'Buy American' in '09

[don]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

I've read, only in passing, that South America did quite well during WW2. Able to both profit by, and left somewhat alone, by the mutual destruction derby their colonial masters were waging. A significant amount of the world's gold, reflecting that prosperity, was in SA vaults at the war's end. That was corrected by their betters in short order. Anybody out there know anymore about that?

[Jay]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

I've read, only in passing, that South America did quite well during WW2. Able to both profit by, and left somewhat alone, by the mutual destruction derby their colonial masters were waging. A significant amount of the world's gold, reflecting that prosperity, was in SA vaults at the war's end. That was corrected by their betters in short order. Anybody out there know anymore about that?

Today's destruction derby would look very different as most of the "masters" now have nukes and are left with proxy wars to settle disputes. There is a good chance that it will be the non-nuclear powers that might take potential global unrest on the chin and not the majors due to fears of mutually assured destruction. The masters have more to worry about civil unrest in my mind, which might leave the weaker countries with proxy war turmoil or direct confrontation with each other. I don't see any of the South American countries benefiting from a global meltdown this time around.

[ocelotl]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

This is a bit interesting. To my knowledge there is a vacuum in our language to designate "United Statesers." I've known some Venezuelans who expressed some indignation at not being designated as "Americans."

You, and GRG, if he made the same point, are correct, everyone in North, Central, and South America are "Americans." We need something like the UK has, they are not "United Kingdomers" but rather English or Brits, Scots, or Welsh.

What should we be, other than the misnomer of "American?"

Depends how semantic you want to get.

We use to call you "Yanquis", but that is bery narrow as a name, also "Gringos". The nominally correct word in spanish is "Estadounidenses" as you have posted, and also there is the distinction between the Saxon-Americans and the Latin-Americans... The real problem is that the name "USA" is not really a name but a designation or definition...

[tsetsefly]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

Will we have Obama's Blue Eagle????

[tree]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

Around 2002, 2003, I interviewed the Republican owner of a family tool and die (sp?) business in Illinois. He said Jack Welch had told him and others that if they weren't sourcing in China in two years, they shouldn't bother contacting GE.

Said the owner: "Jack Welch should be tried for treason."

Everytime I see Welch and his wife Suzy (a whole other story) with their grinning photo atop their Business Week column, I want to vomit.

Wal-Mart was the other big bad guy in this race to the bottom scenario.

We've got to save US manufacturing before it's too late. What's happening now may have that silver lining.

[tsetsefly]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

Around 2002, 2003, I interviewed the Republican owner of a family tool and die (sp?) business in Illinois. He said Jack Welch had told him and others that if they weren't sourcing in China in two years, they shouldn't bother contacting GE.

Said the owner: "Jack Welch should be tried for treason."

Everytime I see Welch and his wife Suzy (a whole other story) with their grinning photo atop their Business Week column, I want to vomit.

Wal-Mart was the other big bad guy in this race to the bottom scenario.

We've got to save US manufacturing before it's too late. What's happening now may have that silver lining.

why should Welch be tried for treason?

Doesn't America have some of the highest taxes on manufacturing among "1st world"countries?

[LargoWinch]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

Yeah, but question is: does this means that the US Open be canceled?


Sports-gear maker Head to shut Phoenix site

[TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Head NV Group,HEDYY 0.37, 0.00, 0.0%) the Amsterdam sports-equipment producer, said it would close its tennis-ball plant in Phoenix on March 5. In January 2007, Head began producing tennis balls in China and since then has increased output there. It's now closing the U.S. plant and will produce all its tennis balls from China. A statement from the company on Wednesday didn't specify how many employees are affected by the move or how much the closing would cost. Separately, Head nominated Gunter Hagspiel as chief financial officer. He is currently group controller. He succeeds Ralf Bernhart, who was named deputy chairman of the management board.]

Article link:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/sports-gear-maker-head-shut-phoenix/story.aspx?guid={45B04EB7-7A90-4FC5-B08F-C2A261EC3A67}&dist=msr_1

[tree]

Re: 'Buy American' in '09

why should Welch be tried for treason?

Doesn't America have some of the highest taxes on manufacturing among "1st world"countries?

I don't know, but my father worked at the Office of Management and Budget (in the White House). One day in 1981, he came home and said that a new Reagan WH had decided that America was to become a service (ie FIRE) economy. Maybe raising or sustaining high taxes on manufacturing was part of that plan.

But beyond that--taxes, schmaxes. You can't have a sustainable economy without manufacturing, as we clearly see now: the FIRE economy is death.

I didn't say Welch should be tried for treason--the tool and die venture owner did. Because he saw that Welch was killing the business of making the machines that make the machines. To kill American manufacturing was, to him, killing America, and hence treason.

I'm no Pat Buchanan, but Jeez Louise, enough is enough.