In article , Mike Coslo
writes:

What percentage say "Made in China"...?!?!
Or go to your local Home Depot or just about any store, and see how many
items you can find that aren't manufactured in China.

What amazes me is how willingly (and some enthusiastically) we approach
this "brave new world".

I'm not part of that "we".

The shift of the US to a "you want fries with that" economy is perhaps
the scariest thing I've ever heard of.

Economically, I agree. We will not prosper by taking in each other's washing.
Economics doesn't work that way.

Lessee, when the US is busy doing whatever it is shifting it's economy
to, and the rest of the world is *making* things, especially One Real
Big part of the rest of the world, (namely China) guess who is gonna be
the boss? Countries with service economies aren't the leaders, they are
ruled by others.

Economically, anyway.

OTOH, the ideology of *some* socialist countries is being affected by exposure
to capitalism and Western-style development. The Soviet Union didn't fall apart
because of SDI or steely-eyed glares across the Berlin Wall. It had more to do
with rock'n'roll, blue jeans and a McDonald's in Red Square. China is slowly
going the same way. Look at Hong Kong.

Remember the student vs. tank episode in Tianamen Square? Look up how long ago
that was. I was shocked by how much time has passed.

Cheap foreign imports are a short-term coverup of real problems. Domestic
industry withers away, and good jobs with it. Then the infrastructure (trained
people as well as facilities) are lost.

73 de Jim, N2EY

N2EY wrote:
In article , Mike Coslo
writes:


What percentage say "Made in China"...?!?!

Or go to your local Home Depot or just about any store, and see how many
items you can find that aren't manufactured in China.

What amazes me is how willingly (and some enthusiastically) we approach
this "brave new world".


I'm not part of that "we".

The shift of the US to a "you want fries with that" economy is perhaps
the scariest thing I've ever heard of.


Economically, I agree. We will not prosper by taking in each other's washing.
Economics doesn't work that way.

Lessee, when the US is busy doing whatever it is shifting it's economy
to, and the rest of the world is *making* things, especially One Real
Big part of the rest of the world, (namely China) guess who is gonna be
the boss? Countries with service economies aren't the leaders, they are
ruled by others.


Economically, anyway.

We could be brought to our knees.


OTOH, the ideology of *some* socialist countries is being affected by exposure
to capitalism and Western-style development. The Soviet Union didn't fall apart
because of SDI or steely-eyed glares across the Berlin Wall. It had more to do
with rock'n'roll, blue jeans and a McDonald's in Red Square. China is slowly
going the same way. Look at Hong Kong.

Better hope that change comes before they are the only game in town!

Sometimes I think that people equate capitalism with the freedoms we
enjoy. My point is tha not too far underneath their glossy "new
surface", they are philosophically quite different than us. One does not
need to believe in democracy to belive in making money.


Remember the student vs. tank episode in Tianamen Square? Look up how long ago
that was. I was shocked by how much time has passed.

Cheap foreign imports are a short-term coverup of real problems. Domestic
industry withers away, and good jobs with it. Then the infrastructure (trained
people as well as facilities) are lost.

Agreed!

- Mike KB3EIA -

In article , Mike Coslo
writes:

N2EY wrote:
In article , Mike Coslo
writes:

What percentage say "Made in China"...?!?!

Or go to your local Home Depot or just about any store, and see how many
items you can find that aren't manufactured in China.

What amazes me is how willingly (and some enthusiastically) we approach
this "brave new world".

I'm not part of that "we".

The shift of the US to a "you want fries with that" economy is perhaps
the scariest thing I've ever heard of.

Economically, I agree. We will not prosper by taking in each other's
washing.
Economics doesn't work that way.

Lessee, when the US is busy doing whatever it is shifting it's economy
to, and the rest of the world is *making* things, especially One Real
Big part of the rest of the world, (namely China) guess who is gonna be
the boss? Countries with service economies aren't the leaders, they are
ruled by others.

Economically, anyway.

We could be brought to our knees.

It's being done a little at a time.

OTOH, the ideology of *some* socialist countries is being affected by
exposure
to capitalism and Western-style development. The Soviet Union didn't fall
apart
because of SDI or steely-eyed glares across the Berlin Wall. It had more to
do
with rock'n'roll, blue jeans and a McDonald's in Red Square. China is
slowly going the same way. Look at Hong Kong.

Better hope that change comes before they are the only game in town!

Sometimes I think that people equate capitalism with the freedoms we
enjoy.

That's because the freedom to develop capitalism is one of the biggies.

My point is tha not too far underneath their glossy "new
surface", they are philosophically quite different than us. One does not
need to believe in democracy to belive in making money.

BINGO!

And suppose China does become democratized and completely embraces capitalism.
Why should they consider the needs of the USA over their own? We could simply
become an *economic* colony of China. We supply them with raw materials and
some specialized labor/products, and become dependent on them for most
manufactured goods. Wealth flows across the Pacific as it once did across the
Atlantic. Why should China *economically* view the USA any differently than
England did 250 years ago?

Remember the student vs. tank episode in Tianamen Square? Look up how long
ago
that was. I was shocked by how much time has passed.

Cheap foreign imports are a short-term coverup of real problems. Domestic
industry withers away, and good jobs with it. Then the infrastructure
(trained people as well as facilities) are lost.

Agreed!

That's how a country becomes economically dependent.

73 de Jim, N2EY