How the West was lost by the selfie president

The New York Post ^ | December 15, 2013 | Michael Goodwin

[2ndDivisionVet]

My bookshelves sag with encyclopedic volumes arguing that America and the West are in decline. But proving that a picture is worth a thousand books, the “selfie” seen ’round the world ends the argument.

It’s official — the government of the United States of Obama consists of boobs and bores and is led by a narcissist. It is no consolation that Great Britain joins us in racing to the bottom.

President Obama’s flirting with Denmark’s prime minister would be shameful on any occasion. That it happened at the memorial for Nelson Mandela only adds to the embarrassment.

But the “selfie” episode also symbolizes the greater global calamity of Western decline. With British prime minister David Cameron playing the role of Obama’s giggling wingman, the “look at me” moment confirms we have unserious leaders in a dangerously serious time....

[central_va]

Triple the cost per phone BWAHAHAHAHAHA. IDIOT. Lies and scare tactics, the trump card or the Free Traitor.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Well genius, you caught me. I am actually a grandchild of Chairman Mao. I am Steve Jobs handler. He is still alive and operating in China. He had one of those operations to change how he looked, like in that Bond movie with Hallie Berry and Pierce Brosnan. It was in Cuba….that same hospital really does exist…it was not destroyed, as in the movie. If it works for North Korea, then it does for China too.

In fact, we are plotting the overthrow of America right now. But dang, the genius you are, you caught us. Imagine how disappointed Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell and Sarah Palin will be, as they are our North American underground. And Milton Friedman, who along with Reagan and Jobs are still alive in China, will be disappointed too.

Dang dude, you are brilliant. You caught us. But never fear, we are everywhere…..just lurking to take your job…..I can hardly wait!!!!

[central_va]

Reagan's record as a protectionist stands on it own.

You've given up on the American worker, so screw you.

Like I said Cathay Pacific is a good airline. Go to Beijing where you belong with your coolie friends.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Reagan only signed some protectionist measures to fool you….he is with us in Bejing now…..our plot continues…..we are coming to outsource engineering jobs next……we are using mind control techniques to do it…..all iPhones and iPods actually control the minds of everyone with 1000 yards. All the Asian beers in sushi restaurants have mind control agents in them too. And all Hyundai cars as well.

Prepare…..go eat some moo goo gai pan … you’ll need to learn to love it….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

[central_va]

You know where I can get one of those 1,800 dollar I-Phones? The ones made in the USA?

[central_va]

When your kindred Chinese finally step in it militarily, the Free Traders will be swinging from the light posts.

[Alberta's Child]

Excellent point, but I wouldn't think of Apple's operations in China as a "manufacturing subsidiary."

Apple is a company that sells its products all over the globe and happens to manufacture many of them in China. They're also unusual in the context of any discussion about manufacturing because they have enormous global sales figures but don't really employ a lot of people because they manufacture small things in highly automated processes. Because of those considerations, they're actually one of those companies that could manufacture things in the U.S. and still be very competitive.

[Alberta's Child]

Apple doesn't manufacture their products in China because the labor is cheaper over there (the labor is cheaper, but their manufacturing labor is a tiny part of Apple's bottom line).

Apple manufactures their products in China because they get most of their components from Asia, and because they sell most of their products in Asia, too.

That last item is something Americans may never get used to. We always like to think of ourselves as richest country in the world, but as consumer products become more affordable the value of 300+ million customers in the U.S. starts to diminish compared to a billion customers in China and another billion in India.

[central_va]

As soon as China makes a move militarily, there will be zero products coming to America from the land of the suicidal factory coolie. They are not stupid enough yet, but they are getting there.

[Alberta's Child]

China is already losing its appeal as a manufacturing center. One of the hard lessons a slave colony learns is that cheap labor is one of the most easily transferable commodities in the supply chain. A lot of companies that used to produce things in China are migrating south and west to places like Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia.

And here's something remarkable for you to think about ...

Just last week I attended a conference in my industry where one of the keynote speakers pointed out that for many products sold in the U.S. and Europe, South Carolina and Alabama are projected to supplant China as the most cost-effective locations to build a new manufacturing facility.

Think about that for a second. Even as recently as 1-2 years ago nobody would have believed that. At least now we know about one of the key factors behind Boeing's decision to build their new Dreamliner in South Carolina, right?

[C. Edmund Wright]

No, I’m an insider, and I will be your Chinese handler…….my neighbor is Walter Williams. We are well paid to peddle the religion we do……him especially.

[C. Edmund Wright]

But they are wholly owned subsidiaries I think….and set up for the express purpose of developing entire cities of Apple mfg. This is the secret sauce for their efficiencies….and for purposes of this conversation, those subisidiaries can be considered part of Apple. So no, they could not duplicate this success in America…..more for reasons of regulations and logistics than just pure wages.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Idget….we don’t make them in the USA……that would break you suckers even faster…..but if you send me 1800, I’ll stamp “made in the USA” on one and send it to you.

[Conservaliberty]

Here’s the problem that I foresee. Some of the things that we import are because they do not grow in the United States, e.g., coffee (except Hawaiian), tea, some tropical fruits, etc.

As I recall, Americans don’t like it when they have to pay higher taxes on tea...and as far as coffee, can Hawaii actually produce enough coffee for the demands of American coffee drinkers? Don’t get me wrong, I love Hawaiian coffee, but it’s already expensive.

I could, potentially, get behind the idea a tariff on things which can be produced in the Unite States, if not for the fact that there are too many cooks in the U.S. industry kitchen already.

With a tariff, things will rapidly become prohibitively expensive. Because of how expensive it is to make things in the U.S. (thanks to minimum wages and other regulations), the tariff would have to be substantial to discourage foreign purchases.

Prices would rocket. Then people would argue for higher minimum wage—and prices would rocket accordingly.

Tariffs create artificial shortages. IMO, they’d do more harm than good. Free markets work best. The reason we have no jobs in America is because of government interference in the free market and in industry.

Do you think that adding more regulations on our market will actually help the situation? I do not.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Impeachment. But we no longer have a Republican party so that will never happen no matter what Mr. Selfie does.

[nascarnation]

Yes impeachment worked so well on ole BJ.

I’m sure it would be even better on our beloved halfrican Baraq.....

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Actually I (don’t) believe at all, that more regulations on our markets will help.

That is why I believe a tariff must be completely universal.

Completely so. No exceptions. Just one level. Period. If something is imported to America, a (10% in my idea, others have suggested some other level) tariff.

In my opinion, that must be completely universal. I stress that however.

Across the board. Everything.

Thanks for your comment.

[Soul of the South]

“What should Apple Corp do?

They, and their manufacturing subsidiary employ some 700 thousand people in China I believe. So, is Apple good? Or is Apple bad?”

Apple is neither good nor bad. It is acting in the best interests of its shareholders, as perceived by management. Management develops its strategy and deploys resources based on market forces and government incentives/disincentives. The 25 year US experiment with open markets, while its trading partners continue acting in their self interest with mercantilists trade policies, has resulted in Apple deploying a huge segment of its supply chain in Asia. From its Asian, primarily Chinese, supply chain it supplies its marketing organizations in Asia, the Americas, Europe and other regions.

There should be a distinct difference between the strategies of corporations and the strategies of government. What is good for GM (or Apple) is not necessarily good for America. China understands this concept. Unfortunately the US government today does not seem to understand how to use its tax and trade policy to further the long term security interests of the nation and promote the general welfare of the people. Instead our nation’s economic policies promote the welfare of large multinational corporations and a few too big to fail Wall Street banks at the expense of job creating small business and middle class citizens. Witness the destruction of the dollar and the savings of the middle class via the Federal Reserve easy money policies, the fiscal irresponsibility of the federal government, and regulatory policies specifically designed to force production offshore. Meanwhile the manufacturing base continues to erode and with it the tax base and the potential for the next generation to enjoy a middle class lifestyle.

[dfwgator]

Used to be for the most part shares were owned by those who lived in the home country of the Corporation. This is no longer the case, now shares are owned globally.

[C. Edmund Wright]

I agree with probably 75% of what you said…maybe more. I would only quibble a tad with the following:

I say Apple is good, because they still produce a lot of jobs and wealth in America, not to mention satisfied American customers. Altho I do agree in principle with the “neither good nor bad” as a generality. And yes, Apple, like every other company, has to act in the interests of their stockholders, public or private, because they are the reason the company exists in the first place.

I say that the main problems with our mfg base are taxes, regulations, unions and welfare benefits that skew our job market. I think the multinational corp stuff is way over blown in your estimation, and I think you greatly underestimate the devastating impact of the rest of my list.

Many off shoring companies are way too small to be part of that group, but they don’t have the lawyers to cut thru the EPA and OSHA and zoning and unions and all of that. The jobs will return by way of small biz, and believe me, small biz is concerned about the stuff I mentioned. I know. I am small biz.

But overall I think you make some great points….and thanks for not calling me a Maoist and a commie and a Chinese handler and so on……..