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.

[austinTparty]

You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you? :o)

[harpseal]

Me too. A conservative, Christian, patriotic one as well. You ever taken an economics course?

First, I have taken numerous courses in economics and the Chinese government obviously has also gone beyond economics 101. They realize that capital investment in China is what will give them economic power so that is the reason they peg the Yuan so low right now to atrificially attract investment dollars to their nation. In return they get factories built and by artificially keeping Chinese wages low they also are able to sell much of what they produce abroad further attracting Capital to invest in their military. The factories that they have attracted to within their borders can later be turned to military production.

Now since you claim to be a Christian I will also explain that by advocating policies which beggar thy neigbor within the USA you are hardly being a good Christian. Now I do not claim to be able to go through the nuances of how Christianity comes into play on this issue that is why I have flagged Apole nad crazykatz

Maybe you have not been following all the outsourcing threads of the past few years but they have shown pretty conclusively what is going on. Further I would refer you to Jeff Head's Dragon's Fury series to see what one possible result of these policies will be. Beyond all that I am really sick to death of the US governbment using our tax dollars to subsidize foreign investment overseas via OPIC and other programs while the American economy suffers.

Now as a conservative you should understand that tariffs have been in use by the USA since the 1780's. Almost all of our history as a nation has included a protective tariff. Now I do not like arguing for tariffs but given the current state of the world I believe they are necessary. Personally I would much prefer to see a world of absolute free trade where very nation had freedom and a high standard of living. However, at present that is not reality nor is Free Trade a reality. We all live with taxes. A tariff is perhaps the fairest and most voiluntary tax that exists. It is certainly the most constitutional given the original Constitution (pre Ammendment XVI).

[harpseal]

It is not fair to question someone's allegiance to his country if he buys a foreign widget!

Buying a foreign widget is one thing. Supporting a system that is destroying the USA is another. His comments about tariffs iondicate either a complete disregard of what is happening to the American economy or else an absolute support of the PRC. If it is ignorance about what has been happening that is one thing and I am presuming becoming aware of the facts is enougfh to change his/her mind but if it is anything else then it is fair to question his/her loyalty.

[Texas_Dawg]

I just think it's hilarious. These people probably type from under their desks (where the black helicopters can't see you) and throw their tin foil at the screen in anger.

Seriously, it's just bizarre. If someone started actually saying the stuff they do in my office everyone would start laughing (and there are plenty of conservatives here) and then probably have them escorted from the building. I love it.

[harpseal]

If you are truly interested in the Global economy then you have gotten enough information to understand taht what I have said is accurate on the Chinese operations.

[Redleg Duke]

Having been doing a lot of furniture shopping of late, I am particularly frustrated in the large amount slave labor furniture dumped in the show rooms. It is interesting to see the look on the salesperson's face when I discover the "Made in China" label underneath and state, "We do not buy slave labor produced products!"

I think we ought to put massive tarrifs on all ChiComm imports. Yeah, cheap machine tools too!

[MEG33]

Tariffs from countries that subsidize their industry sounds fair.We do however have certain trade agreements that preclude certain defenses.

[Texas_Dawg]

I think we ought to put massive tarrifs on all ChiComm imports. Yeah, cheap machine tools too!

I bet you probably whine when the Left wants to raise your taxes too.

[harpseal]

I just think it's hilarious. These people probably type from under their desks (where the black helicopters can't see you) and throw their tin foil at the screen in anger.

Here we have the classic liberal style of ad hominem attack which has no basis in reality. You stand for the PRC and use calssic liberal tactics yet you claim to be a conservative. You refuse to adress issues and continue piosting attacks without bothering to discuss facts.

[Capriole]

You want to forcibly take my money by forcing me to pay to support inefficient American workers. So it's not my prerogative at all under your scheme. Well, sir, under your scheme, I won't have the option to buy superbly-made American goods because all the American firms will be driven out of business. Then there won't be anyone left to buy from except the Chinese commies.

[MEG33]

If I am trying to understand ,your laughter makes me only understand how you think but not why.

[Jim Cane]

I just think it's sad. These people probably type with their heads in the sand (where they don't have to see their laid off friends and family) and throw the moniker "tin foil" at the screen in anger.

[Texas_Dawg]

If you knew how much of your money you wasted on tariffs (which are just another tax) to prop up Democratic union members, you'd probably laugh at these guys too. It's sad. They claim to fight for "the little man" and all that gibberish, but they are just bank-rolling the AFL-CIO and the Democratic Party. And costing everyone a solid percentage of their money every year. With time though, they are losing. Free trade is gaining ground because it's the essence of freedom and because it works.

[LanPB01]

You're right. It's all about the free market. If a company can't produce a product that consumers want to buy, that's their problem. Unfortunately, in this case, it seemst to be American companies that are complaining. Asking the government to help is ridiculous, since government establishes and allows crap like the EEOC to exist and drive up prices in the first place.

[Texas_Dawg]

I've often said, if employers were not allowed to withhold taxes throughout the year, and everyone had to write out a check for their taxes each April, taxes would be slashed, unanimously, overnight. If people had to write a yearly check for how much money they are forced to give up, due to trade tariffs, the tariffs would be slashed as well.

[harpseal]

Tariffs from countries that subsidize their industry sounds fair.We do however have certain trade agreements that preclude certain defenses.

Ah yes GATT which allows European nations to subsidze Airbus while Boeing must compete. GATT under which India is currently persuing a claim with the WTO that US medical liscensing requirements are an unfair restraint of trade. I note that the Steel industry which has been subject to a protective tariff due to dumping of Steel in the USA has just been subjected to a negative ruling by the WTO yet the subsidization of Steel industries in amny nations is a well documented fact. The dumping was well documented.

Admittedly I am not a huge fan of protective tariffs for their own sake but when a foreign nation has subsidized their exports to the USA to artifically destroy American competiotion then I do understand such are necessary.

What I am personally more concerned with is the United States Government providing Political Risk and Currency convertability insurance for overseas investment via OPIC an agency of the US government. This takes tax dollars via the full faith and credit of the US government to negate the primary trade advantage that the USA has over most other nations that is our political stability. Recently the US dollar has fallen vis a vis the Euro but China's Yuan is pegged to teh US dollar in order to maximize their exports to the USA and maximize theinflow of Capital to China.

If we as a nation were to compete in an absolute Free Trade envirornment where we were not facing high tariffs for exporting consumer goods to China among some other nations I have confidence we a a nation would successfully compete. However, ther current trade envirornment consists of evry nation haqs free access to American markets but American products are subject to tariffs and restrictions.

[Jeff Head]

My friend, this is a HUGE educational process for most Americans. They look at the immediate here and now of cheap foreign made products (huge percetage now mainland China) and understandably want to keep more of their hard earned dollars.

Our enemies are using this natural and otherwise undersandable feeling against us. Most do not realize and will not be told how they are subsdidizing an impoverished mass of poverty and slave laborers so that our indeological enemies can build up their own engineering, product development and manufacturing capabilities to the point where they can be used abjectly against us.

Most do not see, understand or recognize that less and less critical engineering and manufacturing capability is residing on these shores because it is being transplanted over to the shores of those very current ideological and economic enemies who one day could very easily be military enemies. In fact, in forcing the EP-3C down last year and in their continued build-up across the Formosa Straits, they prove the potential reality of that very point.

Most do not comprehend that the so called "service economy" that they are being convinced to embrace, where we "service" the rest of the world with our high powered marketing capabilities adn communication is nothing but an economy of servants and that the "superhighway" and "bridge" that the Clinton's and others have built is the fast lane over a bridge to our own subserviance, loss of soveriegnty and ultimate attempts at our destruction.

The Clinton's and others in the Democratic party are now openly talking about the inevitability of world governance and our "fit" into it. Useful idiots in Oregon today are demanding that a US flag not be flown over their government "day care" and "learning center" (spelled public school) because they feel it inappropriate in the "global" context.

So, even when someone who is intent on the good traits and qualities of spending time at home, or building their career is offered a sure fired way to immediately save money and make what they view as "right now" progress towards those other goals, it is understandable that they don't want to either hear about, know about or consider these other issues. That is why the educational effort is so critical, and must be long-term, patient and approached from every conceivable angle. I know your sense of urgency in that regard my good friend, and I respect it and am in awe of your tireless efforts in that regard on these boards.

Our founders were a hardy, insprired and far sighted bunch. They actually chose to take the inconvienent, risky, poitentially deadly path fraut with danger to do what was right, seeing clearly that the policies of the Crown were leading them long term to a place where their liberty, life style...their very way of life was threatened.

We face similar decisions as a people and must educate as many as will see as regards those dangers. As you state, that is what The Draogn's Fury Series is all about.

Best regards...keep up the great effort my friend...I know your entire heart and soul are into it.

Best regards.

Jeff

[MEG33]

In all fairness the right to a certain job is not part of our system.Communism guarantees you work,etc.Having experienced joblessness in our family,I am aware of the pain, finally moving across country to get a job,etc.

[harpseal]

I've often said, if employers were not allowed to withhold taxes throughout the year, and everyone had to write out a check for their taxes each April, taxes would be slashed, unanimously, overnight. If people had to write a yearly check for how much money they are forced to give up, due to trade tariffs, the tariffs would be slashed as well.

The difference is tariffs are totally voluntary for the person who actually pays them. More false analogys. Since you seem so enamoredc of the People's Republic of China why do you not try living and working there instead of this nation where so many have shed blodd for liberty.

[harpseal]

It's all about the free market.

Please inform me when international trade becomes a free market.