Terry wrote:

Nothing wrong with Chinese clothes hangers, Japanese TVs or many European
made cars.

All countries export. Protectionism is on the rise; US industry being the
first to yell "Dumping" when they lose market share or can't compete! End
result is American consumer pays more than necessary every time a
'Protection' or US government subsidy is empowered as a result of the many
lobby groups!

The only reason that the US consumers can *afford* to buy imported goods is
they have traditionally had fairly good paying jobs that stood firmly on the shoulders
of US manufacturing. Not anymore! We've gleefully exported all of those jobs...try
and find a US made pair of shoes in your local Walmart.

The only way the US can compete with $2/hour factory workers in other countries is
to either become much more efficient (we are already near the top in that catagory), or
drop salaries to third world rates.... or do without.

You cannot build a real economy without making something. Service jobs (Dr's, lawyers,
McDonalds...) simply consume capital from one source, and distribute it to another.

-Chuck