RadioBanter - View Single Post - BTW Stevie were watch the news lately about NASA

October 11th 05, 01:49 AM

wrote:
KØHB wrote:

wrote

We import a large percentage of a lot of stuff, both raw material and
finished goods. Coffee. Rubber. Titanium. Tin. Wolfram. Textiles.
Clothing. And, yes, even oil.

Yup. Some of that isn't a good idea.

Which part is a "not good" idea? Why?

When we become too dependent on imports of things that are not easily
replaced, so that disruptions in the import process cause major
upheavals in our economy.

When the importing causes us to transfer large amounts of hard currency
to people who may then use it against us.

We'd be hard pressed to come up with sufficient quantities of titanium
ore. We have some in Arkansas but major suppliers are Switzerland,
Brazil and some parts of Africa Sierra Leone is a major exporter of rutile.

While some chromium is mined in the U.S., it'd be tough for us to have
much of it without giving money to the Russians, Indians or the South
Africans. They have the world's largest supplies.

When our sources for such minerals are depleted, we can obtain them by
either 1) buying them or 2) taking them.

Dave K8MN