Buy American

[admin]

Trump said buy American, hire Americans. He says but he doesn’t do….

But the real issue, is it realistic?

The foundation of capitalism are money and trade. Adam Smith said we need to tear down mercantilist barriers. Buy Porto from Portugal because they make it better and cheaper.

To relate to real estate, I just has a conversation with a friend how knows nothing about home remodeling. He has old scratched corian countertops, circa 2002. He wants to sand and repair.

I’m telling him there’s nothing precious about Corian. Rip it out, throw it away and replace with granite which is now cheaper, thanks to China. They have unlimited granite quarries and diamond saw technology to cut the granite. Corian is a trademarked, expensive, and inferior product which is not selling well. Trade has turned a formerly luxury product into a mass produced commodity. We all all better off.

Another example is German manufacturing. Germany produces more goods than their ability to consume. So they have to export at a good price, and we can all enjoy. The more they produce, the cheaper and more available their products become.

So instead of bitching about foreign goods, we should invent things that foreigners want to buy. Win-win.

[spdrun]

It’s funny. Trump whinges about GM producing cars in Mexico, mostly for Latin American consumption.

But we’re talking about the Cruze hatch. Hatchbacks don’t sell well in the US, but they do sell well outside the US. It wouldn’t pay to run two lines (sad-dan and hatchback) in Ohio, so the cars are made where they can best sell.

The fact that the hatch is imported into the US, and the sad-dan is imported into Latin America increase choices in both markets. If import were more difficult, GM would probably only sell the sad-dan in the US, limiting Americans’ choices in practical cars.

Also, why is it OK for Trump to open hotels worldwide, employ local labor, and cater to foreign customers, but it’s not OK for GM to make cars in Mexico, primarily for Mexican use? Shouldn’t he be happy that American companies are expanding worldwide?

Better than a Chinese firm setting up shop making cars in Mexico, right?

[FlyerInHi]

All the talk of protectionism and buy American feels like going back to 19th century economics.

I can’t believe that capitalist republicans support Trump. They reject Keynesianism, but support Trumpism. More evidence that intellectual rigor is not number one priority.

[CA renter]

Brian, you are the oddest liberal I’ve ever known. Do you honestly not care about how this type of waste — tossing out perfectly good Corian countertops and buying imported granite mined from the other side of the globe — affects our environment?

Fair trade that takes into account labor and environmental effects is good, but fair trade that only seeks to exploit weaker labor and environmental regulations is not.

We should import things when other countries have a natural advantage (like tea from China, or bananas from South America, etc.), or where their workers produce a genuinely superior product (German/Swiss engineered products, or Japanese cars, for example); but we should always expect these countries to treat their workers and well and to use the least environmentally damaging means to harvest, mine and produce their products.

We need to do everything possible to protect our planet and its inhabitants. Profit is never an excuse to exploit more vulnerable people and their resources.

[FlyerInHi]

Yeah, we care much about the environment. Is that why we Americans drive 3 to 6 liter cars?
We could easily save 1/2 the oil by mandating small engine cars. And we could leave the oil in the ground, or natural bank/vault.

I’m just working within that established economic environment. I’m a social liberal, internationalist and capitalist.

Under capitalism, we don’t need to care about people. We just make the most financially beneficial decisions and that automatically best serves everyone. How simple and wonderful.

I am going to lease an electric car later this year because it is the cheapest mode of transport in California.

[spdrun]

Horseshit. Financial benefit doesn’t take long-term environmental costs into account right now.

[an]

[quote=FlyerInHi]Under capitalism, we don’t need to care about people. We just make the most financially beneficial decisions and that automatically best serves everyone. How simple and wonderful.[/quote]

[quote=FlyerInHi]So let’s not confuse personal profits to what’s good for the whole of humanity. We should want win-win, not lose-win [/quote]

So, which is it?

[FlyerInHi]

Personal actions are separate from theoretical talk about policy.

I am intellectually honest enough to recognize that policy should be for the benefit of the aggregate. My own consumer behavior however are the best financial decisions for me.

I do vote and evaluate politicians based on policy because that’s their job description.

[Coronita]

I use to go out of my way to buy us made things.

Short of food, I don’t give a shit anymore. I figure government will fix the issues with trade and lack of American made products, so I no longer need to do my part and pay more just to support something made in America.

[an]

So, in another word, do as I say, not as I do. Got it.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=AN]So, in another word, do as I say, not as I do. Got it.[/quote]

Nope.

Just because I believe affordable housing policies doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get the max rent for my rentals, amounts which might be unaffordable for the average person.

Another illustration. If I’m in the business of selling processed food, i would do my best within the existing order. But i believe that the government has a compelling interest in, and rightfully should enact policies to discourage the consumption of processed food.

If government policies hurt me financially but they are good for the aggregate, I’ll keep my mouth shut; or I’ll support the policies because they are the correct one. No hypocrisy.

And if the government puts me out of business then it’s time for me to find another business . The world is a changing place.

[an]

[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=AN]So, in another word, do as I say, not as I do. Got it.[/quote]

Nope.

Just because I believe affordable housing policies doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get the max rent for my rentals, amounts which might be unaffordable for the average person.

Another illustration. If I’m in the business of selling processed food, i would do my best within the existing order. But i believe that the government has a compelling interest in, and rightfully should enact policies to discourage the consumption of processed food.

If government policies hurt me financially but they are good for the aggregate, I’ll keep my mouth shut; or I’ll support the policies because they are the correct one. No hypocrisy.

And if the government puts me out of business then it’s time for me to find another business . The world is a changing place.[/quote]
That’s like anti-abortion crowd who go out an get abortion or anti gay rights but make banks providing services to the gay community, etc. You’re behaving exactly like those trump supporters you rail against.

[FlyerInHi]

AN, interesting perspective. I guess that’s why you may not understand.why an anti gay bakery owner may not refuse to bake a cake for a gay wedding.

[FlyerInHi]

Interesting factoid. GE appliances is now Chinese and American Standard is now Japanese for those of you who want to improve your houses.

[an]

[quote=FlyerInHi]AN, interesting perspective. I guess that’s why you may not understand.why an anti gay bakery owner may not refuse to bake a cake for a gay wedding.[/quote]They’re what a lot of far left would call capitalist pigs who are hypocrites and have no moral. I totally understand why and I don’t care if they do it. But it doesn’t make them any less of a hypocrite just because I understand why they would be a hypocrite.

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