into the third world.

Is that why "free traders" hate Americans? Because we know historically that tariffs help free us and preserve our independence in ways they can't stomach?

[AuntB]

“Yep-Ohio went for Obama because of the job losses associated with free trade policies that are frankly insane.”

Yes, his talk of renegotiating Nafta helped with that. And Bill Clinton campaigned against Nafta, sure didn’t hurt him.

[nyconse]

Don’t you keep up with the times. Toyota was subsidized by the states they located in as well as Japan. But that has not saved them from the current crisis...they are offering buyouts and laying off...many of the transplants are idle as we speak with more downtime coming-assuming they don’t just shut them down and go back to Japan. As the states they are located in gave them many $$ to locate there and pretty much built the plants, Toyota has nothing to lose by leaving.

[hedgetrimmer]

There is a direct correlation between the rise of “free traders” in our government and the rise of socialism in this country. The more “free trade” the more socialism. You can look at Britain for a real world example today.

[nyconse]

Americans have been polled and overwhelmingly do not support trade...the politician who takes a stand on this issue will win big.

[Joe 6-pack]

"If a kid wants to mow his neighbors lawn for extra cash...it’s between him and his neighbor or babysitting for that matter."

What if the kid wants to work in an IT business or on a farm over the summer for 40+ hours a week? You'd rather he hang out at the mall or in his parents' basement?

[nyconse]

Britain is on the verge of bankruptcy and have been forced to listen to lectures from the French about how they have no manufacturing...

[razorback-bert]

he or she would have to spend between 7 and 25 percent of his or her income just to cover the premiums and medical deductibles, if electing for single coverage.

Walmart doesn't control the cost of insurance.

I only carry major medical with a $25,000 deductible because of the sky high cost of anything less.

Since you say Walmart pays only $17,000 a year, just what do you consider to be enough?

[TChris]

Walmart a billion dollar corporation...pays it’s workers so little...

So what a company pays employees should be based on how much money they have. OK.

Does that same standard apply to YOU too? Do YOU pay more for things that you buy if you have extra cash on hand? I mean, hey, you can afford it, right?

[nyconse]

Teenagers can work in most states from starting at 14-16 depending on the state...so no I would not want to see a kid younger than that work 40 hours-not even in the summer. During the school year, kids should not work 40 hours because they can not be successful at school and work many hours...I saw this as a young teacher in Connecticut. I do not support overturning child labor laws ever.

[TChris]

When was the last time you paid a paper boy for delivering your paper, know why they went away? Minimum wage

You're preaching to the choir, FRiend.

Oh, and I do have my paper delivered. :-)