[raybbr]

Having started by making cheap goods, Chinese firms are moving on to more profitable ones as their country's membership of the WTO guarantees them access to world markets.

Nobody here cares. They only want cheap goods regardless of the effect to our economy.

BTW. Do any of you free-traders wonder what our economy would be like if, instead of a 500 billion dollar deficit with China, we had a 500 billion dollar surplus, or, at least even trade?

[dennisw]

Nobody here cares. They only want cheap goods regardless of the effect to our economy.

Here's the real kicker. It's a vicious circle. As we export jobs the poorer Americans will get to where all they can afford is the cheapo Wal-Mart made in China crap. Poorer Americans will have no choice but to buy the cheapChinese stuff even if they want to be loyal to the American manufacturer. Matter of fact this is already happening.