Re: Forbes: "Budget To Nowhere"


"Rumpelstiltskin" <PleaseDoNotReplyByEmail@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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On Wed, 6 Feb 2008 05:33:50 -0600, "John Galt"
<whoisjohngalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Rumpelstiltskin" <PleaseDoNotReplyByEmail@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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On Wed, 6 Feb 2008 04:34:55 -0600, "John Galt"

<snip>



Yes, if you back out consumer goods from "other" goods, manufacturing
has
been dead in the US for almost two decades. A huge portion of the US
manufacturing that remains is either military or business-to-business
stuff
like huge construction equipment (Caterpillar, Terex) or airplanes
(Boeing).

The worst enemy of US manufacturing is the american consumer, who has
always
been willing to buy non US made goods to save a dime. This "battle" has
nothing to do with Bush -- it was decided back in the late 80's when we
ceded consumer electronics to the Japanese. It is a battle long since
lost.



Of course people are always going to try to get the best bang
for the buck. That's what people do, that's what I do, that's what
everybody does.

It's not what the Japanese do.



They don't?

They don't. They have a documented tendency to pay more for Japanese goods.
Obviously, HUGE price disparities will alter that behavior, but they will
pay a bit more for domestic goods, as will most Asians, for that matter.

There are also many situations where the price difference between domestic
and imported simply doesn't matter. I picked up some very nice casual
stemware at Wal Mart a week ago, made in the USA, a buck a glass. And
there's always a domestic car that's as good of a "deal" as an imported one,
if you look at price only.

JG



I know they complain about the high cost of rice,
which is kept high by the tariffs there government imposes to
protect domestic rice. I don't think there are even any animals
with any hopes of surviving much longer, let alone just humans,
who don't try to get the best return on their labours.




JG



No mystery there. How is it then possible for
a rich country to avoid destroying the base of its prosperity by
buying foreign goods made at lower cost in preference to goods
made at home, which cost more exactly because the home
country is rich? Tariffs, of course.

Before 1980 or so, we had protective tariffs. Now the tariffs
are mostly gone. Now the industry is mostly gone, because of
course people want to buy cheaper goods made overseas.

Is this hard to understand, or something?





.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Forbes: "Budget To Nowhere"
    ... The worst enemy of US manufacturing is the american consumer, ... been willing to buy non US made goods to save a dime. ... I know they complain about the high cost of rice, ... Tariffs, of course. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Forbes: "Budget To Nowhere"
    ... The worst enemy of US manufacturing is the american consumer, ... been willing to buy non US made goods to save a dime. ... Before 1980 or so, we had protective tariffs. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Forbes: "Budget To Nowhere"
    ... The worst enemy of US manufacturing is the american consumer, ... been willing to buy non US made goods to save a dime. ... buying foreign goods made at lower cost in preference to goods ... Before 1980 or so, we had protective tariffs. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Forbes: "Budget To Nowhere"
    ... things cost twice as much now in American razbuckniks. ... What about the cost of imported goods? ... buyers either buy American or buy used. ... necessarily correlated to relative currency values. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Forbes: "Budget To Nowhere"
    ... things cost twice as much now in American razbuckniks. ... What about the cost of imported goods? ... buyers either buy American or buy used. ... Gotenburg by train is $75 per person. ...
    (soc.retirement)
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