Much too sophisticated for the Western mind to master.
Posted on 12/27/2001 1:08:54 PM PST by hawaiian
That's one of the many aspects that bothers me. All the hotshot economists declare what a good thing it is for the American consumer to have access to all these goods at attractive prices, but they don't have an answer for what happens when a war or someting cuts off that supply.
We had a sample of that when we had a shortage of things like sugar and copper and rubber during WW2. It wasn't a lot of fun. What with the US importing 65% of its crude oil these days, an embargo of our supply would be catastrophic.
President Grants Permanent Normal Trade Relations to China
By Scott Lindlaw
Associated Press Writer
Published: Dec 27, 2001CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush on Thursday extended permanent normal trade status to China, calling it "a final step in normalizing U.S.-China trade relations."
In a proclamation, Bush also formally declared that the 1974 Jackson-Vanik law no longer applies to China. The law denies normal trade relations with communist states that restrict emigration.
Since 1980, China has enjoyed temporary normal trade relations with the United States under annual presidential waivers of the law. But each waiver has triggered debates in Congress over China's record on human rights and weapons proliferation abuses.
The last occurred in July, when the House voted 259-169 to approve Bush's waiver this year, the last that will be necessary because of China's recent entry into the World Trade Organization. Congress last year granted permanent trade status to China contingent upon its entry into the WTO.
The new trade status will take effect Jan. 1, Bush said in an announcement released in Crawford, Texas, where he is vacationing.
"This is the final step in normalizing U.S.-China trade relations and welcoming China into a global, rules-based trading system," he said.
China joined the World Trade Organization last month, a move Bush said would be "an important underpinning" for democratic reforms in the communist nation.
China and the United States have reached an agreement, as part of China's WTO entry, under which China will lower tariffs on U.S. goods and open up its service sector to American companies.
China's tariffs on U.S.-made goods are to fall from an overall average of 25 percent to 9 percent by 2005. Duties on America's primary farm products are to drop from 31 percent to 14 percent.
China currently enjoys an $80 billion trade surplus with the United States.
AP-ES-12-27-01 1746EST
Much too sophisticated for the Western mind to master.
We Americans should purchase products based on quality rather than price and where it was manufactured. If we do that, then free trade will be a very good thing. The only problem is I think Americans are really focused on the price tag rather than the quality and that is bad for America.
I don't buy cheap Chinese made product if I can help it. I'd rather buy from an American company and spend a little more if I have to.
We had a sample of that when we had a shortage of things like sugar and copper and rubber during WW2. It wasn't a lot of fun. What with the US importing 65% of its crude oil these days, an embargo of our supply would be catastrophic.
This nation is drunken in a self delusion that we will not suffer war. So much to that fact that congress sits in denial of the very one we are in refusing to declare it such. People better start looking beyond their stock portfolios and start looking realistically at what is probabilities. Then their beloved shares in joint China ventures will be useless. Personally I think this nation is being used as useful idiots to build China's factories and technology and when that is accomplished China will turn on us like a Doberman just fed it's last piece of meat by a thief.
This nations leaders are deep in corporate pockets and could care less about the sovereignty of this nation. They sold us out. Both parties sold us out. I forgive neither for it. This is going to be what Panama was to Carter but then again I think Bush would have turned it over it as well. The very thin line between Gore vs Bush just got thinner. Both it seems agreed more than they disagreed this even by Bush's own words.
That's sadly true. I've pointed out that fact many, many times on here. If we're to be any different from liberals we must stand on the principles that we say we believe in, not just blindly HOORAY or ignore everything that happens just because "our guy" in in the White House now.
Bush is certainly better than Gore, but the list of things I don't like continues to grow. That's just a fact.
MM
The Associated Press
CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) Text of President Bush's proclamation Thursday on China's permanent trade status.
1. The United States and the People's Republic of China (China) opened trade relations in 1980. Since that time, the products of China have received nondiscriminatory treatment pursuant to annual waivers of the requirements of section 402 of the Trade Act of 1974 (the "Trade Act") (19 U.S.C. 2432). Trade between the United States and China has expanded significantly even though China has maintained restrictions on market access for U.S. exports and investment.
2. On Nov. 15, 1999, the United States and China agreed on certain terms and conditions for China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) that when implemented will eliminate or greatly reduce the principal barriers to trade and investment in China.
3. On Nov. 9, 2001, pursuant to section 101(b) of Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881, I transmitted a report to the Congress certifying that the terms and conditions for the accession of China to the WTO are at least equivalent to those agreed between the United States and China on Nov. 15, 1999. On Nov. 10, 2001, the Ministerial Conference of the WTO approved the terms and conditions for China's accession and invited China to become a member of the WTO. China has accepted these terms and conditions and became a WTO member on Dec. 11, 2001.
4. Pursuant to section 101(a)(1) of Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881, I hereby determine that chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act should no longer apply to China.
Now, therefore, I, George W. Bush, president of the United States of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including but not limited to sections 101(a)(2) and 102(a) of Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881, do hereby proclaim that:
(1) Nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) shall be extended to the products of China; and
(2) The extension of nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of China shall be effective as of Jan. 1, 2002.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of December, in the year of our Lord 2001, and of the independence of the United States of America the 226th.
George W. Bush
Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Unless this is a "cunning plan", this WILL bite them as more info from Gertz comes out.
I guess I'll just have to add ANOTHER one to my list. Let's see...
Bush Record 2001:
Pluses:
One measley Tax Return
Minuses:
Eminent Domain - Vastly expanded property siezure
HHS - Medical Privacy - Government siezure of Americans Medical Records
Drug War - $43 million "given" to the Taliban government to eradicate poppies, instead they erradicate 3000 Americans
Drug War - $7 billion+ tax dollars to Andes Intitiative - South America poised for war
Faith Based Initiative - $250 Billion tax dollars to churches
K-12 Education Plan - Take over of all public school education
PATRIOTACT - Dismantling of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights
Bail out - Airline industry
Bail Out - Insurance Industry
400 Billion dollars to Lockheed Martin..bombs,bombs, more bombs..
Seals presidential records..indefinitely
Seals USAG court records..indefinitely
PERMANENT TRADE STATUS WITH COMMUNIST CHINA
To come:
Escalates WOD at home
Escalatees WOT at home and across the globe. BTW - Torrorist = Anyone who disagrees with the Kings orders, WHICH, from the above list, would include anyone that has a problem with him taking our money to distribute it for federal welfare. Don't want your hard earned property taken? Your're a terrorist, don't like the feds taking ownership of your medical records, you're a terrorist, and etc.
All hail King George, or you vil be extearminated!!
Agreed. See my list. Post #72
But, to be fair about it he does deserve a + for pulling Federal Abortion funding
(Oh my.. Oh how they howled about that one!)
But those are "the good terrorists". You see, they are "with us" and not against us. They are helping us to move our military even CLOSER to the Chinese border (Kazmeir Sp?)
Didn't know about that one. Will DEFINITELY add that to the plus side. ;)
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