27 Sep 10
Originally posted by twhiteheadATYSOA
The US has been breaking those rules throughout history. If anything, it made most of the 'rules' to suit itself.
If the US and Europe scraped farm subsidies, then the developing world would not need foreign aid any more - and that is just one example of developed countries' unfair trade practices.
Nobody's innocent in this dog-eat-dog world.
Well, very few people anyway.
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by sh76Unfair to whom? I fail to see how healthcare has anything to do with world trade, whereas farm subsides exist almost solely to make world trade unfavorable to everyone else.
Farm subsidies are not any more unfair than government provided healthcare.
And your general claim that ending farm subsidies would eliminate the need for all foreign aid is dubious and unsupported.
Unsupported by whom? Can you estimate for us how much in total is spent on farm subsidies and how much is spent on foreign aid by the US and by the EU?
I admit I am mostly just repeating what my sister (a farmer) has told me.
In any case, fairness is not the issue.
Well then don't start the thread off by trying to make it look like China is cheating the rules or in some way being unfair.
No government has the responsibility to be fair to any other economically. The question is whether the US is justified in assessing tariffs on Chinese imports based on China's refusal to float its currency. Plainly, we are.
You cannot even talk about being 'justified' because you have already stated that fairness is not a governments responsibility there for there is no need to justify actions.
Of course, whether it's a good idea is another matter.
And that should have been your key point for discussion. So why start of with the whole 'look what unfair traders those Chinese are' quote?
Why not just say "China is getting the best of us, and although they have every right to do so, should we try and stop them?".
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by sh76I totally agree.
I agree. The Chinese don't owe it to us to float their currency. But by the same token, we don't owe it to them to allow complete and free importation of Chinese goods to the US. If we want to demand, as quid pro quo for allowing their imports without tariffs into the US, that they float their currency, we have every right to do that as well. If they refuse, we ...[text shortened]... on Chinese imports.
Such a policy would also, of course, help our manufacturing industries.
27 Sep 10
2 edits
Originally posted by zeeblebotPfft. 😴 I am not convinced by the Chinese bogeyman conspiracy theory. They're growing like a bubble, and we all know how that works out. There are too many cultural weaknesses for them to catch up to the USA. Monoethnicity, environmental abuse, wealth disparity, one party system...their marketplace of ideas is flooded with products, but they all come from the same manufacturer...so no competition.
if it's a war, the Chinese are winning.
til we pull out our secret weapon: the coming crash of the U.S. Dollar!
bwahahahahaha-HA!
EDIT
Besides, what exactly have they done? Their nuclear policy and military policy haven't exactly been hawkish over the decades.
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by sh76Of course. That is why our country allowed it to happen in the first place.
If they called in all our debt at once, they would destroy the dollar as a viable currency, crippling the US (and world) economy, but also making their notes worthless. It would be a classic example of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.
It is a symbiotic like relationship between a bunch of rich stockholders and the working class gets screwed in both countries. It is called economic slavery.
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by KazetNagorraWithout farm subsidies most of our farmers would not be able to make a living and there would be very few farmers as a result. This is a good example of why there is really no such thing as free trade. It does not exist.
No, they don't. The amount of health care people receive abroad is negligible. Foodstuffs can be imported and exported much more easily - besides, there is no real purpose for farm subsidies other than to get votes from farmers at the expense of billions of taxpayers' money and the blood of thousands of innocent people.
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by sh76I support protectionism as well, but we would get inflation as a result. That is why any money from tariffs should be used to to reduce the money supply if it is needed.
I agree. The Chinese don't owe it to us to float their currency. But by the same token, we don't owe it to them to allow complete and free importation of Chinese goods to the US. If we want to demand, as quid pro quo for allowing their imports without tariffs into the US, that they float their currency, we have every right to do that as well. If they refuse, we ...[text shortened]... on Chinese imports.
Such a policy would also, of course, help our manufacturing industries.
The only thing I worry about is that if China feels it will hurt them they might hurt us as well by calling in some of their debt.
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by Metal BrainOur debt.
I support protectionism as well, but we would get inflation as a result. That is why any money from tariffs should be used to to reduce the money supply if it is needed.
The only thing I worry about is that if China feels it will hurt them they might hurt us as well by calling in some of their debt.
27 Sep 10
Originally posted by AThousandYoungtry visiting tibet.
Pfft. 😴 I am not convinced by the Chinese bogeyman conspiracy theory. They're growing like a bubble, and we all know how that works out. There are too many cultural weaknesses for them to catch up to the USA. Monoethnicity, environmental abuse, wealth disparity, one party system...their marketplace of ideas is flooded with products, but they all ...[text shortened]... e[/i]? Their nuclear policy and military policy haven't exactly been hawkish over the decades.