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Home Front: Politix
Ben Stein offers us a rare peak at the elitist view
2016-06-05
BLUF: [Breitbart] I don't think the regular folks - of course, I don't know that many regular folks - but I don't think the regular folks know much about the economy or about how trade works. If the regular folks think that China came along in the middle of the night and stole all their jobs, then nothing could be further from the truth. It's just nonsense. I think Trump is popular because he says: I am going to go to China and get those jobs back. But he is not going to be able to do that. And any attempt to try would be a disaster.
Posted by:Besoeker

#14  I like Gary Johnsons idea of lowering or eliminating the corporate tax and watching companies fall over themselves to relocate to the us (and bringing jobs with them).

He thinks fair tax would balance out the lost revenue.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2016-06-05 23:31  

#13  "How many military front line foreign planes have we bought in the last 50 years?"

How that is an argument?
The knowledge of American engineers is what it is because of worldwide competition.

Detroit went down because of the crap they were putting in a market without external competition.
Then arrived the Japanese....
Japanese cars are what made American manufacturers wake up.

Closing the door to foreign products means that a cocoon culture is formed in US.
Posted by: Tarzan Slailet2796   2016-06-05 22:59  

#12  Italy started the WW2 in 1940 with biplanes as their main fighter force. They were not competitive because : Autarky

How many military front line foreign planes have we bought in the last 50 years?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-06-05 20:59  

#11  So China don't buy Boeing's?
So GM does not sell more cars in China than in USA?



Posted by: Tarzan Slailet2796   2016-06-05 18:39  

#10  Yes, China does have trade barriers, and somehow they manage to have more sophisticated airplanes than biplanes.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2016-06-05 18:26  

#9  "Sorry but 'Free Traders' are like the Marxist. All wrapped up theory and ignoring consequences."

As if your Marxism of Fascist extraction is not "wrapped up theory and ignoring the consequences"

Italy started the WW2 in 1940 with biplanes as their main fighter force. They were not competitive because : Autarky.

If you wan to create your obsolescence then go that route. Protect yourself from others people competence.
Posted by: Tarzan Slailet2796   2016-06-05 18:18  

#8  Does China have trade barriers?
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2016-06-05 17:18  

#7   -- no trade barriers needed.


Really? How about outsourcing your all military equipment requirements. I'm sure there are cheaper production alternatives than in-house. Maybe because when the usual carp hits the wall, you don't want critical materials withheld. Now expand on that to every product underlying the economy.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-06-05 17:00  

#6   Reduce the regulatory load on businesses, particularly small businesses, and the new companies that spring up and grow will take care of employment without having to claw back jobs that have gone elsewhere

Exactly! Smallish, incremental steps aimed at trade equity and restoration. Build upon success, reward progress as opposed to failure.
Posted by: Besoeker   2016-06-05 15:36  

#5  Reduce the regulatory load on businesses, particularly small businesses, and the new companies that spring up and grow will take care of employment without having to claw back jobs that have gone elsewhere -- no trade barriers needed. For that matter, get some kids to study the skills needed for today's hghly technical factory jobs instead of drinking their way through a useless business degree that gets them the kind of job a high school dploma used to, and they'll slide into jobs that have been waiting for someone capable to fill them, even without reducing regulations.
Posted by: trailing wife   2016-06-05 15:29  

#4  And sadly, we are not the nation of 1941 in character or national resolve....
Posted by NoMoreBS


A statement worthy of an extensive essay. More importantly however, is there any hope for patient recovery ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2016-06-05 13:35  

#3  P2K, the path to tyranny and serfdom is exactly as you described it. As for getting the jobs back, incrementalism in tariffs and currency reform can work if buttressed by a formidable military, but since we have financed the Chinese military buildup through our own national de-industrialization and allowed the looting of out technology advantage through theft, it will be infinitely harder to do without war. And sadly, we are not the nation of 1941 in character or national resolve....
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2016-06-05 13:30  

#2  It's just nonsense.

Sorry but 'Free Traders' are like the Marxist. All wrapped up theory and ignoring consequences.

You can pay heavily in taxes to support a largely low skill population with a very expense and expansive bureaucracy or you can pay more for your products by protecting the labor in your country with a comparatively modest tariff bureaucracy. No loyalty to those you ask to give up their children to die to keep you in power while impoverishing them is not sustainable in the long run. Better to keep them working than to degenerate them to dependents. Cause some day when the crap hits the fan, they have no interests to keep the system going.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-06-05 09:03  

#1  Among many others, El Greco painted 'The Cleansing of the temple.' Perhaps he was on to something.
Posted by: Besoeker   2016-06-05 04:05  

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