Posted on 07/28/2012 4:02:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are currently fighting over who is the more patriotic. Obama slams Romney for having outsourced jobs to China during his Bain Capital days. Romney punches back by labeling Obama “Outsourcer in Chief.” The latest is that both John Boehner and Harry Reid are voicing outrage over America’s made-in-China Olympic uniforms. “Burn them!” thunders Reid.
Republicans and Democrats strangely agree that outsourcing is unpatriotic, and that the moral and patriotic thing to do is to “Hire American” and “Buy American.”
Well, no. Not in a thousand years. The fear of outsourcing and international trade is economic nonsense and moral blindness. More than that: this anti-profit attitude is un-American.
Despite the ongoing Europeanization of America, America still symbolizes the land of freedom, entrepreneurship, profit-making, above all, individualism.
But collectivism is the premise of “Hire/Buy American”: we are to view ourselves and others not as individuals, but as units of a nation. Businesses are urged to pay more in labor costs, simply to hire workers who are American; consumers are urged to forgo Walmart’s low prices, pay more, simply because the pricier goods were made by “our guys.” This is not rational patriotism, it is not Americanism, it's primitive tribalism.
American individualism means making buying decisions on the basis of economic merit, giving no regard to the nationality or race of the seller. Let’s not hide behind patriotic-sounding slogans. Let’s name things straight for a change: giving preference to American sellers over foreign sellers is the same mindless injustice as giving preference to sellers who are white over those who are black.
Economic nationalism is as morally outrageous as racism. Buying on the basis of nationality or race is the same collectivist evil: judging men and their products by the group from which they come, not by merit.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
The leftist hate domestic industry as much as you do but for green reasons. Actually they earn more respect for honesty than the free trader in my book.
Only because you are an idiot. To answer your question, I want everything manufactured here. Problem is, too many idiots stand in the way.
The problem for you is that the insult fits.
If you don’t want me to explain how I see your actions, change your actions or ignore my posts.
I don’t believe you. I don’t think the loss of our domestic manufacturing base bothers you one teeny weeny little bit. I think you are happy about it.
LOL—I would expect a mother-in-law to say much the same thing (and with the same failure to grasp logic).
If you didn’t believe me, then why did you ask? Were we following the “logic trail” again?
I just don’t like you.
Fantastic. I won’t feel the need to buy you a drink if we ever meet.
I tend to be on the side that is maligned as "protectionist" and I have always wondered why foreigners invest here while our guys say that they cannot do business here and are forced offshore; maybe this study explains it where even I can understand.
I am a proud "protectionist" and I have had my fill of contumely this year --
So don't waste band width just to call me names.
(I got a five years worth of hate for posting an opinion that people should not loose their pythons in the wilds -- even the "cute" little bull pythons. The bull python lovers went nuts that I was suggesting that their pets were as dangerous as a loaded gun.)
The study says "On a historical cost basis, or book value basis, the Department of Commerce estimates that by the end of 2009, U.S. firms had accumulated $3.5 trillion worth of direct investment abroad, compared with the $2.3 trillion foreign investors had spent to acquire or establish businesses in the United States, when direct investment is measured at historical cost."
Acquire businesses? Ya mean like Japan did 20 years ago buying just about everything -- and losing same.
Establish business -- now that's the ticket. That's what I am asking about. Maybe the study will explain how those managers can operate a successful business despite the government hindrance. Maybe not.
from the part, Why Firms Invest Abroad
". . . the bulk of foreign direct investment takes place between highly developed countries where rates of return are very similar."
No surprise that developed countries by far trade with each other and that's exactly what free trade is about. I don't think that anyone argues that point.
It's Red China that's the problem for me.
On my quick scan I did not see why invest in an developing country that steals your intellectual property and demands such things as you take on a "partner" who will own at least 51 percent of your venture. I believe that is some of the conditions for being allowed access to the cheap labor.. regardless
I saw nothing about the profit of putting FDI into a country openly boasting of building a military to take on the U.S. of A.
As you noted in you next to last post, you’ve been trying to talk sense into people for the last ten years. For me it’s been about 17 years. By 1995, I was trashing what were doing. When I realized what we were up to with regard to China, I spoke out against it, and stridently.
You and I would like to talk sense into people, but as I noted to one other person on this thread, nobody listened to Winston Churchill until it was too late either. We should expect folks to hear us any better.
I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but the Free Traitors are not going to listen. I am a Capitalist to the bone, but Capitalism can be twisted to the extreme and become an evil tool.
Those who push what is taking place with China, are evil.
Our kids and our nation will pay dearly for this treachery.
You are absolutely right, what you are trying to relate here. I appreciate your contributions.
Maybe you should reexamine the need to write BS like "people we have right here on this forum." Where are they? Why insult anyone specifically, when you can insult everyone who disagrees with you on any number of issues?
And finally, just to put the argument to rest: trade would not have prevented WWII, just as tariffs (or whatever) would not have prevented WWII. And I certainly don't go running around these threads claiming that there are people "right here on this forum" arguing tariffs would have prevented WWII (well, I could, but it would be a strawman argument). Hitler was going to push east, just as Stalin was going to push west. The only question was who would do so first.
Good one. Did you come up with it yourself? The only reason I ask is that it is an insult. Have you ever used it before? lol
The thing that rankles me the most is that there "are people here on this forum" [snort] who would excuse Tiananmen Square, the EP-3 incident, ongoing cyberattacks, etc., if only we raised the price of ping-pong balls by ten cents. You might know some of them, they call themselves patriots.
True.China will build 50,000 new ultra modern, futuristic skyscrapers in the next 20 years. China has been building skyscrapers at this rate for several years now. But many on this site say the U.S. has a bigger economy than China (that is bs).
http://banderasnews.com/0808/nz-chinatobuild.htm
China's economy has grown 10% average for the last 30 years, growing 19 x the size. The U.S. living standards have gone down in those last 30 years. Many U.S. cities are hellholes and many people need to have 2 incomes to make it whereas in the 1970’s only the dad worked and supported a large family.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China
“China's is the world's fastest-growing major economy, with growth rates averaging 10% over the past 30 years.”
China stole our U.S. technology , industries, our own market ,factories etc. China rose at our expense. This "free trade" has to stop. it is one of the main things destroying America. America first. Stop the flood of illegals,immigrants and of foriegn industry destroy products into the U.S.A. Fortress America.
Yes that is exactly what they are. Very good one.
Hypocritically, these free traders say they are for stopping the illegals crossing the border but not for stopping China products. wtf? Why not allow the U.S. companies to import an unlimited amount of immigrant workers also? No we don't need to import foreign labor nor foreign laborers’ products. Since they say that they are for so much “ free trade” why don't they allow U.S. companies and U.S. people to import immigrants and illegals?
Well said.
The problem with free traitors is if you confront them with the national security aspects of our current trade policy, and could make them realize the threat to freedom, they would commit suicide.
Oh yea..let's all sing about the Chinese ascension and system. Heck yeah!...China is great at getting over on other nations....they sell inferior products and poisoned food supplies without blinking an eye.
And, Yeppers...that communism is no problem now....the people in China can't even search the Internet because of blocks on all outside communication except financial transactions. The media is state sponsored and they kill people who don't have the desired amount of children.
Yep..that communist fascism is all but gone./s We should all be just like China. China is the cream with a cherry on top. /s The author should take up residence there...his children deserve to be raised there...where there is no "collectivism" and his high ideas will flourish...not!
These new kick-your-forefathers-in-the-nads jerks are such morons...they will be the richest people on the planet when it all falls down. Personally..I won't catch their sorry butts on their way down with my blood sweat and tears...shrug.
RE: China will build 50,000 new ultra modern, futuristic skyscrapers in the next 20 years.
Sure, but how many of them will be occupied? China has built many cities and malls that are empty and waiting to be occupied.
See here:
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