U.S. Furniture Makers to Seek Protection From China Imports

Wall Street Journal ^ | 7/15/03 | Dan Morse

[Texas_Dawg]

A group of American makers of wood bedroom furniture is preparing to seek protection from the U.S. government to stem a surge of imports from China that the companies say has ravaged their industry.

John Bassett, president and chief executive of Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co., Galax, Va., and a spokesman for the group of 14 furniture makers, said the American Furniture Manufacturers Committee for Legal Trade intends to file an antidumping petition this fall with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Yes it was, I don't know why you would make such a statement. Tex claims that the GOP is overwhelming strong in Texas. It would seem to me that they are not overwhelming if they don't control two thirds of the Texas house.

[MEG33]

Sometimes questions are are simply to make a point.No,we don't have an overwhelming majority in the legislature.Texas has had two Republican senators for many years,though.What this has to do with free trade(which doesn't exist now),WTO,tariffs,protectionism,subsidies and how to keep our country employed with a strong economy and out of the hands of socialism..I haven't a clue!

[epow]

Secondly, what you contrue as protection I construe as buying into a failed philosophy and removing the rights of people to make their own arrangements

Then am I to understand that your infatuation with free trade is based purely on your libertarian philosophy and not on any proven economic principle? I am all in favor of individual liberty myself, including the right to choose where and from whom I buy my goods and services. But I am also in favor of an economically strong, even dominant, nation that can produce it's own necessary hardware and commodities, and do it without outside help if necessary.

IOWs, I am not especially moved by an argument taken just from libertarian dogma. I want to see proof of positive benefits of free trade to the people and the security of the US. The only results I see in this area of the nation are closed factories and unemployed former workers living on the public dole. I am not a greedy individual, but I intensely dislike paying higher local and state taxes to support former workers whose jobs are now being done in 3rd world sweatshops at slave wages.

Given a choice, I would much rather pay a higher price for my household appliances, jeans, or running shoes than to pay higher taxes to the state. Since I wasn't given a choice, I still pay the higher prices for my goods and pay higher taxes as well. A well defined lose-lose proposition. So where did the savings on labor costs go? No need to answer answer, I already know.

[Protagoras]

Then am I to understand that your infatuation with free trade is based purely on your libertarian philosophy and not on any proven economic principle?

You can believe anything you wish. As to the principles, I can recommend some books if you wish.

I am all in favor of individual liberty myself, including the right to choose where and from whom I buy my goods and services.

But only sometimes, I guess.

But I am also in favor of an economically strong, even dominant, nation that can produce it's own necessary hardware and commodities, and do it without outside help if necessary.

Freedom has everywhere and always produced what you seek when compared to other types of human living arrangements. And the idea that this country, if returned to freedom cannot make it's own things is bizarre.

[hedgetrimmer]

%50 tariff on chinese side. This is information that has not been discussed on this thread.

The rights of the people to make their own arrangements? Do people have a right to demand a tariff if their trading competitor has a tariff in place? I think they do, and it is supported by the Constitution.

[hedgetrimmer]

Tariffs Can Restore America’s Greatness

A standard error is that tariffs inhibit trade, and have contributed to the "winds of war". Positive tariffs will place the tax burden where it belongs, on the foreign producer. It is a benefit to conduct trade, for there is no "right" to dump products or to sell below costs of the importing societies. Efficiency in markets should not be viewed in world wide terms, for a very simple reason. Globalists manipulate trade agreements to create cartels that they control. Every trade treaty has the same goal, to diminish the independence of national economies and force domestic consumers to become totally dependent upon foreign industries. No nation can remain free, when they are reduced to vassals of international State/Corporations axis.

[hedgetrimmer]

Tariffs Can Restore America’s Greatness

A standard error is that tariffs inhibit trade, and have contributed to the "winds of war". Positive tariffs will place the tax burden where it belongs, on the foreign producer. It is a benefit to conduct trade, for there is no "right" to dump products or to sell below costs of the importing societies. Efficiency in markets should not be viewed in world wide terms, for a very simple reason. Globalists manipulate trade agreements to create cartels that they control. Every trade treaty has the same goal, to diminish the independence of national economies and force domestic consumers to become totally dependent upon foreign industries. No nation can remain free, when they are reduced to vassals of international State/Corporations axis.

[MEG33]

Let me take a wild guess why this inequity is allowed.We have a better economy and are richer?We want to buy cheap goods?We are being benevolent because we're hoping they like capitalism?(all guesses of a non economist)

[harpseal]

Let me take a wild guess why this inequity is allowed.We have a better economy and are richer?We want to buy cheap goods?We are being benevolent because we're hoping they like capitalism?(all guesses of a non economist)

For a non economist you have pretty much summed up the reasoning of the WTO economists and the Free Traders.

[MEG33]

The capitalism hope I've read and also seen it debunked.Sigh

[hedgetrimmer]

It is part of NAFTA, GATT and other treaties. It is called how to giveaway "foreign aid" or "reduce poverty" in third world countries. The global elite feels that US taxpayer dollars should be used to create consumers for multinational corporations and have bought off our politicians to sign onto embedded foreign aid and cash and technology give-aways in the name of "free trade" and raising the annual income of third worlders by reducing ours.

Also, ever since the Biodiversity Assement was made by the UN in 1995, the environment has also been used to rip resources out of the hands of the American people, and then lock it and force acceptance of imports to replace the unavailable resources. ANWR oil is a _prime_ example of this.

Wasn't one of the main giveaways in the Kyoto treaty pushed so hard by Al Gore to build nuclear power plants in China? So China could have abundant,clean US taxpayer financed energy while California rots away in the dark because we have to have "green" energy suppliers?

[MEG33]

Sometimes I think "The Onion" thinks up these things.

[hedgetrimmer]

Which things?

[MEG33]

Building nuclear plants for China while California has "greenie" power or lack of power.Kyoto is America's nightmare.

[Protagoras]

I think they do, and it is supported by the Constitution.

You think wrong. And the constitution does not grant rights nor can it legitimately usurp them. It allowed slavery, it was wrong on that issue as well.

[harpseal]

It allowed slavery, it was wrong on that issue as well.

Given your support of the right to buy the output of Slavery at the lowest possible price as inalienable even though such a right is never guaranteed by the Constitution or recognized by any but a few libertarian extremists who almost persue libertarianism to anarchy. This is a suprising stand for you to take further you support of policies that will reduce most Americans to this condition on the basis of a stand supposedly for your liberty makes it even more hypocritical.

[Protagoras]

You seem to have a short memory. You have been dismissed for disingeniousness and deliberate obtuseness. You are therefore posting to yourself.

[harpseal]

You seem to have a short memory. You have been dismissed for disingeniousness and deliberate obtuseness. You are therefore posting to yourself.

The only dismissal was of your proven lies from this thread. I am really really tired of a shill for rthe People's Republic of China misquoting American History, and engaing in insults. You said you did not start the personal attacks you accused that was a lie yet I reffered you to your first two posts and all your other lies misrepresentations half truths etc.

[harpseal]

I do not like Communist Shills like you who hide behind Libertarian Rhetoric who stand for the current trade enviroprnment by discounting the Constitutional tool for countering the attack on the American economy which teh Chinese frankly admit is to build up their miltary to challenge America.

[harpseal]

As to obtuseness that is your exclusive province for being a supporter of the PRC and in the USA the DNC line on international trade.