I don't want a trade surplus, that's why I said balanced trade. No surplus, no deficit, get it? I don't want to be a stagnant export economy like Japan, and I don't want to be an import dependent nation like we are currently becoming. I want the benefits of trade without the downside, that's all.
Well, if you don't want it, that must be best for the economy.
The point of this thread was the big trade deficit with China. You know what a trade deficit is, right? We send China little green pieces of paper and they send us computers, CD's, DVD's etc.
Willie is worried that they'll keep our little pieces of green paper and never give them back. If they want to do that, we've got plenty of paper.
If they use that paper to buy stuff from us, you and Willie are happy and American jobs are created. If they use that paper to buy t-bills, they reduce American interest rates which helps the economy and creates American jobs and reduces interest the govt pays to finance the federal deficit.
So, either way, I don't see a problem
Enlighten me, show me the problem.
Aha, so it is possible to have a trade surplus and still have a bad economy. Quick, tell Willie. There must be a Jefferson quote that applies.