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Zonie63 -> RE: Corporate Personhood -- What Happens at GM? (6/13/2014 7:01:18 AM)
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ORIGINAL: tj444
well,.. being a Canadian, I grew up with most stuff in stores being "Made in America" (do you think I liked that?) and the US seems to not get that when they sell their stuff to other countries, it costs those other countries their jobs..
The debate over NAFTA was about America buying stuff from other countries, along with criticism of the practice of outsourcing. Most Americans probably wouldn't be all that concerned about our stuff being sold to Canada, since it only would benefit a few people at the top. If Canada wished to impose tariffs or put protections on their own economy to reduce American imports, I would have no problem with that whatsoever.
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Americans don't care what jobs that cost Canadians and today 60% of goods sold in Canada are produced either from the US or by US owned corps that have outsourced to China, etc.. So when Americans bitch about lost jobs, they are just getting a taste of what I grew up with.. so I see bitching about NAFTA & outsourcing as being whiney, petty and selfish (in a global world where countries need to co-operate & trade is a two-way street)..
It's more than just lost jobs. It's the general decline and neglect of our industrial base and infrastructure which is probably a more significant issue. The same philosophy and mentality is largely responsible for the decline in our educational system as well. Of course, the militaristic neo-cons will someday be hoisted by their own petard when they find they have to depend on other countries for military components - since Americans are rapidly losing their skills and don't know how to make stuff anymore.
I also find it ironic when the neo-cons have been kissing up to China for all these years while still maintaining a hawkish, pseudo-nationalistic posture. They talk it up about "loyalty" and "patriotism," loudly condemning "traitors" and so forth, yet look what they've been doing.
I understand that this is a global world and countries need to cooperate, but that's just as true now as it was back in 1914 or even 1814. Actually, it's always been the case, for as long as humans have existed. But even though the world would be far better off with mutual cooperation, fairness, and justice, it doesn't mean that it actually happens. It would be nice if it did.
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The US is a developed country, it has considerable advantages over its competitor countries, so if it (whether its Detroit or the US as a whole) is in the crapper, its due to its own mismanagement and corruption..
No doubt about that. However, doesn't it stand to reason that much of the "petty whining" might be about said mismanagement and corruption? That's something I would see as an internal issue of American domestic politics, not something that would directly affect Canada or Canadians.
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I know some people say the US deficit is no big deal, nothing to worry about, blah, blah, blah.. but Detroit's deficit eventually caught up to them.. I expect the same will happen to the US federally at some point.. and that will make this last recession look like a picnic.. JMO..
Some might argue that this is necessary. The wealth of the world has been lopsidedly concentrated in just a few countries, although by removing barriers and making it a global economy, wealth is a lot more fluid and will likely continue to be redistributed until it finds its own equilibrium. This is why countries in Europe are facing austerity and why we're facing similar problems here in America.
We've had it so good for so long, while much of the rest of the world has been living in destitution and hunger. If this goes on unimpeded (and assuming we don't degenerate into another world war), then ultimately, all countries in the world will have the same standard of living and comparable wages. It's an absolute necessity if America is going to compete in this world that American workers (and Canadian and European workers, for that matter) will have to take less money and endure a significantly reduced standard of living. Naturally, a lot of people aren't too thrilled at the prospect, although there may not be any other choice.
Of course, this would also mean that everything would have to cost less here in America. Food prices would have to come down, housing costs, healthcare, energy - all would have to be subject to price controls in order to make the "global economy" practical. American workers can't possibly compete with workers who earn only a fraction of what we earn, since our expenses are so incredibly high. So, in order for America to be more competitive, expenses have to be reduced.
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